(PHOTO GALLERY: 'Craftsman for a Cure' Charity Event by Nate Mecha/High Sierra Photo)

More Than $50,000 Already Raised For Charities

The final drive to raise money for 'Craftsman For a Cure' begins today with an online auction featuring a one-of-a-kind, specially designed Sam Bass guitar.

The 10-day EBay auction will run from today, June 6 through Friday, June 16.  All proceeds from the auction and the event will benefit the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and the Victory Junction Gang Camp.

To date, more than $50,000 has been raised by the 'Craftsman For a Cure' charity event, and donations are continuing to come in.

"I am so thankful for the outpouring of support and generosity of each person who has given their free time and money to help such a great cause on our behalf," said Bobby Hamilton, owner of Bobby Hamilton Racing. The 'Craftsman For a Cure' charity event was spearheaded after the former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion announced that he would get out of his truck during the 2006 season to battle head and neck cancer.

The EBay auction, which can be found at the following link, http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=official-nascar  features several unique autographed items from the 'Craftsman For a Cure' event in Charlotte on Tuesday, May 23. There are other donated items, as well.

• A Gibson guitar specially designed by motorsports artist Sam Bass. The 'Craftsman For a Cure'-themed guitar has been autographed by the artist as well as three former NEXTEL Cup champions - Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Labonte and Kurt Busch. The guitar has also been autographed by other drivers including Kyle Petty, Kenny Schrader, Michael Waltrip, Ryan Newman, Brian Vickers, Kenny Wallace, Todd Bodine, Ted Musgrave, Jack Sprague, David Starr and many more. The guitar, donated by Gibson and Bass, has an opening bid of $5,000.
  
• An autographed 'Craftsman For a Cure' event T-shirt. The event T-shirt has been autographed by all the drivers participating in the charity function including three former NEXTEL Cup champions - Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Labonte and Kurt Busch. Other driver autographs include Kyle Petty, Kenny Schrader, Michael Waltrip, Ryan Newman, Brian Vickers, Kenny Wallace, Todd Bodine, Ted Musgrave, Jack Sprague, David Starr, David Reutimann, Larry McReynolds, Jeff Hammond and others.
  
• The 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series yearbook donated by the Johnny Benson Foundation. Autographed by the drivers of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.
  
• A certificate for tickets to the Martinsville Speedway race in October. The winning bidder will get two tickets to the October 21 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 and two tickets to the October 22 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Subway 500. Donated by Martinsville Speedway.

The auction will end on Friday, June 16. The total amount raised by 'Craftsman For a Cure' to be donated to the targeted charities will be announced following the end of the auction.

"The NASCAR community has always been my life, but more and more everyday I realize that it is much more than that. It is my family, my support and when one of us has problems, we all go through it together. I am so deeply thankful for your involvement in this event and to help such a great cause," Hamilton continued. "The millions of our race fans, supporters, crew members, owners and a lot of our own family members or friends who are affected with this disease are really watching us stand up to help fight with them. It means the world to me, more than most of you will ever know, to know that my extended family will help me fight as well. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping this event become of the largest ones out there to help such a tremendous cause."