Jeff Gordon was one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history.  Sponsored over most of his career by DuPont, his multi-colored car, often dubbed” The Rainbow Warrior,” was a vehicle both loved and hated by NASCAR fans.  The buyer of this 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS for sale on Craigslist in Grove, Oklahoma took that love to the next level.  This wonderfully well-kept, 900-mile car is a Jeff Gordon Special Edition produced and sold by Jeff Gordon’s Chevrolet dealership in Wilmington, North Carolina.  The seller, who is the second owner, has all the paperwork for this colorful car-even a bill of sale signed by Jeff Gordon.  The asking price of this practically unused commemorative car is $17,000.  Is that a reasonable price for a car customized at a NASCAR star’s dealership and kept in a sort of suspended animation for 24 years?  Thanks to T.J. for this colorful find!

The 2000 NASCAR season was a pivotal one for the sport.  No longer a regional oddity, NASCAR had expanded into nearly every media market by the year 2000.  They had also mostly shed their tobacco and booze sponsor reputation for dozens of multi-year and multi-million-dollar sponsors from Madison Avenue.  Drivers were becoming polished public spokespersons, and their cars were nothing like the legendary steeds that Petty and Pearson banged into each other across the bullrings of old.  To quote Harry Hyde, there was nothing “stock” about a stock car anymore.  Everything on the track was a purpose-built, tube-framed modern race car clad with a body that had a passing resemblance to the front-wheel drive cars sold in Chevrolet, Ford, and Pontiac showrooms.

One of the stars of this entertainment-oriented racing series was Jeff Gordon.  Gordon was a California-born racer of short stature who possessed an immense amount of talent and focus.  He quickly worked his way through the ranks of midgets, sprint cars, and the lower Busch series of NASCAR.  Once he began working with Ray Evernham as a crew chief and Rick Hendrick as an owner, they became a dominant force in NASCAR in an era that wasn’t shy on talent.  Gordon soon developed a rivalry with Dale Earnhardt that in many ways defined both of their careers.  Gordon represented the sport in the modern era, polished and articulate.  Earnhardt was one of the last holdouts of the old NASCAR, stubborn and rough around the edges.

Of course, nothing is as it seems.  Gordon and Earnhardt were good friends and occasional business partners.  The rivalry that everyone thought was real became a fantastic marketing tool for both of them.  They also drove for Chevrolet.  General Motors has a long history of rewarding loyal drivers with the opportunity to “purchase” a dealership.  Both Gordon and Earnhardt took the company up on the offer and added “Chevrolet Dealer” to their respective resumes.  Fans would flock to the dealerships of their favorite driver to purchase a car from them with a fresh sticker on the back saying just where they purchased their ride.  Both were not above putting their names on special edition cars from their dealerships either.

Jeff Gordon Chevrolet has been in business since 1998 in Wilmington, North Carolina.  While Wilmington is a good bit away from NASCAR’s epicenter in Charlotte, the state is soaked with die-hard NASCAR fans.  NASCAR fans love driving a copy of their favorite driver’s ride.  For the year 2000, Jeff Gordon drove a car that resembled and was called a Monte Carlo SS.  The last rear-wheel-driven Monte Carlo SS rolled out of the factory in 1988.  This was crushing to NASCAR fans since the car was so intertwined with what people believed a stock car was and should be.  Chevrolet’s move to front-wheel drive platforms in 1989 was met with derision.  Fortunately, the pain was assuaged somewhat when the Monte Carlo nameplate returned in 1995.  When it came time for a sixth-generation Monte Carlo (2000-2008), designers consulted with Chevrolet’s motorsports division and selected race teams to tailor the car aerodynamically for competition.  It was no 1988 Monte Carlo SS, but it would do.

It is here where the story gets fuzzy on this 2000 Monte Carlo SS.  The seller offers no details on exactly what this package offered when new.  All we are told is that it was purchased from Jeff Gordon Chevrolet, and it was built there.  It appears that the dealership started with a loaded Monte Carlo SS, added a pronounced rear spoiler and body kit, painted it to replicate one of Gordon’s race cars, added some custom wheels, decals, and striping, did a little embroidery work inside and called it a day.  If it were a special edition sanctioned by Chevrolet and sold nationally, then there would be a certain provenance that went with the car along with enough sales in the secondary market to establish values.

However, being a dealership made special muddies the waters a bit.  Make no mistake, the car is in spectacular condition and is visually stunning.  It is just that someone would have to be a die-hard Jeff Gordon fan to pay the price to transfer this museum-quality car from an Oklahoma garage to their garage.  Driving it regularly would almost be a sin at this point.  You also have to factor in that a collector’s market hasn’t developed for sixth-generation Monte Carlos.  As for price, the seller has $17 listed at the top of the ad.  We assume that is $17,000.

What do you think is a fair market value for this amazingly well-kept Monte Carlo SS?  Do you think the paperwork signed by Jeff Gordon pushes the price up?  Please share your thoughts in the comments about the value of the car or any NASCAR/Gordon/Earnhardt contributions you would like to throw in.

Coincidentally, Earnhardt was killed on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 23 years ago today.  One has to wonder what NASCAR would be like today had that not happened.