Lot 1121

California 2015

1988 Oldsmobile NASCAR "Hardee's Special"

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$18,700 USD | Sold

United States | Santa Monica, California

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Addendum: Please note this is being sold on Bill of Sale only

Cale Yarborough’s dominance in NASCAR firmly cemented him as an important figure in the history of the racing series. During his long career as a racing driver from 1957 to 1988, Yarborough was victorious in as astounding 83 races, the sixth most of any NASCAR driver. He was included in NASCAR’s list of the 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998 and was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1993.

Cale Yarborough bought the Race Hill Farms team from Jack Beebe in 1986 and subsequently moved and renamed the team Cale Yarborough Motorsports. For the 1987 season, he raced in Hardee’s sponsored Oldsmobile Delta 88 stock cars as an owner/driver; running sixteen times with two top five finishes.

Hutcherson-Pagan built and raced this car during the 1987 NASCAR season with Cale Yarborough as its driver. In 1988, it was the first car bodied with the new Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme design and was then raced at Atlanta, Talladega, Charlotte and the Daytona 500. During its last race, Alan Kulwicki blew his engine, causing a massive accident in which the “Hardee’s Special” ended up crashing into the outside wall and colliding with Benny Parsons’ car.

After the wreck, the car was stripped and left at the back of the Hutcherson-Pagan’s shop until the truck driver for Yarborough Motorsports purchased it in wrecked condition. In 2005, the car was returned to its original builders at Hutcherson-Pagan to have clip repairs and then it went to Rhine Enterprise for a complete restoration in 2013. Rhine Enterprises restored the car to its specification at the Firecracker 400 complete with sponsor decals and the correct livery.

The most significant change made by the consignor during the restoration was the addition of a passenger seat. This is not how the car was originally equipped, but the second seat was added so the owner could take U.S. soldiers and veterans on rides around the track. Mostly, this Oldsmobile was used to give U.S. soliders rides at the Coronado Speed Festival, but it has also recently been vintage raced at Daytona, Atlanta and Talladega. It was restored to be eligible to race in the Monterey Motorsports Reunion, but has yet to be raced at that venue.

The car is in very presentable condition for a racecar but was restored to be used as it was designed to be, not as a concours winner. Its 23-degree, 600-hp, race engine reportedly runs very well and the car is ready for its next owner to thrash on the track.

The high bidder on this vehicle has the option to purchase an additional gear set, two sets of wheels and tires, and vintage race consulting from the consignor after the auction.