One Of Jeff Gordon's Iconic Race Cars Just Sold At Auction For A Huge Amount
Even if you aren't a NASCAR fan, you are probably aware of at least one driver: Jeff Gordon. His face and #24 stock car were plastered everywhere on advertisements in the late-90s and early-2000s. Jeff Gordon became a household name next to legends like Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. In contrast to Dale "The Intimidator" Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon was friendly and clean-cut. He is often credited with bringing NASCAR to the forefront of public consciousness.
Last week, one of his #24 cars went up for auction in Monterey. In an auction with one-of-a-kind Ferraris and coach-built works of art, the humble #24 Monte Carlo still garnered a lot of attention. It sold for $100,800. For a non-street legal piece of sports memorabilia, six figures is an insane amount of money. For an actual running and driving article of racing history, that's a bargain.
According to RM Sotheby's, this specific car drove at Daytona International Speedway from 2002-2004. It's equipped with all the go-fast parts that made #24 a common sight towards the front of the pack in early 2000s NASCAR races.
A piece of racing history
Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports-built Monte Carlo has a 358 cubic inch V8 that puts out a whopping 830 horsepower. If you ignore the collage of sponsorship stickers, it bears the general outline of a Chevy Monte Carlo, but it's really a tube-steel chassis attached to a giant V8 that puts more power to the rear wheels than some supercars. It's hardly a "stock" car.
Last year, Jeff Gordon's Chevrolet SS stock car went for $212,800 at auction. That car was restored by Hendrick Motorsport and came with a race suit, allowing the buyer to at least look the part of a real NASCAR driver. The higher price tag was likely due to the fact it was the last car Gordon raced in before retiring. This latest example also claimed to be the first example put up for sale since the racer's retirement.
For retired NASCAR stock cars, $108,000 is steep. Cars from Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Jr. both giants in racing, only went for $105,000 and $63,000, respectively on Bring a Trailer. If you've ever wanted an actual Jeff Gordon car that had an unfortunate meeting with a wall, RM Sotheby's auctioned off one such car in 2009. That car went for $7,700.
Jeff Gordon's car is an intersection of pop culture and racing history, so it's not hard to see why the price matched the provenance.