$2000 Challenge: The first Mercedes to compete in our low-buck bash

David S.
By David S. Wallens
Nov 27, 2024 | $2000 Challenge, Mercedes-Benz

Photography Credit: Mark Langello

  • Entrant: Chuck Ellis
  • Total Budget: $1918.98
  • Event Year: 2005

Go back a decade or so, and there were some cool deals hiding in plain sight–like this 1978 Mercedes-Benz 6.9 that Chuck Ellis found on eBay for less than two grand. The purchase price included some unneeded extras, so Chuck sold them to afford a used nitrous system.

Why the Benz? “I wanted to bring the first Mercedes to the event,” he says. A car with such pedigree doesn’t always require much work, and Chuck admits that he spent about 6 hours total preparing the car. It finished 43rd out of 62 entries that year.

Make your own low-buck memories at the Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge Presented by Tire Rack, held March 29-30, 2025.

The Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge is Presented by Tire Rack, in Association with HPX ShowBendPakCRC Industries and Miller Electric.

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Comments
DavyZ
DavyZ Reader
11/27/24 1:26 p.m.

Good for a "Red Pig" tribute car.  

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
11/27/24 2:04 p.m.

W116 is best racecar. Before lowering mine leaned over just like that on track. That body is clean! 

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