As the final laps of the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship were being logged into the record books and three first-time champions were being crowned (Cooper Webb – 450SX Class, Dylan Ferrandis – Western Regional 250SX Class and Chase Sexton – Eastern Regional 250SX Class), so began the final hours in the first-ever Supercross – St. Jude online auction where fans and athletes alike championed for another cause – the fight to end childhood cancer.
Throughout the 2019 Supercross season, Feld Entertainment® and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital partnered on a season-long campaign. This included several initiatives spanning a launch party in Minneapolis which kicked off the ThisShirtSavesLives movement to a tour of St. Jude in Memphis, an inaugural namesake race in Nashville, and an online auction that raised $201,564 to support the St. Jude mission: Finding cures. Saving children.®
More than 100 members of the Supercross community participated in the THIS SHIRT SAVES LIVES movement, raising $121,800 and garnering more than 40 million media impressions across both social and traditional channels.
Over 30 Supercross athletes, including champions Ryan Dungey and Jason Anderson, participated in a private hospital tour in Memphis and then attended a special St. Jude patient and family reception that included hanging out with the kids and playing Monster Energy Supercross – the Official Video Game while also providing instruction for those brave enough to jump on the Supercross Virtual Reality Experience (SXVR). The athletes signed autographs, gave of their time and left the patient families with bags of swag, a welcomed reprieve and smiles to last a lifetime.
“The Supercross community united in record numbers this season to stand behind Ryan Dungey in the fight to end childhood cancer,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “We are proud to name Ryan as the St. Jude Ambassador of the Year. His selfless commitment to the hospital inspired an army of supporters who are helping to ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for anything – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.”
The inaugural race for St. Jude in Nashville provided the backdrop for fans to see their favorite athletes competing in customized gear or on bikes sporting specially-produced graphics inspired by St. Jude patient artwork. The multi-week online auction created a frenzied two days of bidding wars in the final hours where 345 auction-goers made bids on 240 individualized pieces creating 120 winners while raising an impressive $79,764 in total.
Highlighting the top bids were a noteworthy $10,000 raised for a Bullfrog Spas Hot Tub and Smartop cover, $4,500 for an official 2017 Ryan Dungey Championship Replica Ring and $4,100 for an autographed Eli Tomac Race Jersey.
THIS RACE SAVES LIVES Supercross – St. Jude Online Auction – Top Bid Items:
Bullfrog Spas A-7 Hot Tub and Smartop Cover – $10,000 – Donated by Smartop Motoconcepts Bullfrog Spas Honda
Official 2017 Ryan Dungey Championship Replica Ring – $4,500 – Donated by Ryan Dungey
Autographed Eli Tomac Race Jersey – $4,100 – Donated by Eli Tomac, Alpinestars and Monster Energy Kawasaki
Autographed FLY Racing Helmet – $3,100 – Donated by FLY
Autographed Ryan Dungey Race Jersey – $2,400 – Donated by Ryan Dungey, FOX and Red Bull KTM
Autographed Ken Roczen Race Jersey – $2,200 – Donated by Ken Roczen, FOX and Team Honda HRC
Autographed Cooper Webb Race Jersey (1 of 3) – $1,900 – Donated by Cooper Webb, THOR and Red Bull KTM
Kevin Moranz “Believe” Oakley Frogskin Sunglasses – $1,600 – Donated by Kevin Moranz, Custom Powersports, Lynch Concepts and Oakley
Autographed Cooper Webb Race Jersey (3 of 3) – $1,500 – Donated by Cooper Webb, THOR and Red Bull KTM
Autographed Marvin Musquin Race Jersey – $1,500 -Donated by Marvin Musquin, THOR and Red Bull KTM
Autographed Chad Reed Race Jersey – $1,400 – Donated by Chad Reed, FOX and JGRMX Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing
Autographed Cooper Webb Race Jersey (2 of 3) – $1,300 – Donated by Cooper Webb, THOR and Red Bull KTM
Autographed Ricky Carmichael Race Jersey – $1,200 – Donated by Ricky Carmichael and FOX
Gas Monkey Energy / AJE Motorsports Chris Blose Tool Box – $1,100 – Donated by Chris Blose and AJE Motorsports
Dungey is the first Supercross athlete to receive the distinguished honor of St. Jude Ambassador of the Year, which puts him in great company with other celebrity ambassadors, including Pro Football Hall of Fame member Michael Strahan to country music superstar Jake Owen and mega-celebrity Jennifer Aniston. Dungey has raised over $1 million for St. Jude since 2012 through his incredible efforts with his hometown cycling event – the St. Jude Ride & 5K Run and from the support of his fellow riders and Supercross fans who participate in the THIS SHIRT SAVES LIVES movement.