Video: 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona: The Aero Car That Changed NASCAR

by D. Brian Smith, on Jan 6, 2026 1:21:12 PM

1969-Dodge-Daytona-200-mph-copy If you’re a Mopar person, you already know the vibe: there are muscle cars… and then there are aero cars - the factory-built, street-legal loopholes that Detroit unleashed when NASCAR glory mattered more than subtlety. At the top of that food chain sits the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, the pointy-nosed, high-winged homologation special that looks like it escaped from a wind tunnel and somehow got license plates.

This wasn’t a decal package or a trim-level flex. The Daytona was Dodge’s full-send answer to high-speed oval warfare - built to stop the Charger from acting like a parachute at 180+ and start acting like a missile with turn signals.

Video: 1969 Dodge Daytona Charger - Never Titled or Sold - Backyard Barn Finds

Why the Daytona Exists: NASCAR Made Them Do It

Above and below: 1969 Dodge Daytona in the one-of-one exterior hue of Omaha Orange (photos and highlights courtesy of Mecum Auctions):

Special order Omaha Orange paint
The broadcast sheet shows special order and 999 paint code
Same Georgia owner from 1973-1999
Discovered and acquired by Tim Wellborn in 1999
Restored by Roger Gibson over two years
During the restoration a quality control sheet was discovered above the headliner that ordered the car and wheels to be painted Omaha Orange
The order number on the quality control sheet matches the order number on the broadcast sheet
440 CI V-8 engine
4-speed manual transmission
Black interior
Console
Bucket seats
Hurst shifter
Solid State AM radio
Factory correct 15 inch body color steel wheels
Goodyear Polyglas Redline tires
Featured on the cover of September 2013 Muscle Car Review
Original broadcast sheet
Quality inspection sheet
Letter from the previous owner
Restoration receipts

1969 Dodge Daytona interior Omaha Orange copy

1969 Dodge Daytona nose Omaha Orange copy

1969 Dodge Daytona tail Omaha Orange copy

The standard ’69 Charger was a gorgeous bruiser, but at super speedway velocity its shape was working against it. Dodge needed stability, reduced lift, and less drag - fast. So, they took the Charger 500 learnings and went even harder: an all-new nose cone, flush rear backlight treatment, and the now-iconic tall rear wing designed to live in clean air and keep the car planted.

And it worked. The aero package didn’t just make headlines - it forced NASCAR to pay attention.

1969 Dodge Daytona Charger script on valance Omaha Orange copy

The 200 MPH Moment

Here’s the mic-drop fact that every Daytona story has to include during testing at Alabama International Motor Speedway (now Talladega Superspeedway), Buddy Baker turned a lap at 200.447 mph in a Charger Daytona - the first closed-course lap over 200 mph (lead photo and those below).

1969 Dodge Daytona 88 side 200 mph copy

Lead photo, just above, and below: 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona NASCAR - The First Car to Officially Top 200 MPH (photos and specifications/highlights courtesy of Mecum Auctions):

The first car to officially top 200 MPH on a closed course circuit
Buddy Baker set an official lap speed of 200.447 MPH on March 24, 1970 at Talladega
Serial No. DC-93
Early Aero Development car that raced in NASCAR Stock Car competition as no. 88
DC-93 is an Early Charger 500 press car stolen, recovered and taken to Nichels Engineering
Assembly of car overseen by Bob Tarozzi at the direction of Larry Rathgeb
Known in test documentation as the Blue car
Authenticated by George M. Wallace on April 7, 2001
Driven by Paul Goldsmith in the 1969 Daytona 500
Charlie Glotzbach sat on pole in DC-93 at 199.446 MPH, a world record, for the Inaugural Talladega 500 in September 1969
Other drivers of DC-93 include Bobby Allison, Dan Gurney, Bobby Isaac and James Hylton
Driven by Don White to race wins in USAC Stock Car competition
First test with Daytona Package took place at the Chelsea Proving Grounds in July 1969, at 205 MPH
Purchased from Don White by Greg Kwiatkowski in 1998
Comprehensive multi-year restoration by Ray Evernham Motorsports
An important car to Ray Evernham because of its significance to Chrysler and Wing Car racing history
426/575 HP Hemi EX-144 V-8 Talladega speed record engine
4-speed manual transmission
Holley Dominator carburetor
Blue no. 88 livery
Black interior
The Daytona Package on DC-93 resulted in a zero lift vehicle with a drag coefficient of 0.29
DC-93 was a groundbreaking car that had many innovations used on future Chrysler racing cars
First use of directional fins to direct airflow to the radiator
Sealed bottom from nose to K-frame for better aerodynamics
First use of a dry sump to lower the engine and also make more power
Quick fill on left fender for the dry sump tank
Engine bars added from shock towers to firewall for stiffening
Engine air management through the cowl at the base of the windshield refined
Steering gear lower shaft attached to the K-frame for better handling and more speed
Square fuel tubing on right side floor pan to attach data recording equipment
Entire front end 'droops' forward of the front tires for less drag
Body raked to the chassis by 1.5 degrees for better aero while maintaining handling
Quarter panels flared in front of the rear tires for better aerodynamics
New style rear axle cooler for better efficiency
Wing supports to transfer the down force directly to the trunk floor
Supports under the trunk floor outers to transfer the down force to the frame rails
Letter of Authenticity from George M. Wallace verifying the provenance of DC-93
Vintage photos
Sold on a Bill of Sale

That number wasn’t just bragging rights - it was a warning shot. It helped push NASCAR toward rules that eventually kneecapped the aero-car era.

1969 Dodge Daytona 200 mph steering wheel dash copy

1969 Dodge Daytona Buddy Baker photo 200 mph copy

“Rare” Isn’t Hype Here: Production Numbers

The ’69 Daytona is legitimately scarce:

503 total Daytona’s built for 1969.
Only 70 of those reportedly left the factory with the optional 426 Hemi.

So, when someone calls one “rare,” they’re not tossing around an auction-brochure adjective - they’re stating a fact.

What Makes a Daytona a Daytona (Not “A Charger with a Wing”)

Above and below: 1969 Dodge Daytona Charger (photos and highlights courtesy of Mecum Auctions):

1 of 503 Dodge Daytonas produced in 1969
One owner since new
Window sticker, invoice and broadcast sheet
Sold new at Florissant Dodge, Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri
Kept in long term storage by original owner until 2001 when it was brought out to be restored, restoration completed in 2002
Body media-blasted and refreshed in original color
Ran on the Gateway International Raceway on September 8, 2002 following the restoration
440/375 HP Magnum V-8 engine with 10.1 compression
Engine was bored, balanced and blueprinted at time of restoration
Torqueflite automatic transmission
A36 Performance Axle Package with 3.55 gears and Sure Grip
Power steering
Power brakes with front discs
Bright Green Metallic with White wing
Rare C6W White and Black interior
Bucket seats and center console
Locking gas cap
Chrome driver's mirror
Music Master AM radio
3-speed wipers
Sport steering wheel
Styled road wheels with Daytona radial S/R tires
Service records, gas and parts receipts and restoration photos

1969 Dodge Daytona interior white green exterior copy

1969 Dodge Daytona Charger green driver side copy

1969 Dodge Daytona rear green cool view copy

The Daytona’s aero hardware is a package of very specific pieces, not a single bolt-on:

23-inch-tall rear stabilizer wing on the rear deck
Sheet-metal nose cone replacing the upright grille
Flush rear backlight + “window cap” to smooth airflow over the recessed Charger rear glass
Unique front fenders/hood details and fender-mounted cooling scoops

That combo is what separates real Daytona engineering from tribute-car theater.

1969 Dodge Daytona taillights on green copy

Full Specifications: 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona (XX29)

Factory Powertrain (Street Trim)

Standard engine

440 cu in (7.2L) Magnum V8
375 hp @ 4600 rpm

Optional engine

426 cu in (7.0L) Hemi V8
425 hp @ 5000 rpm

Transmissions

4-speed manual
3-speed Torqueflite automatic (727)

Chassis / Running Gear

Layout: FR (front engine, rear-wheel drive)
Brakes: front discs / rear drums
Tire size: F70-15
Built on Charger R/T-spec heavy-duty suspension/brake setup

Dimensions

Wheelbase: 117 in (2,972 mm)
Length: ~226–226.5 in
Width: 76.7 in (1,948 mm)
Height: 53 in (1,346 mm)
Track (F/R): 59.7 / 59.2 in

Weight (varies by drivetrain)

Curb weight reported around ~4,079–4,189 lb. depending on engine/trans combo

What It’s Like in the Real World (A.K.A. Why People Lose Their Minds Over These)

1969 Dodge Daytona headlight on green copy

A Daytona hits different because it blends three things that almost never coexist:

Visual drama (the wing and nose are unapologetically outrageous)
Real motorsport purpose (the aero isn’t cosplay—it’s functional)
Big-block manners (it’s still a B-body at heart: long doors, deep dash, torque for days)

Even standing still, a Daytona looks like it’s doing 180. And when you remember it actually did the 200+ thing in-period testing, the car stops being a “cool classic” and becomes a rolling historical event.

Wrap-Up: The Daytona Is the Loudest “Because Racing” Ever Built

1969 Dodge Daytona silver copy

Above: 1969 Dodge Daytona in A4 Silver Metallic with Black rear wing and tail stripe (photo courtesy of Mecum Auctions)

The ’69 Charger Daytona is the kind of machine that could only happen when manufacturers were willing to build a few hundred street cars just to dominate on Sunday. 503 built, 70 Hemis, a wing tall enough to block a sunset, and a name permanently attached to the first 200+ mph closed-course lap.

It’s not just rare—it’s a factory-backed flex from the horsepower wars, frozen in sheetmetal.

Daytona frozen in sheetmetal copy

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