It’s not often you have the opportunity to truly own a piece of drag racing’s storied history. Cars that shatter major barriers are occasionally kept for posterity, but more often than not, are often raced until they’re outdated, then they are parted out and sold off unceremoniously. The occasional few will make their way into various museums and collections around the country. However, once in a while, a true gem comes up for grabs, and we’ve found one we couldn’t overlook.
Up for sale on eBay this week is the very first NHRA Funny Car to streak into the four-second zone — Chuck Etchells’ famed Kendall Oil Dodge Avenger Funny Car. Per the information in the ad, the car was purchased from Etchells by Michigan Funny Car racer Della Woods in turn-key condition a couple of years after it made the historic 4.98-second run at Topeka, Kansas’ Heartland Park. Woods put very few passes on the car before rolling it into her shop, where it’s remained in storage for the better part of two decades. Now, it’s up for sale and you can own it, provided you have the financial means, of course.
Etchells was competing hot-and-heavy with the biggest names in the class back in the early 90’s to become the first Funny Car to break into the fours, as well as trying to top the 300 MPH barrier for the first time. Etchells played the gritty foil to fan-favorite John Force in a back-and-forth rivalry that ended when Chuck powered his Dodge Daytona-bodied flopper to a 4.98, cementing his place among nitro royalty.
Force would also lose the race to 300 to likeable low-budget (comparatively speaking) racer Jim Epler at the very same race. Etchells, with his no-nonsense attitude, was perfect to counter-balance the jovial Force and low-key Epler, which made all of this more entertaining for the fans, who were very aware of the (not-always-so) friendly rivalry between the trio.
Click on over to the eBay ad to check out this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own one of the last barrier-breaking cars in NHRA history.