One of NASCAR’s all-time greatest drivers is about to auction off his famous race cars

By Joe Marusak, The Charlotte Observer

Saturday, May 12, 2018 | 2 a.m.

NASCAR legend Richard Petty will auction some of his most famous race cars today.

Perhaps the most famous car that fans can bid on is Petty's day-glow red and Petty blue 1974 Dodge Charger. Petty drove the car to his fifth Daytona 500 championship and 30 other wins. The car is expected to go for about a half-million dollars.

The car will be auctioned at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, along with Petty's 1981 Daytona 500 trophy, a 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo he drove in 1979 when he won his seventh series championship, and a 1992 Pontiac Grand Prix he drove on his farewell tour.

The trophy for his first Southern 500 win in 1967 will be auctioned, as well as a Petty-signed leather racing jacket and race programs, license plates, posters, trading cards, plaques and clothing. Julien's Auctions, which is handling the Petty auction, estimates the value of the '74 Charger at $400,000 to $600,000 and the 1967 trophy at $100,000 to $200,000, according to The Associated Press.

After "accumulating stuff" for 80 years, it's time to sell some of his most famous cars and other items, Petty told the AP earlier this year.

"We're putting some pretty good stuff out there, some winning Daytona cars, some rings, some watches, some knives," the 80-year-old Petty told the AP. "You name it, we've got a little bit of everything. Some of the uniforms, some stuff that really meant something in my career."

"The King" said he has more cars and memorabilia than he can showcase in his museum in Level Cross, North Carolina, and "none of my kids really want it," he said.

Petty won a record 200 races, including seven Daytona 500s, and seven NASCAR Cup championships. He won a record 27 races, 10 of them consecutively, in 1967 alone.

Petty owns Richard Petty Motorsports, with rookie Darrell "Bubba" Wallace now driving his famous No. 43 car.

The auction site for Petty's items is here.