There are Dodges and Toyotas with a look that is completely different from their racing counterparts. But there are Plymouths and Fords with almost identical looks.
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5. 2016 Toyota Camry
NASCAR, a form of American auto racing, is won by domestic brands such as Ford and Chevrolet. At the 2016 Daytona 500 Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing driver, won in a Toyota Camry.
Although Toyota has been building the Camry in America for many years, seeing a Japanese carmaker win at Daytona was a significant shift in the history of the race.
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2016 Toyota Camry
Hamlin’s Camry featured a naturally-aspirated V8 engine that drove the rear wheels via a manual gearbox, just like its predecessors. The 2016 Camry did not have any of these features. The most powerful version was a 3.5-liter V6 that produced 268 horsepower and 248 pounds-feet. It also featured a six-speed automatic to drive the front wheels.
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4. Dodge Charger 2008
Penske Racing’s Denny Hamlin won 2008 Daytona 500 in a Dodge Charger. A buyer could purchase a rear-drive V8-powered sedan at a showroom, unlike the Camry.
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Dodge Charger 2008
NASCAR has strict rules regarding the shape of a race car. The competition car is not the same as its road-going counterpart.
Street-spec Chargers are rather square with a tall grille and a largely chiseled appearance. The NASCAR version is a more sleeker design, with decals serving the purpose for parts such as the grille and headlights.
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3. 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
Dale Jarrett won 1993’s Daytona 500 with a Chevrolet Lumina, while racing for Joe Gibbs Racing. This photo shows Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, two NASCAR legends, competing in two more Luminas that day.
The Charger had similar issues with this race car, but the competition version is smoother than its road-going counterpart.
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Chevrolet Lumina
This is the 1993 Chevrolet Lumina Z34 performance car. It doesn’t have many similarities to the racer. Street cars have a more pointed nose and angular design.
The Lumina’s front-wheel drive and V6 engine combination was not as good as its NASCAR sibling, which had a V8 engine and rear drive.
These cars are aggressively designed, but they don’t have many similarities to NASCAR’s.
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2. 1970 Plymouth Superbird
The American muscle car was at its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The result was one of the most wild cars to ever race in NASCAR. These massive wings, which were featured on the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona as well as the 1970 Plymouth Superbird, are undoubtedly the best examples of this synergy between track-focused speed and on-road performance.
Pete Hamilton, a Superbird racer for Petty Enterprises, won the Daytona 500 in 1970.
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1970 Plymouth Superbird
To be homologated by NASCAR at that time, an automaker had to produce one car for each two dealers. Plymouth was required to produce at least 1,920 Superbirds.
This innovative period did not last long. This era was quickly ended by NASCAR’s stricter rules regarding vehicle aerodynamics after the 1970 season. The Superbird was then a one-year model.
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1. 1956 Ford Sunliner
Is there anything unusual about the above photo? The Florida race was held in part on the Atlantic Ocean sands before the Daytona International Speedway. A hardtop is the most common type of NASCAR car you’ve ever seen. From 1956 to 1959, however, there were a number of convertibles.
This era was similar to the Superbird’s, when street cars and race cars were closely connected. Above is Curtis Turner, the driver of the race-winning #26 Ford Sunliner in 1956. Joe Weatherly is behind Curtis Turner in the #12 Sunliner.
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1956 Ford Fairlane Sunliner
The Ford Sunliner is not as sporty in road-going form, especially in this period press photograph. However, it was a great boulevard cruiser.
The droptop could be ordered with Ford’s 5.1-liter (312 cubic-inch) V8 engine and an option of either an automatic or manual gearbox.
The green flag is waved to begin the 60th edition of the Daytona 500. It will be held on February 18. NASCAR stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. However, the Monster Energy Cup’s current top-ranked series pushes the definition of “stock car” beyond its limits. Try this: Go to your Ford dealer to try to purchase a V8-powered Fusion rear-wheel-drive car. Expect the salesperson to make fun of you.
However, there has not always been a huge difference between models in showrooms and those racing at Daytona. Let’s now take a look at the history of the race to recall some of the most interesting winning cars and their road-going counterparts.
Motorsport.com has extensive coverage of the Daytona 500. You can find breaking news, live results and galleries of photos.
