2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 #1 will be auctioned off by Barrett-Jackson, with proceeds benefiting a military charity.
When the first 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 intended for public sale rolls off of the line at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant next year, it will be destined for the winner of an auction being held on January 20th. The right to own C7 ZR1 #1 will be sold to the highest bidder at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale, Arizona event next January. The proceeds of that high-profile auction will go to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
Monster Money for the First C7 ZR1
Over the course of the past decade or so, General Motors has auctioned off a great many first-unit vehicles off for charity. The first 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will be the next in line, and with this being the most powerful Corvette ever, we can expect the auction to bring in some very big money.
For example, NASCAR owner Rick Hendrick paid more than a million dollars at auction for the right to own the first C7 Corvette Stingray and the first C7 Corvette Stingray convertible. Hendrick also brought the first C7 Corvette Z06 coupe for a million dollars, so it seems likely that Rick Hendrick will be looking to buy the first C7 ZR1 as well. In doing so, he will likely spend at least a million dollars, but in addition to completing his collection of first-unit C7 Corvettes – he will also be contributing big money to a very good cause.
The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation
The proceeds of the auction for the first 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will go to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation – an organization named after a firefighter killed during the 9-11 rescue operation. As part of their Building for America’s Bravest program, this foundation provides mortgage-free homes for severely-injured US soldiers, but not just average homes. The housing provided through this program are “smart homes”, with a variety of unique features that allow them cater to the specific needs of each wounded warrior such as automated doors and lights, counters with adjustable heights and hallways and doors widened to accommodate a wheelchair or other mobility device.
The Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction will almost certainly be televised so we might be able to watch the action, but we can be sure that the sale of 2019 Corvette ZR1 #1 will be big news.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
