Joey Logano’s garage is more than a place to park his cars; it’s a collection of automotive history, horsepower, and personal memories. The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion owns around 30 vehicles, including a rare 2017 Ford GT bearing his signature No. 22, a heavily modified 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1, and a 1924 Ford Model T. But his latest connection to a pair of memorable racing machines carries a different meaning, as Logano promises to protect a NASCAR legend’s prized possessions and keep them in the family.
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“Thank you so much, guys. I’ll make sure that it is in a good place and I will take care of it, and I’ll keep it in the family as well,” Joey Logano said during a heartfelt moment at a Motor Racing Outreach (MRO) event on Wednesday evening.
The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was receiving one of Darrell Waltrip’s prized possessions: a Mercury stock car with a remarkable history stretching back to Mario Andretti’s victory in the 1967 Daytona 500. The gift was more than a generous gesture. It entrusted a piece of NASCAR history to another champion who promised to protect it.
The MRO gathering brought together figures from across NASCAR to support an organization that has spent decades serving drivers, crew members and their families. Waltrip and his wife, Stevie, have long supported the charity, which provides spiritual care and assistance to people in the racing community. The evening also offered Waltrip an opportunity to share pieces of his racing past with people who appreciate their significance. Logano’s Mercury giveaway became one of the event’s most memorable moments.
The car’s story began well before Waltrip acquired it. According to the NASCAR Hall of Famer, it started as a 1967 Ford Fairlane, the car Andretti drove to victory in the Daytona 500. It later went to Holman-Moody, the renowned racing operation that converted it into a 1969 Mercury.
“That car started out as a ’67 (Ford) Fairlane,” Waltrip explained in a video filmed by Braking Bob. “And Mario (Andretti) won the Daytona 500 in it. And then they brought it to Holman and Moody and made it into a ’69 Mercury.”
The Mercury subsequently competed at Talladega Superspeedway, where it qualified on the outside pole. An engine problem prevented it from finishing the race, and the team returned the car to the shop without an immediate plan for its future. Waltrip eventually approached the team about purchasing it as he worked to establish himself in NASCAR. He agreed to pay $12,500 for the car, its engine and spare parts, giving the machine another chapter in its racing life.
Waltrip used the Mercury during the early stages of his Cup Series career before eventually keeping it in his personal collection. Its journey from a Daytona 500-winning Ford to a converted Mercury, then to a young driver’s race car and finally a treasured possession, linked different eras of stock car racing. By handing it to Logano, Waltrip was passing along a piece of that history to someone who understood its value.
Logano explained that the arrangement had begun roughly six months earlier, when Billy contacted him about storing several vehicles. As a car enthusiast, Logano was happy to make room. Waltrip’s Mountain Dew ride had been sitting in his shop, while another truck race car had been resting on the back of his ramp truck. Logano even drove the latter around town.
“I’m a car guy, and there’s always room to store cool cars,” he recalled. What began as a practical request eventually became a deeply personal gift. Logano pledged to keep the Mercury safe and preserve it rather than treating it as another collectible.
The handover carried added emotional weight after Waltrip’s family announced in September 2026 that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration. The condition prompted the 79-year-old to step back from public life and spend more time with Stevie, their daughters and grandchildren. Against that backdrop, the giveaway offered another reminder of how Waltrip’s connections to NASCAR extend beyond the trophies and statistics.
The MRO event also featured a memorable gesture involving Rick Hendrick. Waltrip gave the team owner his Tide Ride Daytona 500 helmet after Hendrick had placed a $75,000 bid on it.
Waltrip drove for Hendrick Motorsports from 1987 through 1990, winning nine races with the organization, including the 1989 Daytona 500. The helmet honored a defining chapter in their shared history, while the Mercury carried a story that began years earlier.
Logano praised Waltrip and Hendrick for continuing to give back to NASCAR after their competitive careers. His promise to care for the Mercury reflected that same commitment to preserving the sport’s heritage. From a three-time champion to a three-time champion, the handoff beautifully connects NASCAR’s past with its present.