Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s iconic No.3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo racecar from 1986 up for auction

NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s 1986 #3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo is available to the highest bidder. The #3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo iconic car cemented Dale Sr.’s legacy and helped redefine his dominance in the NASCAR Cup Series. The car, in all its iterations, has become synonymous with his name, serving as a powerful reminder of his contributions to the sport.

The 1986 NASCAR Cup season marked a pivotal year for Dale Earnhardt Sr., who was in his third year driving the #3 car for Richard Childress Racing (RCR). That year, Dale Sr. captured five wins, 16 top-five finishes, 23 top-10 finishes, and his second NASCAR Cup Series championship.

The #3 Monte Carlo, adorned with the iconic Wrangler Jeans livery, was instrumental in establishing Earnhardt’s reputation as one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers of all time. That car features the bold blue-and-yellow Wrangler paint scheme and period-correct decals. Under the hood is a roaring V8 engine that once powered Dale Sr. to some of the most thrilling performances of his early career with RCR.

The auction is being handled by Mecum Kissimmee, “the world's largest collector car auction,” with bidding expected to attract a mix of racing enthusiasts and collectors.

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a car that not only tells the story of a legendary driver but also captures a transformative period in NASCAR’s history.

The seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt drove the #3 racecar for the majority of his career, spanning the latter half of the 1981 season with RCR and then again full-time from the 1984 season until he died in 2001.

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Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s lasting legacy in NASCAR

Dale Earnhardt Sr., known as “the Intimidator”, is regarded as the greatest driver of all time who has competed in the Cup Series from 1975 to 2001. He has accomplished everything in the sport.

During his 27-year-long Cup Series career, Dale Sr. won the 1998 Daytona 500, 1995 Brickyard 400, Southern 500 three times, and Coca-Cola 600 three times, along with which he clinched seven Cup championships. Apart from that, he scored a record 76 wins, 428 top-10 finishes, and 22 poles in 676 Cup Series starts.

The legendary driver passed away during the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 after a crash in Turn 4, where his car collided with Ken Schrader's and hit the wall at a sharp angle. It is one of the most tragic incidents in sports’ history.

Dale Earnhardt went on to be inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2006 and the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.