October 2010 Vol. 65 No. 10
Web Exclusive
Ritchie Bros. to sell Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR race car in Houston public auction
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, the world’s largest industrial auctioneer, will be selling a professional-driven 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR race car in an unreserved public auction being held at the company’s permanent auction site in Houston, Texas November 3 – 4. A 1998 Jaguar, a 1978 Corvette Indy pace car and a Bentley are other specialty cars also being sold along with 2,300+ heavy equipment items on auction day. More information is available at www.rbauction.com.
“The race and luxury cars being sold in next week’s auction will definitely appeal to car enthusiasts,” said Alan McVicker, Regional Manager, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. “In addition to the cars, the auction also features a great selection of late model construction equipment, cranes and transportation equipment. Everything will be sold to the highest bidders on auction day with no minimum bids or reserve prices.”
The 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR race car has an interesting history and features a 1989 target crate 350 engine and a 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix body. Originally purchased by Mr. Felix Sabates of Sabco Racing from Hendricks Motorsports in 1989, the car was driven and raced professionally by Kyle Petty until it was retired. From 1991 to 1994, the Pontiac, with the number 42 on it, appeared as the “Peak Antifreeze” and “Mello Yellow” car in television commercials. The movie “Days of Thunder”, starring Tom Cruise, was also the impetus for the real-life version of this Mello Yellow Car that premiered on the Winston Cup circuit during the 1995 season. After its use in television commercials, Coca-Cola re-bannered the car as the “Monsters of the Gridiron” and featured it during the 1995 Super Bowl.
Also being sold in the auction is a fully loaded official 1978 Corvette Indy pace car equipped with an L 82 V-8 engine, automatic transmission and factory alloy wheels. Only 6,502 of these Corvette pace cars were ever produced.
Other equipment items being sold in the Houston auction include 60+ crawler tractors— of which two are 2008 Caterpillar D9T crawler tractors—55 hydraulic excavators, 45+ backhoe loaders, 20+ wheel loaders, 20+ rough terrain cranes, 25+ dump trucks, 10+ motor graders, 10+ tri-axle dump trucks, three 2008 & 2007 Caterpillar 773F rock trucks and more than 30 cranes. The auction will also feature a wide assortment of transportation equipment including 90 pickup trucks, 50+ truck tractors, boom and utility trucks and a variety of trailers.
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