Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has a thing for The King.
No, not NASCAR great Richard Petty, the other King: Elvis Presley.
Along with several private race tracks at his North Carolina home, Junior keeps a room filled with Elvis memorabilia spanning the singer’s career.
One thing he doesn’t have, however, is one of Presley’s cars. But he got to drive one this week.
Not just any old pink Cadillac, mind you, but the last car Elvis drove shortly before he died in 1977.
The 1973 Stutz Blackhawk III was built on the chassis of a Pontiac Grand Prix, but fitted with a custom body designed and manufactured in Italy, spare tire on the trunk and 18 karat gold interior trim.
The big coupe was one of several owned by Elvis over the years, but this is the one he was seen driving into Graceland in on the day he died. In fact, he reportedly was the only one who ever drove it during his lifetime.
Usually kept at Graceland, the car will be on public display at the Charlotte Auto Fair at the Charlotte Motor Speedway April 3-6, but Dale got the rare opportunity to take it for a spin on the track this week.