For NASCAR fans, Mustangs, and all-American V8s, this is the kind of news that raises an eyebrow. A handful of cars once believed destined to stay behind museum ropes are about to depart the quiet of rotating display stands and face the harsh glare of an auction hall.
The renowned engineer and American motorsport icon Jack Roush is indeed putting up for auction, for the first time, a curated selection of cars from his museum. This Jack Roush Collection auction will roll through Mecum in Nashville from September 23–26, 2026, marking the 50th anniversary of Roush Industries. On the docket: pieces of racing history, standout American muscle cars, and also highly personal hot rods that tell a life spent building performance.
A Historic Mecum Nashville Auction for the Jack Roush Collection
Based near Detroit, the Roush Automotive Collection houses more than 150 vehicles, amassed and preserved over 38 years, surrounded by racing memorabilia and artifacts. Until now, this temple of engineering remained a pilgrimage site for a devoted few enthusiasts and guests, with none of the major pieces offered to the public. The Nashville sale changes the game: a selection of these cars will roll onto Mecum’s stage, headlined by this first-ever sale staged in the capital of Tennessee.
The Mecum auction house will run its sale at the Nashville Superspeedway from September 23–26, 2026, with the Roush collection as the centerpiece of its inaugural event at this track. The lineup covers a broad spectrum: championship-winning race cars, in-house built one-offs, classic American muscle, and historically pedigreed competition machines. In the background, the 50-year legacy of Roush Industries and more than 30 national titles won by the Roush group and RFK Racing in NASCAR, IMSA, or Trans-Am lend substantial weight to this unprecedented dispersal.
Boss 429, Paul Newman’s Mustang, and Family Hot Rods: The Spotlight Cars of the Jack Roush Auction
Among the most anticipated lots, a 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback stands out. Number KK 1429, it sports a 460 ci Pro Stock V8 assembled by Jack Roush himself, and is presented as one of his favorite cars within the collection. Right beside it is the 1995 Ford Mustang Cobra IMSA “Nobody’s Fool”, Roush Racing chassis No. 23, winner in the GTS-1 class and third overall at the 1995 Daytona 24 Hours with Paul Newman, Tommy Kendall, and Mark Martin behind the wheel. Sponsored by Paramount Pictures with funds from the film “Nobody’s Fool,” this No. 70 celebrated Paul Newman’s 70th birthday and spent nearly three decades at the Roush Museum; some observers are already predicting a seven-figure price, roughly over €900,000. Another remarkable Mustang, the 1997 Cobra Trans-Am driven by Tommy Kendall, arrives hot off 11 victories and a Trans-Am title in the same year—often cited as one of the series’ most dominant seasons.
The sale isn’t limited to Ford icons. It also features much more personal toys, such as the 2019 Dodge Challenger prepared for Josie Roush McClenaghan, Jack Roush’s granddaughter: an original Challenger R/T Shaker 5.7L converted into a dragster with a supercharged 6.2L Hellcat V8, a 3-speed racing transmission, roll cage, and an interior oriented toward timing, campaigned in NMCA before heading to the hammer on September 26, 2026. A 1990 Ford F-150 Sport Truck concept, a one-off Dodge Magnum R/T “Extreme,” and several significant NASCAR cars round out the array, with machines tied to Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, or Ricky Stenhouse Jr. For collectors, the equation is clear: direct museum provenance, clear racing or family history, preservation in a controlled environment, and a first-time market entry create a cocktail that the collector market is watching closely. It remains to be seen how high the Nashville bids will climb, on-site or online for European enthusiasts ready to burn the midnight oil.
