One of the most iconic pieces of Indianapolis 500 history will hit the auction block next month.
The Dallara DW12 Honda IndyCar ride that Alexander Rossi drove to victory in the 100th Running of the Indy 500 will be part of the Mecum Auction between Aug. 23-25 in Monterey, California, not far from Laguna Seca Raceway, which rejoins the IndyCar schedule next season.
Still bedecked in the original blue and yellow NAPA Auto Parts paint scheme, the car will be part of a massive Mecum auction that will see more than 600 vehicles on the block at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa on Del Monte Golf Course.
Make no mistake about it, this IS the complete, totally original Dallara chassis 037 that crossed the start-finish line on May 29, 2016, to take its place in Indy 500 lore.
However, there’s a slight caveat for whomever buys it: due to an agreement with Honda Performance Development, the actual twin-turbocharged Honda V-6 racing engine will not come with the car initially, but the winning bidder will ultimately receive the powerplant by 2020.
And the new owner of the car and engine will have a 100-year lease on the engine, which can hit 230 mph-plus.
Now, we’re not saying you’ll be able to legally take the 1,590-pound ride (including engine) out on the streets. But we can certainly imagine the strong temptation to do so.
NBC Sports Network will broadcast the auction, and a live stream of the entire auction will be presented at Mecum.com.
Mecum’s website is updated daily with the latest consignments including detailed descriptions and photographs of the vehicles. To view the list, to consign a vehicle or to register as a bidder for this and all Mecum auctions, visit www.mecum.com, or call (262) 275-5050 for more information.
No opening bid price has been set yet, but one thing is certain: whoever winds up winning this unique and historic ride better have some very deep pockets.
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