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Love them or hate them, the iconic winged cars were a force to beat in NASCAR back in the muscle car era. Although they only lasted in the sport for two years, the famous cars brought home countless wins, and in turn, countless fans. One of those winning cars was the #6 ‘69 Dodge Daytona Charger owned by Cotton Owens and driven by NASCAR great, Buddy Baker. With plenty of NASCAR placements and a first in the sport, this Daytona is one of the most famous winged cars in racing history. And as we found out from Speedhunters, it is currently on display at Canepa Design in Scotts Valley, California.
After the re-introduction of the Chrysler HEMI engine to NASCAR racing in 1964, and the consequent short-term ban of the engine in 1965, NASCAR wanted to level the playing field for Ford.
So, NASCAR allowed the manufacturer to run two separate four-barrel carburetors, making Ford NASCAR racers the competitors to beat in 1968 and 1969. Unhappy with Ford’s rein, Chrysler developed an aerodynamic wonder that would rise to the top of automotive racing.
The Dodge Charger Daytona and its sister car, the Plymouth Superbird, began dominating immediately. In 1970, their second season of racing, the winged cars took home 38 victories out of 48 races entered.
One of the stand-outs of this amazing winning streak was the 1969 Owens/Baker Daytona.
Equipped with a 426cui Chrysler HEMI engine, the Daytona boasted a 4.25-inch bore and a 3.75-inch stroke. This engine configuration rocketed the car to over 475hp and to be a viable competitor on the track.
Although Baker qualified second for the 1970 Daytona 500, the Charger Daytona saw ignition problems in the official race, causing the team to drop out. The Rockingham and Atlanta races that followed weren’t much better as more problems plagued the car. It wasn’t until the Alabama 500 race that the Daytona’s luck changed. It was in that race that Baker lead 101 laps before a spin-out took him out of the race.
While leading the field, Baker accomplished the crown jewel of the #6 Daytona’s career- completing the first ever race lap at over 200mph in NASCAR.
After Baker’s record lap, the team’s luck was turned around. Baker and the Daytona went on to second, fourth and fifth place victories before lapping Bobby Isaac to win the Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway in South Carolina.
Unfortunately, a NASCAR rule change limiting engine size to just 305cui was announced in the peak of the Daytona’s career, casting all the winged cars to the sidelines for the 1971 season.
The Owens/Baker Daytona remains in the same condition it was raced in back in 1970 and currently resides with Canepa Design. The car’s exquisite lines, noble rear wing and racing liveries serve as reminders of yesteryear and how thrilling NASCAR used to be.
