SCOTTSDALE, AZ – January 26, 2017 – (Motor Sports Newswire) –
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Steven Tyler was on the block on Friday to sell his extremely rare Hennessey Venom GT Spyder to benefit Janie’s Fund
- Pro athletes attending included undefeated boxing champ Floyd Mayweather, U.S. Olympian Michael Phelps, two-time Masters champ Bubba Watson, and racing greats Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Don “The Snake” Prudhomme
- Other well-known names from the entertainment world at this year’s Scottsdale auction included international singer and songwriter Justin Bieber, as well as Hollywood icon Burt Reynolds and actor Frankie Muniz
Justin Bieber, two-time Masters champ Bubba Watson and West Coast Customs CEO Ryan Friedlinghaus at the 2017 Scottsdale Auction.
Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions®, was this year’s place to be for sightings of megastars and supercars during the 46th Annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, held Jan. 14-22, 2017, at WestWorld of Scottsdale in Arizona.
“If you were looking for the world’s coolest cars and hottest stars under one tent, Barrett-Jackson was definitely the hot spot to be,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “We’re not only a collector car auction; we’re a gathering place for the who’s who of entertainment, sports and business icons. With over 76 acres of family activities to do and see, you never know what celebrity you might run in to while you’re shopping for your favorite collector car.”
On Thursday, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steven Tyler roared onto the stage in his rare 2012 Hennessey Venom GT Spyder. The crowd went wild when Tyler rolled onto the block standing in the passenger seat with music pumping, lights flashing and Craig Jackson behind the wheel. Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Justin Bieber and pro championship boxer Floyd Mayweather were both met with thunderous applause and cheering fans as they took their turns on the auction block.
Barrett-Jackson President Steve Davis, Ford Motor Company President & CEO Mark Fields, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Barrett-Jackson Chairman & CEO Craig Jackson and Barrett-Jackson Vice President of Consignment Gary Bennett.
Some of the celebrities spotted during the auction were the cars themselves. John Lennon’s Austin Princess, which was used in the rock and roll legend’s 1972 documentary film “Imagine,” crossed the block on Saturday. A 1980 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am identical to the one featured in “Smokey and the Bandit II” was accompanied to the block by its owner, Burt Reynolds, star of the cult classic movie.
“It’s important to our team that we help create a memorable experience for each of our guests,” said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “Not only do we want our guests to walk away with the car of their dreams, but an experience they’ll remember forever. Giving our guests the chance to get close to some of their favorite celebrities is one way we’re doing that.”
Before the auction doors opened, the entertainment was already well under way. Barrett-Jackson teamed up with Pennzoil and World Championship drifter and professional “fun-haver,” Vaughn Gittin Jr. to film “No Reserve Drifting,” an adrenalin-pumping video shot at Barrett-Jackson’s longstanding auction site, WestWorld of Scottsdale. Throughout the 76-acre site, Gittin is shown piloting his 2017 Monster Energy Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR through harrowing hairpin turns and calculated donuts that demonstrate his natural dexterity behind the wheel.
Some stars even made an appearance the evening before the collector car auction began at Barrett-Jackson’s renowned Opening Night Gala, which this year featured performances by the London Essentials and the Montreal Rhapsody Orchestra.
Some of the biggest names in the entertainment, sports and business world attended this year, including:
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Steven Tyler
- Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Justin Bieber
- Undefeated pro boxing champion Floyd Mayweather
- NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Actor Burt Reynolds
- Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time
- Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, Four-time NHRA Funny Car champion
- Mark Fields, President & CEO of Ford Motor Company
- Richard Rawlings of Gas Monkey Garage
- Actor Frankie Muniz
- Two-time Masters champ Bubba Watson
- Baseball great Reggie Jackson, “Mr. October”
- New York Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury
- NHL players Steven Stamkos and Ryan Callahan of the Tampa Bay Lightning
- Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marco Estrada
- NFL great Jared Allen
- MLB players Matt Lindstrom, Justin Morneau and Jesse Crain
- Arizona Coyotes Coach Dave Tippett and players Mike Smith, Shane Doan, Max Domi, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jordan Martinook and Kevin Connauton
Consignments are now being accepted for the 15th Annual Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Auction April 6-8, 2017, at the South Florida Fairgrounds. For information on becoming a bidder, follow the link to https://www.barrett-jackson.com/bid. Information on available packages and how to be a part of this world-class lifestyle event is available here.
Source: Barrett-Jackson Auction Company, LLC
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Filed under: Auctions, Motorsports Tagged: Auction, Barrett-Jackson, Collector Car, Justin Bieber, Megastars, Scottsdale, Steven Tyler
