A NASCAR legend and his family are hoping to recover treasured pieces of racing history after his North Carolina home was burglarized.
Retired NASCAR driver Dave Marcis returned to his home in Arden, North Carolina, after being away for roughly a week and discovered that someone had broken in and stolen thousands of dollars worth of valuables, according to local station WLOS.
But for Marcis and his family, the monetary value isn’t what hurts most.
Among the items taken were pieces accumulated during Marcis’ decades in NASCAR, including one-of-a-kind rings, Rolex watches and a rifle given to him by Dale Earnhardt.
Marcis’ daughter, Shawn Beam, has now spoken publicly about the burglary and the devastating realization her father had when he discovered what was missing.
“He walked past me and he said all that stuff, it’s just gone, everything,” Beam told WLOS. “I said, ‘Well, they didn’t take everything.’ He said, ‘They might as well have.’”
Dave Marcis’ Family Details What Was Stolen
Marcis, now 85, made more than 880 NASCAR Cup Series starts during a career that stretched across five decades.
His longevity meant his home contained more than simply collectibles. Many of the stolen items were personal pieces of NASCAR history connected to relationships and memories accumulated throughout his career.
Beam said the family discovered memorabilia, one-of-a-kind rings and rifles had been taken. One of the stolen rifles was a gift to Marcis from Dale Earnhardt.
A collection of Rolex watches Marcis received as retirement gifts from Roger Penske was also stolen, according to Beam.
“When we went upstairs, we found all the stuff that was gone,” she told WLOS.
The family contacted law enforcement after discovering the break-in, but an unexpected message would eventually provide a potential break in the case.
Facebook Message Leads to Break in NASCAR Burglary Case
According to Beam, someone contacted her through Facebook Messenger after apparently purchasing some of the stolen property.
The items had reportedly surfaced at Smiley’s Flea Market in Fletcher, North Carolina. That information provided investigators with a lead, and authorities have since made at least one arrest.
The suspect is facing felony charges for breaking and entering at a residence, according to WLOS.
“It was a relief to know that someone had been arrested,” Beam said.
But an arrest doesn’t necessarily mean Marcis will get his belongings back.
“Some of it he might never get back,” Beam said.
The family is now hoping investigators can retrace where the stolen property went and ultimately recover some of the items carrying the greatest sentimental value.
“Hopefully we can retrace a lot of steps and get the really sentimental things back,” Beam said. “We’ll just see.”
According to Beam, there is currently no indication that the suspect was known to the Marcis family. It also remains unclear whether authorities are searching for any additional suspects.
For Marcis, the loss goes far beyond what any price tag could capture. Some of the stolen pieces represented decades of friendships, milestones and memories from one of the longest careers in NASCAR history.
And those are considerably harder to replace.
NASCAR Legend’s Home Burglarized, Irreplaceable Racing Memorabilia Stolen