1969 Dodge Daytona – Ledfut’s Daytona

Dodge and Plymouth stylists hated them, Bill France hated them, but, the racers? Racers loved them, as long as they were driving one of them. Other racers really hated them too. They were considered weird looking, but they worked very well, thanks to the engineers who were tasked with making a Dodge that would dominate NASCAR.

I’ve stumbled onto a couple Daytonas over the years, well, two and a wing, actually. First experience was in 1969 on my way to my new assignment as an ROTC instructor in eastern Washington. My wife, baby son, and I were in a Volvo 145 wagon hauling our Lotus Europa on a trailer. As we crossed the Wyoming plains, an odd automobile appeared briefly in my mirrors before it flew past me at a significant speed differential. It was the first Daytona I had ever seen in person. Second experience was as an Army captain on an emergency operation to raise the levees around Morgan City, Louisiana, in 1973. The base of operations was in the city’s materials yard. Way in the back of the yard was a wing. It had no Road Runner on it, so I assumed it was from a Daytona. The yard supervisor said I could have it, but I didn’t think I could get it home and so passed it up