AUCTION: Bobby Allison’s 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona NASCAR Test Car

Racing fans and collectors will have the chance to place a bid on a piece of NASCAR history at the 2023 Mecum Houston auction this weekend.

This 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona was a test vehicle for NASCAR legend Bobby Allison throughout the 1970 NASCAR Grand National season. Wearing Allison’s No. 22 Coca-Cola sponsorship scheme, the car has been part of the Horton Classic Car Museum Collection for several years. 

But this car has a fantastic story behind it.

In the late 1960s, Chrysler Corporation’s 7.0-liter (426 cubic inch) HEMI® V8 dominated the stock car circuit. However, by 1968, its advantage had been eclipsed by its competitors. Enter the “Aero Wars,” a period of fierce competition between Chrysler Corporation and Ford Motor Company to create the most aerodynamic vehicle—began.

In response, Dodge unveiled the winged Charger Daytona, a car with a massive rear wing and point front nose that put Dodge back in front of the pack. 

After almost two years of domination by just two manufacturers, NASCAR Founder and President Bill France, Sr. announced that the winged cars would be subjected to severe displacement limitations. Naturally, it led to many car owners abandoning them overnight, but one young owner named Mario Rossi. Rossi and his driver Bobby Allison invested much time and money into their No. 22 Daytona, so they experimented with a destroked Chrysler 305 cubic-inch small block V8. 

Allison would go on to test the new combination at both Super Speedways (Daytona and Talladega), but unfortunately, the car was never driven in competition.

The Daytona being sold at the Mecum Houston auction is the only known test car to still exist. It was given a ground-up restoration and was driven by “Flash” Gordon Sprague in 10 historic stock car events, winning all ten races. The car was said to be inspected by Bobby Allison in 2009 and certified as the test car used in the 1970 NASCAR season. He also signed the car at that time.

Its historical significance as the only known test car and its successful track record make it a scarce and valuable part of memorabilia for any collector or racing enthusiast. Mecum estimates it could fetch as much as $300,000 when it crosses the auction block on Saturday, April 15th. For more information on the auction, you can visit Mecum.com.

Bobby Allison’s 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona No. 22 Test Car Image Gallery:

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