HomeCar CultureLifestyleEarnhardt-raced Dodge is Pick of the Day

Earnhardt-raced Dodge is Pick of the Day

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Celebrity provenance boosts the price of collectible cars, and the Pick of the Day reportedly comes with about as much of that as possible — it’s a 1994 IROC Dodge Avenger raced by, among others, the late Dale Earnhardt Sr., and driven by him to victory at Talladega in 1995.

According to the advertisement placed on ClassicCars.com by the car’s private owner, the chassis actually dates to 1984 and is a Banjo Matthews chassis originally bodied with a Chevrolet Camaro body for the International Race of Champions.

“When IROC switched to Dodge Daytonas in 1990, the chassis was retrofitted with Dodge power and the Daytona body,” the seller says. “Finally in 1994, the IROC race cars were all fitted with the Dodge Avenger bodies.

“This car retains one of the original IROC Dodge 355 cu. in 9:1 compression race engines, with only 45 hours runtime since last rebuilt by Ilmore Engineering.”

The seller notes the car also retains its Richmond Super T10 four-speed transmission and Stock Car Products quick-change rear end. (The advertisement includes a long list of engine and chassis component details.)

“This car is ready for track fun or a museum,” the seller adds. “Currently set up in road course configuration, but since its restoration has only been used for car shows and cruise-ins, where it is always a crowd favorite.”

According to the seller, the car competed in seven of eight IROC race in 1994 and 1995. Mark Martin drove to it victory at Darlington in 1994. Tom Kendall, Danny Sullivan, Rusty Wallace, Ken Schrader and Steve Kinser also drove the car, as did Earnhardt Sr.

Cockpit, with passenger seat

After the end of IROC, “this car became one of twelve IROC Avengers that were used as promotional ‘school’ cars by the Penske-run Marlboro Racing Experience from 1999 to 2010. Those twelve Avengers were all rebuilt, painted Marlboro red and white, and fitted with passenger seats.

“This car was recently restored back to 1995 race appearance, except minor mechanical upgrades and that passenger seat were retained,” the seller says.

The seller adds that the car, located in Las Vegas, Nevada, is being offered for the first time since its restoration in 2016. The price is $160,000.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day. 

IROC powerplant
Larry Edsall
Larry Edsall
A former daily newspaper sports editor, Larry Edsall spent a dozen years as an editor at AutoWeek magazine before making the transition to writing for the web and becoming the author of more than 15 automotive books. In addition to being founding editor at ClassicCars.com, Larry has written for The New York Times and The Detroit News and was an adjunct honors professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

2 COMMENTS

    • Engine Builder: IROC

      Manufacturer: Dodge

      Type: V-8

      Displacement: 355 cu. in.

      Horsepower: 480

      Induction: Edelbrock Victor 340 intake, with new Holley 750 cfm 4150HP carb.

      Heads: Brodix Aluminum

      Block: iron Mopar

      Main Caps: four bolt

      Crankshaft: forged

      Pistons: Diamond

      Valve Train: Jesel

      Clutch: Alcon

      Exhaust: stainless headers, open

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