It may still be called the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, but NASCAR race cars are in no way stock—and haven’t been for a long time. Back in the early days of the series, though, that was closer to the truth. Sure, teams modified cars to make them faster (sometimes without the approval of officials), but those cars started out on a showroom floor. A relic of that era is now headed to auction.
This 1957 Ford Fairlane doesn’t have decals for headlights. What it does have are big chrome bumpers and a front bench seat (albeit with a roll bar strut running down the middle), features that don’t exactly help performance or safety, but instead are remnants of its previous life as a road car. It’ll be among the lots at Mecum’s upcoming Nashville auction, crossing the block on September 26.
In addition to exemplifying NASCAR’s truly-stock era, this Fairlane was driven by one of the series’ first big stars. Edward Glenn “Fireball” Roberts Jr. scored eight wins in this car, including three in a row at North Wilkesboro, Langhorne, and the Southern States Fairgrounds. They were among the 33 total wins the future Hall of Famer would amass over a 15-year career. Roberts also had 36 poles to his credit, although his highest finish in the championship was second, during his rookie season in 1950. Roberts’ nickname turned out to be portentous; he died as a result of burns received in a crash at the 1964 World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Under the ornamented hood is a 312-cubic-inch (5.1-liter) V8, connected to a column-shifted three-speed manual transmission. This is one of the “Y-block” engines used throughout the Ford lineup in the late 1950s, so named because of an extra-deep skirt that gives them more of a “Y” than a “V” shape. This engine is claimed to make 300 horsepower, which would have been a lot for the time.
According to the auction listing, this car was found in the backyard of Roberts’ home in Charlotte and restored for the 57 Heaven Museum in Branson, Missouri. It’s also been displayed at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Roberts’ hometown. Mecum isn’t saying how much the car is expected to sell for, and early stock cars aren’t common on the auction circuit or as commoditized as historic race cars from other disciplines. It could start a bidding war if more than one dedicated NASCAR fan clocks it, or fly under the radar.
Cars like this may have helped NASCAR gain traction with fans, but the series is having a harder time maintaining even a shred of road relevance today. Road cars and race cars have diverged, and suitable body styles are dwindling thanks to an increased focus on SUVs and pickups by the U.S. automakers. NASCAR grids will start looking like the parking lots of today’s America when the Truck Series becomes the main event.
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