Why the Dodge Charger Daytona Was Banned from Racing

The Dodge Charger Daytona, originally introduced in 1969 made racing history with record-breaking speed and an incredible streak of track wins.

It has now become a rare treasure among car collectors and is valued in the six figure range because of its short-lived but unbelievable racing tenure. They’re especially sought after because only a limited number were made.

You won’t find a Dodge Charger Daytona at one of your local Dodge dealerships. But it did play a significant role in the high performance legacy that the brand continues to uphold with models like the current Charger and Challenger.

The Charger Daytona was created on the heels of the Charger 500 which did not initially see the track success that Dodge was looking for.

The Daytona was named for the Daytona 500, and it was created solely for the purpose of seeing first place in NASCAR races. It certainly lived up to expectations, winning the very first competition it was entered in, the Talladega 500.

At a later Talladega race, it broke the record for speed, hitting 200 miles per hour. In ’69 the supercar was responsible for two wins and then another four in 1970.

The two-door coupe was one of the famous aero cars. It sported a tail that was 23 inches tall and a unique nose made of sheet metal.

The Daytona was produced with two different engines, a 426 HEMI V8 and a 440 Magnum V8. It was based on the Charger 500 and had exceptional suspension and braking systems.

Along with the other aero cars, the Charger Daytona wiped the floor with its competitors, which quickly drew the attention of NASCAR officials.

Unfortunately its run came to a swift end when NASCAR put new rules in place to prevent it from competing in additional races.

However, in tribute to the muscle car’s reputation for mind-blowing speed, a model replicating its style was used in Fast and Furious Six as Vin Diesel’s menacing ride.

Today the Daytona Charger’s reputation lives on in Dodge’s lineup of extremely aggressive cars which still push the boundaries of performance.