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At the Mecum Monterey auction on Saturday, Aug. 16, an extraordinary piece of American motorsport history will be offered: the legendary 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona NASCAR once driven by Hall of Famer Bobby Allison. One of the most iconic machines of the NASCAR “aero wars,” this competition car has been restored in original Coca‑Cola No. 22 red-and-gold livery, fully authenticated and certified by Allison himself.
Serial number 05984, this Daytona famously exceeded 200 mph during a test session on Aug. 24, 1969, clocking a high-speed run that paved the way for Dodge's Daytona program. Allison and co-driver Rick Cline averaged 83 mph coast-to-coast during the 1975 Cannonball Dash. The lot includes a copy of the lap time sheet from that historic run.
This racer retains its 426 cubic-inch Hemi V8, dyno-tested by drag legend Dick Landy and rated at 650 hp. Built with factory-supplied NASCAR-spec rods, dry-sump lubrication, and the vintage “bathtub” racing intake, the motor matches its period-correct 4-speed manual transmission and heavy-duty 9-inch rear differential. The dash is autograph-signed by Allison in two spots, while designer George Wallace’s signature appears in the engine bay.
Discovered in a barn by Pat McKinney, the Daytona received a meticulous restoration before capturing First Place at the 2005 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. It later served as a centerpiece at the LeMay Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington. The current presentation embraces its racing heritage down to every roll-caged seat, tape-wrapped steering wheel and period brake gauges.
With only 121 Daytona Spiders ever built and just a handful of NASCAR-liveried chassis surviving in this original form, this No. 22 example offers unmatched provenance and impact. As one of the rare stand-alone pieces from NASCAR’s golden aero era, it’s expected to be a headline result at Monterey. See it here.
This amazing blast from the past is selling at Mecum’s Daytime Auction in Monterey, California. There will be many amazing vehicles to choose from and you can see them here. To register to bid visit Mecum.com.
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