How the 1970 Plymouth Superbird became a NASCAR winged legend

The 1970 Plymouth Superbird is one of the most striking – and iconic – cars to ever grace asphalt.

It is a car that – literally – redefined the rulebook and the sport of NASCAR as a whole.

As a matter of fact, it was so successful that it forced NASCAR to change the rules.

This is the story of how the 1970 Plymouth Superbird became a NASCAR winged legend.

DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie

Ford dominated NASCAR in the early 1960s

Before the roar and showmanship of the Super Bowl, NASCAR used to be the place to be.

America’s pastime used to involve traveling to enormous stadiums to hear the roar and power of America’s finest duking it out on the track.

By the late 1960s, Ford was absolutely dominating the competition on the asphalt.

The Blue Oval marque was slapping the competition left and right with the Gran Torino.

Chrysler pretty much had had enough, so it summoned the Dodge division to take it to Ford.

Dodge’s initial combat offering – the Charger 500 – was certainly eye-catching, but it didn’t lay a glove on Ford.

What really changed the game was the Dodge Daytona 500 – it was a statement from Ford’s rivals.

It came equipped with mammoth air ducts, a wedge front fascia, and a rear wing that would make aircraft jealous.

Dodge triumphed at the Alabama International Motor Speedway in 1969, with Richard Brickhouse securing his only NASCAR win using the Daytona 500.

Plymouth Superbird borrows Dodge playbook – and destroys Ford

It turned out that Plymouth was watching this success from the wings, and it decided to use the Dodge blueprint for how to beat Ford.

Drawing from the Daytona 500 and its 426 Hemi powerhouse, Plymouth refined the Road Runner’s base into the Superbird, perfecting its nose and repositioning the wing for street practicality.

The 1970 Plymouth Superbird was such an impressive car that it attracted NASCAR’s most legendary driver to drive it.

That man, of course, was ‘The King’ himself, Richard Petty.

It might have been the Dodge blueprint, but Plymouth’s daring innovation completely changed the game.

The sloped front, aerodynamic body design, and enormous rear wing might have made the car look more like a cartoon.

However, as soon as it hit the track, it absolutely obliterated the rest of the field.

By the end of the 1970 season, the Plymouth Superbird won 33 races in NASCAR.

That equated to around two-thirds of all races that were run that year.

Unfortunately for the Superbird, NASCAR introduced new regulations for the 1971 season.

Said regulations saw decreased engine capacity and increased weight – both things that led to the demise of the Superbird.

These power-to-weight rules completely nullified the threat of the Plymouth Superbird, rendering it a one-season wonder.

But it still remains one of the most iconic – and legendary – cars ever to grace a NASCAR track.