Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Performance, Auctions, Racing

RK Motors will be holding an auction in Charlotte, NC from October 31 to November 3, that is sure to get fans of both historic production and racecars really excited.

The production metal on offer is wildly impressive, including a pair of Hemi 'Cudas (one of which is an ultra-rare convertible), one of just six Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR Roadsters, a Mercedes-powered Lotec, a 600-horsepower, NASCAR-engined 2010 Camry Coupe and a 1951 Crosley fire truck. Are we the only ones excited about there being a fire truck up for auction?

Old hook-and-ladder trucks aside, the racers that will cross the block are a lot more intriguing. RK Motors is calling it the "Legends of Motorsports" collection, and with cars driven by Mario Andretti, Dale Earnhardt, Sr. and James Hunt set to cross the block, who are we to argue?

Cars driven by Mario Andretti, Dale Earnhardt, Sr. and James Hunt are set to cross the block.

The cars being auctioned lean heavily towards American championships, although there is one very, very special Formula One car included. Arguably the star of the show is the late Dale Earnhardt's 1977 Chevrolet Nova NASCAR, which the Intimidator used to great effect in a number of races. This multi-race winner is from the old school of NASCAR, with the lot description talking about how Earnhardt and his father-in-law, Robert Gee, Jr. took a hammer and hacksaw to the car to modify it for the 1986 season. This car has also ran Goodwood twice, is fully restored and should demand from $175,000 to $250,000.

As for open-wheeled racers, there are two big highlights, in addition to a number of more modern offerings. First, is James Hunt's McLaren M26, the car the British playboy took his final Formula One victory with at the 1977 Japanese Grand Prix. This is its first time at auction, and it's expected to easily crest seven figures, with a projected price of $1.2 to $1.8 million. The other big-name car is Mario Andretti's Gurney Eagle, which the American ran at the 1974 Indianapolis 500, although he failed to finish, dropping out on the second lap. Andretti ran the Eagle through the rest of the season, though, with a best result of third at the USAC Championship, that year.

There are more than a few other racers, including AJ Foyt's race-winning, 1978 Camaro, which he drove to his final victories. Michael Waltrip's Pontiac Grand Prix from his rookie season is also going up for auction, and will be perfect for fans of Hawaiian Punch. Davey Allison's 1992 Ford Thunderbird NASCAR rounds out the NASCAR offerings, while a pair of Champ Cars from Scott Pruett and Cristiano Da Matta round out the racers. Even the off-road crowd is well represented, with Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's 1994 Toyota Baja racer set to cross the block.

Check out our gallery up top for some historical images of the assorted racers, and then head over to RK Motors's website to view the entire list of cars being auctioned. There are more than a few good ones to see.

Continue reading Andretti, Earnhardt Sr. and Hunt racers head 'Legends' auction

Andretti, Earnhardt Sr. and Hunt racers head 'Legends' auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Oct 2013 19:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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