Additional Coverage:
- ‘Pawn Stars’ boss Rick Harrison comes across vintage Indy 500 car — but doesn’t even make an offer (marketrealist.com)
“Pawn Stars” viewers know Rick Harrison will check out just about anything, and vintage cars are no exception. A recent episode featured a unique find: a real IndyCar.
While filming on location, Harrison met Gary, the car’s owner, at an antique sale. Even though Harrison called the race car “uber cool,” he ultimately passed on making an offer.
Harrison was clearly impressed by the car, calling IndyCar racing “the great American thing” and pointing out the Indy 500’s status as an unofficial national holiday.
Gary explained the car’s impressive history, noting it was built for the IndyCar series, could reach speeds exceeding 220 mph, and was driven by Jimmy Kite in the 1998 Indy 500, finishing 11th. He had purchased the car complete, a rarity since most race cars are typically disassembled after their racing careers end.
With an asking price of $75,000, Gary believed he was offering the car well below its original value. Harrison admitted he’d never encountered an IndyCar for sale before, but ultimately declined to make a deal.
He cited a lack of market for such a specialized item and admitted his unfamiliarity with race car valuations. Gary concurred, mentioning the difficulty in selling race cars due to the lack of a dedicated market.
He revealed his personal collection of over three dozen cars, occasionally selling one when the opportunity arises.
Despite the car being one of the fastest and arguably coolest items ever featured on “Pawn Stars,” Harrison walked away, thanking Gary for showing him the unique piece of racing history.