Bell Racing USA LLC, the world’s premier auto racing Helmet Company, is partnering with Garett Grist to auction a special custom painted helmet at the 2013 PRI Trade Show. The helmet was worn by Garett Grist in the 2013 Toronto Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda race and is signed by Grist’s teammates and IndyCar drivers as well as Andretti Autosport® team owner Michael Andretti. All proceeds from the auction will be donated directly to SickKids Foundation – a Toronto-based organization that the 18-year-old Grimsby, Ontario native has supported throughout his racing career. 

The helmet will be on display at Bell Racing USA booth 917 at the 2013 Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Indianapolis, Indiana. Attendees at the show will have an opportunity to bid on the helmet via silent auction during show hours from December 12-14.

The SickKids Foundation, established in 1972, raises funds on behalf of The Hospital for Sick Children. Fundraising is driven by the belief that improving the health and well-being of children is one of the most powerful ways to improve society. In the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2013, the SickKids Foundation invested $61.3 million in child health research, learning and care. The organization’s mission is to inspire communities to invest in health and scientific advances to improve the lives of children and their families in Canada and around the world. 

“The opportunity for Bell to partner with Garett Grist to support SickKids and raise money to help advance their mission of creating healthier children and a better world is very exciting and rewarding," said Kyle Kietzmann, President, Bell Racing USA LLC. "We appreciate the support of Garett and his teammates to allow Bell to provide racers attending the PRI trade show with the chance to own this collectible racing helmet with all proceeds going to a fantastic cause.”

About Garett Grist

Garett Grist, from Grimsby, Ontario, spent 10 years racing karts, before moving onto Formula Ford in 2011, competing in both Ontario and Quebec, where he set a new track record at Canadian Motorsports Park. Grist made his US racing debut with Bryan Herta Autosport in the F1600 Formula F Series in 2012 and was selected as a Team Canada Racing scholarship winner that same year. In 2013, the 18-year-old joined Andretti Autosport® to campaign in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, part of the Mazda Road to Indy.

Outside of the track, Grist devotes much of his racing effort supporting SickKids Hospital in Toronto. For the past three seasons, Grist has worked with Bell Racing and the hospital’s patients to create helmet drawings which are used as inspiration for the final helmet design.  

About Bell Racing USA LLC

Bell helmets have been worn and trusted by more champions, in all forms of racing, than any other helmet brand. The Bell name is synonymous with quality, innovation, safety, performance and engineering excellence. Bell auto racing helmets are sold to professional and amateur drivers through a network of specialty safety equipment dealers and distributors, as well as individual retail customers. Bell Racing USA is located in Champaign, Illinois. Bell’s products are designed and built to exceed industry specifications for helmets including standards developed and published by Snell, SFI and the FIA.