Garage Squad Host Runs His First Races in a Wild ’69 Daytona

By James Derek Sapienza - September 5, 2019

After a few stumbles, there’s a lot of promise here.

If you’re a regular here at Dodge Forum, you don’t need us to tell you that the 1969 Charger Daytona is a special car. It’s a NASCAR legend. It broke the 200-mph mark in 1969. And, yes, it’s exceptionally rare. That’s why you don’t see many battling it out on the track or strip much anymore. And that’s also why we love watching Garage Squad host Joe Zolper‘s Battleship Gray Daytona tearing up the strip at the Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois.

Now, before you get too upset, Zolper didn’t carve up a six-figure Daytona to go racing. But as this new video from the National No Prep Racing Association shows, this beast is still all Mopar. According to a recent article from In Tthe Garage, the project began life as a gutted 1968 Charger shell. The geometry of the chassis is near-identical to that of a Daytona’s, and, of course, nestled under the fiberglass clip is a blown 512 cubic inch aluminum block Hemi. The result is somewhere north of 2,500 horsepower and near-six-second quarter miles – when all goes according to plan.

This Battleship Goes to War

<i>Garage Squad</i> Host Runs His First Races in a Wild '69 Daytona

So, how did the Daytona do at the recent No Prep Kings night? Well, it’s a mixed bag. In his first race, Zolper matched up against “Mistress,” a wild Chevy II. The Chevy walks away from the big Dodge; it isn’t even close. But in Zolper’s defense, this isn’t just his first run in the Daytona, it’s his first race ever.

The second race, against a blown Dodge Dart, results in… another loss. But then, the Daytona is pitted against a turbocharged Rambler American and starts to live up to its potential. Zolper executes a perfect launch, and the candy-colored AMC doesn’t stand a chance. This, it seems, could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

<i>Garage Squad</i> Host Runs His First Races in a Wild '69 Daytona

Unfortunately, a break-down costs Zolper his fourth race against a modern Camaro. But for the guy’s first time out in a brand new car, the showing is pretty impressive. We’re hoping that Zolper gets the Daytona dialed in and keeps it racing all year long. We’ve got a feeling that once car and driver are acquainted with one another, they’re going to be a seriously formidable pair.