This past weekend at Barrett-Jackson auction Chevrolet had a field day with the sales of a couple of unique Corvettes. They offered the very first production unit of the 2019 Corvette ZR1, and a special Carbon 65 Edition signed by President George W. Bush. They were both being sold for military charities. 

And they did really well, raising a total of $2.325 million between them. The Bush 65 was the star performer, bringing in a staggering $1.4 million. The car was bought by John Staluppi, owner of Atlantic Automotive Group, and all of his money will go to the Bush Center’s Military Service Initiative which ensures “post-9/11 veterans and their families make successful transitions to civilian life with a focus on gaining meaningful employment and overcoming the invisible wounds of war.”

As for the first 2019 Corvette ZR1, it was bought by Rick Hendrick, chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group and owner of 12-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick is usually the highest bidder for these “First” Chevys, and he paid $925,000 for this ZR1. The proceeds from this sale will benefit the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and the work it does to support wounded veterans through the Building for America’s Bravest program.

“GM and Chevrolet are proud to honor and support the brave men and women of our armed forces,” said Steve Hill, GM vice president of U.S. Sales and Service. “Thanks to the generosity of two of our dealers, John Staluppi and Rick Hendrick, we will be able to offer additional support to some of our most severely wounded veterans through the Bush Center Military Service Initiative and the Siller Foundation Building for America’s Bravest effort – both extremely worthy organizations.”