This Ford Thunderbird (1989-1997) got away, but there are more like it here.

This 1992 Ford Thunderbird NASCAR racer was built by Stavola Brothers Racing and was campaigned in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series by the team with driver Dick Trickle in 1992. The following season, the team employed Sterling Marlin, who drove this car to victory in the 1993 Winston Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 22, 1993. It was subsequently donated to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation in August of that year by the team and sponsor Raybestos to be incorporated into the IMS Museum collection in recognition of the inaugural Brickyard 400. The body is finished in blue with a white and red #8 Raybestos livery, and power is provided by a 358ci V8 mated to a four-speed manual transmission and a 9″ rear end. Equipment includes a full roll cage, a fire-suppression system, a fixed-back racing seat, a Simpson harness, a Hurst shifter, a trunk-mounted fuel cell, and 15” Bassett Racing wheels. Service performed by IMS Museum staff in preparation for the sale reportedly included the installation of new brake and clutch master cylinders as well as flushes of the brake and fuel systems, and an oil change. This Thunderbird stock car is now offered by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation in Indiana with a 1993 Raybestos Racing press kit, a press kit from the 1993 IMS Museum donation, and a bill of sale.

1992 Ford Thunderbird NASCAR Race Car

The bodywork is mounted over a tube-frame chassis and is finished in blue with a white and red #8 Raybestos livery. Exterior features include a rear spoiler, hood and trunk pins, wind strakes, safety straps affixed to the windshield and rear window, and side-exit exhaust pipes. Chips and cracks on the front spoiler are noted by the seller.

1992 Ford Thunderbird NASCAR Race Car

The 15” Bassett Racing wheels are finished in black with red pinstripes and are mounted with 27.5×10″ front and 28×10″ rear Goodyear Eagle racing slicks. The suspension is said to have been modified in April 1993 and features Carrera Hyper-Charged threaded body front shocks. Stopping power is provided by discs at all four corners. The brake system was serviced in 2022 with the installation of a new master cylinder and bleeders on the calipers, as well as a flush of the lines and the addition of new fluid.

1992 Ford Thunderbird NASCAR Race Car

The cockpit houses a padded full roll cage and a fixed-back racing seat with a black padded cover. Additional equipment includes a fire-suppression system, a Hurst shifter, and a Simpson racing harness showing a February 1991 date.

1992 Ford Thunderbird NASCAR Race Car

The three-spoke steering wheel frames Ford-Motorsport-branded instrumentation including a 10k-rpm tachometer and gauges for oil pressure, water temperature, oil temperature, fuel level, and voltage. The car is not fitted with an odometer, and total mileage is unknown.

1992 Ford Thunderbird NASCAR Race Car

The 358ci V8 was built by the Stavola Brothers Racing and is topped by a single four-barrel carburetor. An aluminum radiator is fitted along with a Ford Motorsports/MSD electronic ignition. The engine was returned to running condition by IMS Museum staff in preparation for the sale, and an oil change was also performed. It is unknown when it was previously serviced.

1992 Ford Thunderbird NASCAR Race Car

Power is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission and a 9″ rear end. A replacement clutch was installed in 2022. The 22-gallon fuel cell was also removed and cleaned at that time, and the fuel lines were flushed.

The seller is unable to locate a chassis number on the car.

1992 Ford Thunderbird NASCAR Race Car

A 1993 Raybestos Racing press kit is included in the sale along with a contemporary newspaper article on the car’s donation to the IMS Museum.

Located inside the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, the IMS Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that relies on the support of visitors, members, donors, and corporate partners to make possible their daily operations, exhibits, restoration and preservation initiatives, and educational programming. To learn more about the IMS Museum and the many ways you can show support, including their “Adopt-a-Car” program, please click here.

Auction Result

Winning Bid USD $35,250 by Rconant942
Auction Ended November 10, 2022 at 10:29AM PT
Bids 19
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BaT Essentials

Seller: IMSMuseum
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana 46222
Listing Details
  • TMU
  • 358ci Ford V8
  • Four-Speed Manual Transmission
  • Blue Paint
  • White and Red Raybestos Livery
  • Fixed-Back Racing Seat
  • Campaigned in NASCAR Winston Cup, 1992-1993
  • Driven by Dick Trickle and Sterling Marlin
  • Owned by IMS Museum Since 1994
  • 15" Bassett Racing Wheels
  • Full Roll Cage
  • Fire-Suppression System
  • Trunk-Mounted Fuel Cell
  • Period Literature
Private Party or Dealer: Private Party
Lot #90190