Remember the time popular automotive YouTuber The Stradman took delivery of Rusty Wallace’s #2 Miller Lite race car and paid a visit to a McDonald’s drive-through? What if we told you there was a race car better to visit McDonald’s up for auction recently? We’re talking about the NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Bill Elliott’s 1999 McDonald’s livery Ford Taurus. Yes, the same stock car that broke away from the traditional NASCAR team structure. A lucky bidder can now get up to similar shenanigans after winning ‘Million Dollar Bill’s’ rather affordable ride, which was up for grabs on “Bring a Trailer “with a starting bid of $500.

The bidding war that ensued quickly climbed into the $10,000 range after the community realized what a brilliant proposition the Ford V8-powered behemoth could be for those looking for the ideal track day weapon. Let’s take a closer look at what made the car an ideal choice for a certain bidder who closed the deal at $14,000 after placing four bids.

When Bill Elliott-driven McDonald’s Ford Taurus broke NASCAR tradition

The era from which the #94 McDonald’s car got its beginnings was one where Bill Elliott was beyond his glory days, but the components inside the 200-mile-an-hour machinery meant the winning entry would get a value for money and experience unlike any other. After all, it’s not every day a car from NASCAR’s 90s era makes its way to auctions, let alone ones that were of such a scale and carry a special status.

In 2000, Bill Elliott-driven Ford Taurus broke away from the traditional NASCAR team structure. The car’s performance would be managed by a “communication triangle,” replacing the conventional crew chief role. The trio of Kevin Cram (performance enhancement director), Mike Ford (car chief), and Troy Raker (engineer) jointly took over the decisions regarding the setup, chassis, tuning, and overall performance of the No. 94 McDonald’s Ford.

Speaking of the car itself, the third-generation Winston Cup Challenger is powered by a 358ci V8 motor from Ford mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Before the car was bought by the seller for restoration in 2021, it had spent its life resting in storage for eight long years. Surprisingly, the only restoration work done on the car to get it running was to the fuel cell and also installing a Holley Brawler four-barrel carburetor. This NASCAR race car wears third-generation Ford Taurus bodywork over a Melling Racing chassis and is said to have been used by Stihl as a promotional vehicle.

The car features an entire stock car equipment kit, including Bilstein shocks, 15” Bassett wheels, a full roll cage, and most notably, an MSD Twin Ignition System. The exterior features consist of hood pins, a NACA duct in the right quarter window, and a two-piece rear spoiler along with flaps and longitudinal stabilizing strips on the roof. The car certainly has marks from its time racing visible, with scratches along the body panel and delamination on the front and rear glass panels. It might be a tight fit for some, however, as the car also comes with a custom-made Butler-Built Fixed-Back Bucket Seat. The cockpit is painted red and features a full roll cage with black padding as well as a Simpson window net and a ButlerBuilt fixed bucket seat with a five-point harness.

To put all that power down, the car also features Goodyear Eagle racing slicks and four-wheel disc brakes to stop right in time. It is also to be noted that the car in question had some faults such as a broken tachometer and fuel gauges. The car’s total mileage is also unknown due to the absence of an odometer.

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The car does not have a title and is therefore illegal to drive on the roads, so maybe attempting The Stradman’s shenanigans in Bill Elliott’s beloved stockcar isn’t such a bright idea! When The Stradman decided to pay a visit to that McDonald’s drive-thru, his Rusty Wallace stock car seemed to leave him exhausted.

How Rusty Wallace’s Stock Car changed a popular YouTuber’s outlook on NASCAR

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In August 2021, the self-made millionaire and YouTuber, Stradman, stumbled upon the opportunity of a lifetime when he was asked to take delivery of Rusty Wallace’s 2000s Miller’s Lite livery stock car. Not only did Stradman try to spin it around the block once he had the car started, but the YouTuber also had the idea of taking it to a drive-thru and seeing how impractical the experience could be.

Throughout the experience, Stadman did provide a disclaimer to NASCAR fans that he wasn’t very interested in the sport itself and therefore did not have much knowledge about the car.

On the way to the drive-through, Stradman and his friends would encounter a few police vehicles en route, which quickly sent shivers down their spines as the car was not legally permitted to be driven around regular roads. However, it seemed like the officers all turned a blind eye to Wallace’s screaming V8 stock car. Stradman’s friend shared, “Did you not see the cop? He was like going the other way in La La Land, and you’re just like, you flew past him, and you’re good.”

While the car seemed to successfully make it through the drive-through, the experience left Stradman frustrated with the after-effects not long after. He stated, “Mentally, I am exhausted; that car is so loud! I think we got it to 10,000 rpms on the freeway. I can’t hear out of my right here because the exhaust is on that side.”

After witnessing just how powerful and unforgiving stock cars can be in inexperienced hands, Stradman had an enlightened perspective on the car’s former partner and his racing colleagues. He concluded, “I don’t really know what to say other than all the newfound respect I have got for all NASCAR drivers, especially Rusty Wallace, driving these cars 500 miles over the course of a couple hours. I mean, I drove it to McDonald’s and back, and I’m exhausted!”

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It’s safe to say that the experience of driving a stock car is not one to be scoffed at. And by all means, the lucky bidder who won Bill Elliott’s 1999 Behemoth is certainly in for a treat, just like The Stradman’s experience with the #2.