SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Jan. 26, 2016 – Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions®, treated guests to a surprise performance by GRAMMY-award winning Zac Brown Band during its annual gala, which was held at WestWorld of Scottsdale on Jan. 25, 2016. This year’s highly anticipated event was sponsored by Acura and celebrated the millions of dollars raised for charity by the car collecting community. The annual gala was Scottsdale’s most sought-after event ticket and kicked off Barrett-Jackson’s auction week where over 1,500 vehicles will cross the block at WestWorld of Scottsdale. View gala video here.
“The first Barrett-Jackson auction 45 years ago was a creative way to connect the collector car community and benefit an important charity,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “Fast forward to today, and Barrett-Jackson has evolved into a global powerhouse that is the world’s greatest collector car auction. During those decades, we’ve raised millions of dollars for important causes. While the scale of our events may continue to grow, the passion for this hobby and helping charities deepens with every life that we touch.”
Barrett-Jackson kept the entertainment for the annual gala under a veil of secrecy. Working with this year’s gala sponsor Acura, Barrett-Jackson secured the iconic Zac Brown Band to headline this year’s gala. The band recently wrapped up their largest North American Stadium Tour to date and was greeted by a surprised and elated audience on Monday night when they took center stage to rock the room.
Barrett-Jackson has raised nearly $85million for charity over the past 45 years, and will continue this generous tradition with the auction of one of the most anticipated supercars in the world, the 2017 Acura NSX VIN #001 (Lot #3007). One hundred percent of the hammer price of the Acura NSX will benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Camp Southern Ground, the passion project of Grammy Award-winning artist Zac Brown.
Other important charity vehicles crossing the block in Scottsdale include the Chevrolet COPO Camaro VIN #001 (Lot #3005), a custom 2016 Ford Focus RS (Lot #3009), Jay Leno’s one-of-one F-150 (Lot #3006) and others totaling 11 charity consignments.
“The Barrett-Jackson Opening Night Gala has become the hottest ticket in Scottsdale during January,” said Carolyn Jackson who headed up the event planning committee. “Since this was our 45th anniversary event, it was important to elevate the experience in every way. From the entertainment to the cuisine, our team worked diligently to create the ultimate Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Week kick-off event for the thousands of people who attended the gala.”
To preview vehicles consigned for the 2016 Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, click here. For more information on becoming a bidder, follow the link to www.barrett-jackson.com/bid. Experience the 45th Anniversary Scottsdale Auction in style with a Barrett-Jackson VIP Experience Package. Information on available packages and how to be a part of this world-class lifestyle event is available here.
About Zac Brown Band
Three-time GRAMMY winners and multi-platinum artists Zac Brown Band have become one of music’s most heralded acts. Their latest gold-certified album JEKYLL + HYDE, out now on Southern Ground Artists/John Varvatos Records/Big Machine Label Group/Republic Records, marks the band’s third consecutive #1 debut on the Billboard 200 chart. Together with their three platinum-selling albums, Uncaged, You Get What You Give, and The Foundation, and their 2013 project The Grohl Sessions Vol. 1, the band has sold over eight million albums to date. On the radio, the band has earned a historic series of fourteen #1 hit radio singles and became only the second artist to top both the country and active rock formats. This year alone, “Homegrown”, the band’s first single off of JEKYLL + HYDE, earned the title of the “No. 1 most-heard song of 2015” according to Mediabase. Zac Brown Band recently wrapped their largest North American Stadium Tour to date, which included two history making performances – a first ever sold-out, three-night run at Fenway Park, and the first-ever concert at Coors Field along with performances at Wrigley Field, Nationals Park, Citi Field, Comerica Park and Citizen’s Bank Park. Zac Brown Band is managed by ROAR, a Beverly Hills-based artist and brand management company. The band is also represented by CAA, public relations firm Shore Fire Media and strategic digital marketing agency Girlilla Marketing. Additional information can be found at http://www.zacbrownband.com/.
About The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company
Established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions®, is the leader in collector car auctions and automotive lifestyle events. The company produces auctions in Scottsdale, Arizona; Palm Beach, Florida; at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, and Las Vegas, Nevada. With broadcast partners, Velocity and Discovery Channel, Barrett-Jackson will feature live television coverage in 2016, including broadcasts in over 100 countries internationally. Barrett-Jackson also endorses a one-of-a-kind collector car insurance for collector vehicles and other valued belongings. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit http://www.barrett-jackson.com, or call (480) 421-6694.
About Acura
Acura is a leading automotive luxury nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance through advanced product design and innovative technologies like Acura Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) and Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS). On March 27, 2016, Acura will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its launch as the first luxury nameplate from a Japanese automaker. Acura was also the first international luxury nameplate to develop and manufacture products in America; and today more than 90 percent of the products Acura sells in America are built in America.
The Acura lineup features five distinctive models – the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the seven-passenger Acura MDX, America’s all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV. This spring, Acura will launch its next-generation, electrified NSX supercar as a new and pinnacle expression of Acura Precision Crafted Performance. Acura has posted four consecutive years of sales growth and is steadily strengthening its focus on advanced design and performance with products like the next-generation NSX and the Acura Precision Concept, which made its world debut at the 2106 North American International Auto Show in January.
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