This muscle car was so fast it was banned in America
Published on Jun 13, 2025 at 4:19 AM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Jun 13, 2025 at 4:19 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews

This is the 1992 Dodge Daytona IROC R/T, a rare and relatively unknown muscle car that was too quick for its own good.
It was launched in the 1990s, and it made headlines thanks to its incredibly powerful engine.
The problem was that the engine was too powerful, and so it made headlines again when it got banned.
And the reason it got banned is quite frankly amusing.
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When people think about a Dodge muscle car, they generally think of the Charger or the Challenger. They’re probably not thinking about the Daytona.
This particular model, the 1992 Dodge Daytona IROC R/T – as in, road and track, a namesake that Dodge still uses today – was developed in partnership with Lotus, and it shows.

The engine was a 2.2-liter four-cylinder with 224HP, which was a lot for a muscle car at the time.
It did 0-60 in six seconds, which meant it was a lot faster than its main rivals, including the Mustang.

People began using the car to take part in SCCA – Sports Car Club of America – and IMSA Firehawk racing events, and it all went well, until it didn’t.
The problem was that these were amateur racing series, which means anybody, in theory, could participate, and that meant pretty much anybody with a Daytona IROC would almost always win.
At some point, the SCCA and IMSA decided the Daytona gave its drivers an unfair advantage, and the car started getting hit with performance penalties of various kinds.
And eventually it was banned altogether.

So it was fast, and it was also relatively rare.
It is difficult to know for certain, but it is estimated that fewer than 1,200 units were built in 1992.
Other sources claim only 250 were built, so the truth is probably in the middle.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.