1972 Dodge Challenger Hardtop

The Chrysler Kit Car program was Chrysler's attempt to break into the Saturday night late model racing scene. This gave the local racer the opportunity to own a scaled-down Winston Cup car for less than $10,000. Petty Enterprises worked with Chrysler engineers to develop and market the 'KitCar.' Rigorous testing for the prototypes was part of the development plan and this 1872 Challenger was one of the prototypes. Test drivers for the program were Peter Hamilton, the 1970 Daytona 500 winner, and a young phenomenon's first paid job in a race car - Dale Earnhardt. Dale was paid $100 per day to drive this car.

In 1974, this car was re-bodied with a Dodge Dart skin and sold to Buddy Crouch in Irvine, KY. He campaigned the car in ARCA from 1974 - 1981. It won several races including the 1980 ARCA Flat Rock, Michigan race. Marty Robbins, a country music singer, drove this car once during this period. Before the start of the 1981 season, it was re-bodied again as a Dodge Miranda. In 1982, with a new owner, it campaigned on KY and TN dirt tracks. It continued its tradition of sitting on poles and winning races through the 1980s. In 1990, the owners (and their dad), purchased this tired old racecar and spent six years restoring it back to its prototype form.