A Fan Just Bought Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Daytona Race Car From His Last Season At DEI For $50,000

Did you know you could just buy a NASCAR race car? Obviously you're not going to be able to take them cruising down the highway, but it's not uncommon to find a NASCAR race car on the market. Teams have to get rid of their old inventory to make room for new packages, and there are plenty of fans out there willing to shell out money for the ultimate NASCAR collectible, so there are quite a few cars out there that can be yours - if you're able (and willing) to pay the price. Well one NASCAR collector just dropped a nice chunk of change on his own race car - but he got a pretty cool ride. The fan spent $50,500 on an auction for a 2007 Monte Carlo that was built for, and raced by, Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the then-Nextel Cup Series. The #8 Budweiser Chevrolet, with chassis #8-040, was the one that Junior drove in the 2007 Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Unfortunately, Junior finished 36th in the race after being caught up in an accident. The car contains a 5.9-liter V8 engine with a 4-speed manual transmission, and also includes the equipment like a quick-release steering wheel, the driver's seat (presumably fit for Dale Jr.), and the seatbelts and harness that Junior wore during the race. And yes, it actually still runs. Obviously the vehicle isn't street legal, so you can't register it and take it for a spin around town - although if you find the right small town the cops would probably pull you over just to get a look at it. The car's also notable because it was from Junior's last season driving the iconic #8 Budweiser car for Dale Earnhardt Inc. As everybody knows by now, Junior ended up walking away from the team his father built after a dispute over ownership with his stepmother Teresa, and joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2008. But still, when I think of Junior's racing career, it's that iconic #8 Budweiser car that comes to mind first. So you've gotta think that's gonna be the prize of some NASCAR fan's collection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXDAcIYa-Oo