Don Baskin Net Worth 2026: Inside His $100M+ Truck Empire & 1000 Cars

When you hear about someone owning over 1,000 cars, you might think it’s an exaggeration. But Don Baskin from Covington, Tennessee is the real deal. This 68-year-old businessman, drag racing champion, and collector has built an empire that’s equal parts shrewd business sense and pure automotive passion.

So how much is Don Baskin actually worth? Let’s dig into the numbers behind one of America’s most fascinating success stories.

Don Baskin’s Net Worth in 2026: The Numbers

Don Baskin’s net worth is estimated at $100 million to $500 million as of 2026. Yeah, that’s quite a range, but here’s why the estimates vary so widely:

Different sources report different figures based on how they value his assets. Some conservative estimates put him around $100-150 million, focusing mainly on his truck business. Other sources, factoring in his massive car collection and real estate, push that number toward $500 million.

The truth probably lies somewhere in between. What’s certain is that this is a guy who started selling trucks as a teenager and turned it into a fortune most people only dream about.

Where Did All This Money Come From?

Don Baskin Truck Sales: The Cash Cow

The backbone of Don’s wealth is Don Baskin Truck Sales, based in Covington, Tennessee. This isn’t some small-time operation – we’re talking about a nearly 50-year-old business that moves serious volume.

Here are the impressive stats:

Annual revenue: $10-100 million (exact figures are private, but industry reports consistently land in this range)
Trucks sold per year: Approximately 3,600
Employees: Around 125 workers
Business model: Buying, selling, servicing commercial trucks, plus a massive salvage yard

Don specializes in heavy-duty commercial trucks – mixer trucks, dump trucks, sleeper cabs, water trucks, roll-off trucks. You name it, if it’s big and moves stuff, he deals in it. Construction companies and agricultural operations across Tennessee and neighboring states are his bread and butter.

The company also builds custom trucks – think specialized dump trucks for construction crews and fire department vehicles. That’s where the real margins are.

Baskin Motorsports: The Side Hustle That Pays

Not content with just dominating the truck game, Don launched Baskin Motorsports, leveraging his 25+ years of drag racing experience. This business buys and sells:

Race cars
Engines and transmissions
Racing equipment and parts
Race trailers and haulers
Motorhomes

While this operation is smaller than the truck business, racing equipment typically carries higher profit margins. When you’re dealing with specialized performance parts and high-end race cars, you’re not competing on price – you’re selling expertise.

Real Estate Holdings

Don owns substantial real estate, including:

The warehouse facilities housing his car collection (we’re talking 400,000+ square feet)
Jackson Dragway, which he purchased and has been renovating
Commercial properties related to his truck sales operations
Various residential and industrial holdings

Real estate doesn’t just sit there – it appreciates, generates rental income, and provides tax advantages. It’s a smart way to park wealth.

The Car Collection That Could Fund a Small Country

Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the warehouse – or rather, the 1,000+ cars spread across multiple warehouses.

The Scale Is Mind-Blowing

Don’s collection isn’t just big – it’s borderline insane:

Over 1,000 vehicles total
Housed in approximately 400,000-440,000 square feet of warehouse space across multiple buildings
One building alone is 270,000 square feet
The collection was basically hidden from the public for nearly 20 years

What’s In The Collection?

Don has a serious thing for Chevrolet, especially muscle cars:

The Chevy Lineup:

At least 80 Camaros (including the third 1967 Camaro ever built – with its original six-cylinder engine!)
About 20 Chevrolet Novas
Around 20 Corvettes in various colors
Multiple COPO Camaros, including an untouched 1969 model
A 1967 Impala SS427 convertible that was his father’s car – one of only two built with that specific configuration

Other Highlights:

25 Dodge Hellcats
10 Buick Grand Nationals
Numerous Ford Mustangs, including Fox Bodies and Coyote-powered models
Two unrestored 1969 GTO Judges (one’s a ragtop)
A Ferrari (he bought it almost on a dare)
A Viper
JFK’s presidential staff car – a 1961 Lincoln Continental

He’s also got cars from Oldsmobile, Peterbilt, Volkswagen, Buick, and Dodge. The man literally has something for everyone.

The Racing Machines

Don’s got a dedicated race car shop filled with his championship-winning drag cars, many displayed pulling wheelies. These include:

His first race car: a Grumpy Jenkins ’69 Nova Pro Stock he raced for 25 years
Multiple NMCA and NHRA championship-winning machines
Current race cars including a naturally aspirated small-block Cobalt for NA 10.5
A 2020 Camaro with a nitrous-assisted 632ci engine for Nitrous Pro Street

What’s It All Worth?

Conservative estimates put just the car collection at over $50 million, with some individual cars worth seven figures. When classic car values are factored in, and considering how rare some of these vehicles are, the collection could easily be worth $100 million or more.

The thing is, classic car markets fluctuate. A 1967 Camaro might be worth X today and 2X in five years. Don’s collection has generally appreciated over time, especially the rare muscle cars and historically significant vehicles.

The Drag Racing Legacy: 14-15 Championships

Don didn’t just buy these cars to look at them. He’s a legitimate drag racer with serious credentials.

Racing Resume:

Started drag racing at age 16 in 1966
14-15 total championships across NMCA World Championships and NHRA competitions
Won the NMCA Nitrous Pro Street championship in 2014
Raced everything from Modified Production to Comp Eliminator to Nitrous Pro Street
Still actively racing at 68 years old

He’s always been a heads-up racer, never getting into bracket racing. “I like to run two or three different cars,” Baskin has said. “You get more chances to win the more cars you run.”

His racing credibility adds serious value to Baskin Motorsports. When a 14-15-time champion tells you how to set up your race car, you listen.

How Did Don Baskin Build This Empire?

Started Young

Don began his entrepreneurial journey at just 16 years old, buying and selling trucks. That’s the same age he started drag racing. The guy basically turned his two passions – trucks and cars – into his career.

He scraped together money to buy his first trucks, flipped them for profit, and reinvested. Over and over. For 50 years.

Smart Business Model

Don’s approach to business is refreshingly simple: buy low, sell high, provide value. Whether it’s trucks, race cars, or classic vehicles, he follows the same formula that made him successful in the truck business.

His salvage yard operation is particularly smart. He can part out damaged trucks, sell components for profit, and use parts to keep other inventory running. It’s a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Diversification

Don didn’t put all his eggs in one basket:

Primary income: Truck sales and service
Secondary income: Baskin Motorsports
Asset appreciation: Car collection
Real estate: Multiple properties
Track ownership: Jackson Dragway

This diversification protects his wealth during economic downturns and creates multiple revenue streams.

Faith and Family Values

Don is known for running his business with strong Christian values, putting God first and family second. These principles guide his operations and have built a reputation for integrity that keeps customers coming back.

What Does It Cost to Maintain All This?

Running an operation this size isn’t cheap.

Insurance Alone Is Insane

Don has 922 vehicles insured at any given time (plus about 80 race cars). Just think about the monthly insurance premiums on that. Even basic collector car insurance runs $100-300 per vehicle annually, and Don’s collection includes vehicles worth six and seven figures.

Warehouse and Property Costs

Maintaining 400,000+ square feet of climate-controlled warehouse space in Tennessee isn’t cheap. Add in:

Property taxes
Utilities (keeping classic cars requires climate control)
Security systems
Staff to manage the collection

Employee Salaries

With 125 employees at Don Baskin Truck Sales alone, payroll is a major expense. Financial administrators at his company make around $132,153 annually, while administrative assistants earn about $15.88 per hour.

Maintenance and Restoration

Don drives about 40 of his cars per year, and keeping 1,000+ vehicles in running condition requires constant maintenance. Even if most sit untouched, preservation still costs money.

But here’s the thing: these costs are offset by the appreciation of his assets. Classic car values, especially rare muscle cars, have skyrocketed over the past decade. What he spends on maintenance is likely dwarfed by what his collection gains in value annually.

Economic Impact Beyond Personal Wealth

Don’s businesses do more than make him rich – they’re economic engines for his community.

Job Creation: 125 employees at Don Baskin Truck Sales means 125 families with steady incomes. In a town like Covington, that’s significant.

Industry Support: By buying and renovating Jackson Dragway, Don’s investing in motorsports infrastructure that benefits racers across the region.

Economic Multiplier: When his businesses buy parts, hire contractors, and purchase services, that money circulates through the local economy.

How Does Don Compare to Other Car Collectors?

Don’s collection ranks among the largest private car collections in America. While Jay Leno’s collection gets more publicity (around 200+ vehicles), and the Petersen Museum houses around 300 vehicles, Don’s 1,000+ car hoard is in a league of its own for private collections.

The difference? Most public collections are curated and focused. Don’s is more like “I like it, I’m buying it” – which makes it way more interesting to walk through.

What’s The Future Look Like?

At 68, Don shows no signs of slowing down. Tragically, his wife Beverly Baskin passed away in 2024, but Don continues to honor her memory while pushing forward with his business and racing endeavors. He’s still:

Actively racing multiple cars
Running his truck business
Renovating Jackson Dragway
Adding to his collection (yes, really)

One of his sons shares his passion for racing, joining him on drag-and-drive adventures that strengthen their bond and continue the family legacy.

The question everyone asks: what happens to this collection eventually?

One drag racing forum user joked: “Going to be a hell of an auction one day when he kicks the bucket.” And honestly, they’re not wrong. When this collection eventually hits the market, it’ll be one of the biggest automotive auctions in history.

But for now, Don’s enjoying the empire he built, one truck and one race car at a time.

The Bottom Line

Don Baskin’s net worth – whether it’s $100 million, $500 million, or somewhere in between – represents more than just money. It’s a testament to what happens when you:

Start early and stay consistent
Turn your passion into profit
Diversify your assets
Maintain integrity in business
Never stop grinding

From a 16-year-old kid selling trucks to a 68-year-old with 1,000+ cars and a thriving business empire, Don Baskin’s story is pure American success. He didn’t inherit wealth or get lucky with some tech startup. He bought trucks, sold trucks, raced cars, and built an empire the old-fashioned way – one deal at a time over 50+ years.

The massive warehouse full of muscle cars? That’s not just a collection. It’s a museum of his life’s work, filled with cars he raced, cars he dreamed about as a kid, and cars that represent milestones in his journey.

And the best part? He’s still out there racing, still wheeling and dealing, and still adding to the collection. Don Baskin isn’t done yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is Don Baskin worth in 2026?

Don Baskin’s net worth is estimated between $100 million to $500 million in 2026. The range varies based on how different sources value his 1,000+ car collection, real estate holdings, and business assets. His Don Baskin Truck Sales generates $10-100 million annually, and his car collection alone is conservatively valued at over $50 million.

How many cars does Don Baskin own?

Don Baskin owns over 1,000 vehicles housed in approximately 400,000-440,000 square feet of warehouse space. His collection includes at least 80 Camaros, 20 Corvettes, 20 Novas, 25 Dodge Hellcats, 10 Buick Grand Nationals, numerous Mustangs, race cars, and rare vehicles like the third 1967 Camaro ever built and JFK’s presidential Lincoln Continental.

What business does Don Baskin own?

Don Baskin owns Don Baskin Truck Sales in Covington, Tennessee, which has operated for nearly 50 years and sells approximately 3,600 trucks annually. He also runs Baskin Motorsports, which buys and sells race cars, engines, transmissions, and racing equipment. Additionally, he owns Jackson Dragway, a race track he’s been renovating.

How many drag racing championships has Don Baskin won?

Don Baskin has won 14-15 drag racing championships across NMCA World Championships and NHRA competitions. He started racing at age 16 in 1966 and is still actively competing at 68 years old. He won the NMCA Nitrous Pro Street championship in 2014 and has been racing heads-up classes for over 50 years.

What’s your take on Don Baskin’s incredible car collection and business empire? Drop a comment below!