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It is not often that actual race cars come up for sale. Most are kept by the teams, serve as parts cars for new builds, or are donated to museums for a fat write-off. Somehow, this Rusty Wallace NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car that he raced at the 2005 Daytona 500 just sold on Bringatrailer. 

Rusty Wallace placed 10th in the Daytona 500 in 2005 with this car

Rusty Wallace 2005 Daytona 500 Charger as it looks today
Rusty Wallace 2005 Daytona 500 Charger | BAT

This isn’t some cast off-Wallace placed 10th in the Daytona 500 in 2005 with this car. And it is totally intact. It was never used as a display model. So everything that it had on race day it has now. 

Besides the 2005 Daytona 500, Wallace drove this in 2009 at the Goodwood Revival in the UK. That was the year that Goodwood celebrated NASCAR’s 50th anniversary. The Charger sports # 2 Miller Lite and Daytona 500 graphics.

Wallace’s quick-release Schroeder steering wheel, molded bucket seat, and padded roll cage are present

Rusty Wallace 2005 Daytona 500 Charger interior
Rusty Wallace 2005 Daytona 500 Charger | BAT

The adjustable rear spoiler, black Aero 15-inch wheels, and Goodyear slicks are all part of the car. AP Racing four-wheel disc brakes and Wallace spec’d dampers are part of the rolling stock. Wallace’s window net, quick-release Schroeder steering wheel, molded bucket seat, and padded roll cage are also present in the gray-painted office.

Also present are the MSD ignition boxes on top of the dash, and Safecraft fire-suppression system routed into the back of the car.  Autometer gauges, tach, and battery shutoff switch and toggle controls round out the spartan dash. 

Power is from a 358ci V8 built by Penske Racing and installed in 2009. It is hooked to a four-speed manual transmission. The last time it was fired up was for Goodwood in 2009. So it will need some sorting before you can fire it up.

The Charger looks like it was cosmetically cleaned up for Goodwood

Rusty Wallace 2005 Daytona 500 Charger rear 3/4 view
Rusty Wallace 2005 Daytona 500 Charger | BAT

Of course, being a bonafide race car it is not street legal, should you be thinking that might be part of the new owner’s plans. As a conversation piece or attraction for a display or event, it would be quite a hit. While we’re sure it has its flaws it looks like it was cosmetically cleaned up for Goodwood. 

So while it is missing some of the cues from the 2005 Daytona 500 it wouldn’t take much to put it back to that configuration should the new owner wanted to. A fluid service had been performed right before it went up for sale in Georgia. 

So what did it bring on BringaTrailer? A cool $70,500. For a shiny blue doorstop that’s a lot, but to be honest we suspect that the value will rise as time goes on. It has a racing history driven by one of the most famous recent drivers and was campaigned by Penske Motorsports. It ticks off all of the boxes.

Rusty Wallace 2005 Daytona 500 Charger engine
Rusty Wallace 2005 Daytona 500 Charger | BAT
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