Getty Kurt Busch's Window of Hope raised more than $100,000.
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kurt Busch announced on September 28 the creation of Window of Hope, a partnership between him and NASCAR in which drivers would use pink window nets at the Charlotte Roval and then auction them off to raise money. Nearly one month later, Busch revealed that the initiative raised more than $100,000.
The 2004 Cup Series champion posted a photo on Twitter revealing the breakdown of the money raised for families impacted by a breast cancer diagnosis. NASCAR fans helped raise $59,523 by purchasing race-used pink window nets autographed by each driver. Race Team Alliance and Racing America added a $50,000 donation to bring the total to $109,523.
Wow! Thank you to all who bid & bought nets! And the teams, drivers, @thermalcontrol @NASCAR @NASCAR_FDN @CLTMotorSpdwy @KurtBuschFan971 and all who made #WindowOfHope happen.
And big thanks to @RaceTeamAllianc & @RacingAmerica for their generous match of $50,000! Great stuff!
There were several nets that raised thousands of dollars to help offset the out-of-pocket expenses of families facing a breast cancer diagnosis. The pink window net autographed by Matt DiBenedetto raised $1,275 after 37 people made bids on eBay. Busch’s window net raised another $3,801.97. Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick each raised the bar with the biggest numbers. Larson’s net sold for $5,026.83 while Harvick’s went for an even $5,100.
RTA Media Joined in the Fundraising Efforts Near the End
Kurt Busch has put together an initiative for Breast Cancer Awareness month called Window of Hope after receiving a letter from a boy named Mason asking him to support his mom in her breast cancer fight.
Each Cup driver’s window net will be pink for the ROVAL race on Oct. 10.
On October 20, RTA Media and Racing America’s new editor-in-chief Matt Weaver made a big announcement on Twitter. The company said that it would match the donations, provided the auction raised a certain amount of money.
According to Weaver’s update on the Speed51 website, RTA and Racing America would chip in $50,000 if the auctions on eBay could hit that specific amount. The campaign had only raised $40,000 at the time of the announcement, and there were only an estimated 24 hours remaining. However, racing fans raised the necessary amount of money, resulting in the matching donation.
Whether they spent more than $800 on a net signed by AJ Allmendinger or shelled out nearly $4,000 for one signed by Kyle Busch, the race fans helped make the first year of the Window of Hope initiative a major success. Now the program should only grow in the coming seasons.
Busch Revealed the Initiative During a Special Event
The driver of the No. 1 CGR Chevrolet Camaro revealed the Window of Hope initiative during a special event at the Charlotte Roval. He and Daniel Hemric joined forces with representatives from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, as well as breast cancer survivors and supporters, and helped paint the pit road wall pink. The paint remained through the Charlotte Roval weekend and served as a key focus of the Drive for the Cure 250 Xfinity Series race on Saturday, Oct. 9.
Busch unveiled the Monster Energy Chevrolet and its pink window net during the event and explained how a young fan was the driving force in the creation of Window of Hope. Mason Bradley sent him a letter in 2019 and suggested making a window net pink as a sign of support for his mother, Stephanie.
Busch could not make the idea a reality until 2021 due to COVID-19 disrupting the 2020 season. He worked with NASCAR, the tracks, and Thermal Control Products, the company that provides 95% of the window nets to the Cup Series teams in order to create Window of Hope. They ultimately decided to use the Charlotte Roval playoff race to launch the initiative.
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Kurt Busch’s ‘Window of Hope’ Raises Huge Amount of Money