1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona muscle car previously owned by David Spade sells for record $1.43m

Car with a star pedigree! 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona muscle car previously owned by David Spade and NFL player Kevin Greene sells for record $1.43m

  • Racing car fetches huge sum at Florida auction, beating previous $1.3m record
  • Model was previously owned by actor David Spade and NFL player Kevin Greene
  • Sale was made at Mecum Auctions event in Kissimmee, Florida 

An ultra-rare racing car has sold at auction for a record-breaking $1.43 million. 

The 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona was formerly owned by NFL player Kevin Greene and actor David Spade whose character in the hit comedy Joe Dirt drove a beat-up version of the vehicle.

It went under the hammer at the Mecum Auctions event in Kissimmee, Florida, where a similar model sold for $1.3 million last May. 

The charger-based Daytona is one of the most iconic cars in history, famed for its signature nosecones and high rear wings engineered to navigate high-speed NASCAR tracks. 

The 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona sold for a record-breaking $1.43 million at Mecum Auctions event in Kissimmee, Florida

The 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona sold for a record-breaking $1.43 million at Mecum Auctions event in Kissimmee, Florida

It was only in production for one year and was so good it prompted NASCAR to quickly change its rules to prohibit such extreme designs. 

Only 503 Daytonas were built for the street in 1969 but many have been lost to history as they were unpopular with buyers at the time. 

The Daytona auctioned today features a 426 cubic-inch Hemi V8 and a four-speed manual transmission.

It is only one of 22 models to be painted with a T5 Copper Metallic with a white wing stripe and tan interior. 

And it is the lowest-mileage Hemi Daytona with its original engine known to exist, with just 6,490 miles on its odometer.

It was sold to Spade in 2015 for a then-record breaking $900,000. 

Los Angeles Times owner Otis Chandler has also owned the vehicle.

Around a dozen Daytonas and Superbirds were being offered at the Mecum Auction today by its most recent owner, collector Gary Edwards. 

The other vehicles sold for between $247,500 and $742,500. 

The Daytona was only in production for one year and was so powerful NASCAR changed its rules to ban such extreme designs

The Daytona was only in production for one year and was so powerful NASCAR changed its rules to ban such extreme designs

The model sold is one of only 22 Daytonas which were painted with T5 Copper Metallic, complete with a white wing stripe and tan interior

The model sold is one of only 22 Daytonas which were painted with T5 Copper Metallic, complete with a white wing stripe and tan interior

Around a dozen Daytonas and Superbirds were being offered at the Mecum Auction  event

 Around a dozen Daytonas and Superbirds were being offered at the Mecum Auction  event

Coincidentally another Daytona racing car sold at the event by a different owner attracted the exact same price tag. 

It comes as manufacturer Dodge is expected to bring back the Daytona name in 2024.

The Charger Daytona SRT will be the brand’s first all-electric model.

It will replace its V8-powered cars which are set to be discontinued at the end of 2023. 

The rare model sold is the lowest-mileage Hemi Daytona with its original engine known to exist

The rare model sold is the lowest-mileage Hemi Daytona with its original engine known to exist

Joe Dirt actor David Spade, pictured, previously owned the car which is reminiscent of the one his character drove in the famous film.

Joe Dirt actor David Spade, pictured, previously owned the car which is reminiscent of the one his character drove in the famous film.