Priceless IndyCar Memorabilia Reportedly ‘Stolen’ as Grieving Family Issues Heartbreaking Message

In honor of his legacy, Moore was posthumously inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame in 2000, where his 1997 Player’s Forsythe Racing Indy car became the centerpiece of a dedicated gallery. Among the artifacts preserved there was his distinctive helmet from the 1998 Rio 400 win, featuring blue and gold checkers, a red and yellow lightning bolt, and a peacock feather design, loaned by his parents, Ric and Donna, to keep his memory alive for fans. Yet, what happens when such a cherished remnant of a lost talent vanishes, leaving a family to grapple with renewed grief?

Theft of Greg Moore’s iconic helmet sparks outrage

The B.C. Sports Hall of Fame was hit with a brazen theft on September 3, 2025, when Greg Moore’s racing helmet from his 1998 Rio 400 victory in Brazil disappeared from its display. This wasn’t just any gear; it represented one of Moore’s pinnacle moments, where he outpaced rivals like Alex Zanardi to claim his third CART win.

Jason Beck, the curator of the Hall of Fame, stressed the priceless memorabilia in a statement: “This helmet isn’t just a valuable artifact; it’s a deeply personal and irreplaceable piece of Canadian sports history. It represents one of Greg Moore’s greatest triumphs and is a lasting symbol of his legacy. We are devastated by this loss and urge anyone with information to come forward.”

For the Moore family, the loss cuts deeper, evoking the pain of that fateful 1999 crash all over again. Ric Moore, Greg’s father, shared the raw emotion in his plea. “That helmet is a part of Greg that we’ll never get back.” This sentiment ties back to Greg’s early days, when, as a teen, he transitioned from karts to open-wheel racing at 16, building a reputation for aggressive yet calculated drives that earned him a $10 million Penske contract for 2000, a deal that was cut short after the Fontana incident, where his car hit over 220 mph before the fatal impact.

Further, Ric elaborated: “It’s not just racing gear; it’s a symbol of who he was, the joy he brought to people, and the dreams he chased. Please, if anyone knows where it is, help bring it home. Not just for us, but for everyone who loved Greg and what he stood for.”

The Sports Hall of Fame echoed this heartbreak in its official release as well: “While the helmet carries significant monetary value, given its historical rarity, as Moore passed away at just 24 years old, it holds an even deeper significance for the Moore family as a cherished reminder of Greg’s life and legacy.” Staff discovered the empty mannequin around mid-afternoon, with security footage showing a suspect in a black hat, blue shirt, grey jacket, and burgundy bag slipping away.

This act not only robs the public of a touchstone to Moore’s era, when he finished fifth in the 1998 standings and had his No. 99 retired by CART, but also revives the family’s sorrow from that October day in California, where medical reports confirmed blunt force trauma as the cause. Notably, authorities, including the Vancouver Police, are investigating the theft.

As the search intensifies, it reminds us how Moore’s influence lingers in IndyCar today. One lasting mark? The tradition that was born from his signature style that drivers and fans still honor.

IndyCar’s ‘Red Gloves Rule’ tribute

Greg Moore’s trademark red gloves weren’t just a quirk; they stemmed from his belief that “superheroes always wear red gloves,” a mantra he shared with close friend Max Papis. After Moore’s death, Papis adopted them for the 2000 Homestead race, the first since the tragedy, and clinched victory while radioing, “Hey Greg, I love you. I guess red gloves will always rule.” This phrase evolved into IndyCar’s informal ‘Red Gloves Rule,’ a yearly nod on October 31, where the series posts tributes like their 2024 message, “Red gloves rule ❤️ Today and every day, we remember Greg Moore.”

It captures Moore’s approachable vibe, as Dario Franchitti recalled: “Greg is the reason you see drivers get on so well before the race and still race each other hard on the track. He’s the guy who taught all of us that you can race a guy on the track and still be friends at the end of the day.” The rule gained a fresh spotlight ahead of the 2024 Detroit Grand Prix, with IndyCar captioning a throwback, “Red Gloves Rule. Rewinding to 1997, when Greg Moore took home the win at the Detroit Grand Prix.”

That victory, where Moore edged out competitors in a street circuit thriller, exemplified his oval prowess; Franchitti once hailed him as “the best oval driver he’s ever raced against,” and his knack for uniting the paddock off-track. Papis, reflecting on their bond, explained, “I won the race at Homestead in 2000, the first race since Greg passed, and since that happened, I had decided I was going to wear red gloves because Greg always told me that ‘superheroes always wear red gloves.’ So to remember my friend, I decided that I’ll only wear red gloves for the rest of my life.”

Even 20 years on, as Mike Zizzo noted at a 2019 gathering, “Everybody getting together is the way Greg would want it. He wouldn’t want us feeling sorry we lost him. He would say, ‘You guys should be partying, having a good time and thinking about me being there with you, having a beer.’”

The ‘Red Gloves Rule’ keeps that spirit alive, from fan memorials to series acknowledgments, ensuring Moore’s impact, evident in how he mentored peers like Franchitti and inspired tributes amid his unfulfilled Penske stint, endures without fading.