Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Daytona car makes history, while Austin Dillon breaks into top 10
CONCORD, NC (December 11, 2014) – It’s official. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Daytona 500 Race Win die-cast isn’t just the best-selling car of 2014; it’s also the best-selling die-cast in the history of Lionel Racing.
Lionel Racing – The Official Die-Cast of NASCAR – unveiled its annual top 10 list today and, as projected, Earnhardt’s Daytona win car ruled them all.
“When the NASCAR season kicks off with Dale Jr. winning the Daytona 500, it’s a safe bet that die-cast sales across the board will skyrocket,” said Howard Hitchcock, President of Lionel Racing. “His win really set the tone for our year overall – we have had a very good season.”
Earnhardt’s on-track success this season resulted in the driver also clinching spots two, three, five, six, and 10 – a feat largely driven by his wins at Pocono Raceway and the popular National Guard/Superman special paint scheme.
While Earnhardt dominated, other drivers did make some noise.
The return of the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series helped propel Austin Dillon’s Dow Automotive Chevrolet SS to the fourth spot.
“The story of the No. 3 car’s return to Cup competition really resonated with both long-time and new NASCAR fans,” said Hitchcock. “It’s great to see a rising star like Dillon make our top 10 list.”
Reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick also made the list, with his No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet ranking eighth among the company’s best sellers:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 National Guard/Daytona 500 Win Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 National Guard Hall of Heroes/Superman Chevrolet
Austin Dillon No. 3 Dow Automotive Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 National Guard/Pocono Win Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Michael Baker/Pocono Win Chevrolet
Jeff Gordon No. 24 AARP/Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet SS
Tony Stewart No. 14 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet
In addition to the top 10 cars of the year, Lionel Racing also announced the best-selling drivers of 2014. While Earnhardt topped the driver list, three of NASCAR’s newest stars also made the cut:
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Jeff Gordon
Kevin Harvick
Jimmie Johnson
Austin Dillon
Chase Elliott
Tony Stewart
Kyle Busch
Brad Keselowski
Kyle Larson
“It’s exciting to see the rising stars of the sport make such an impact on the core fan,” Hitchcock said. “Austin, Chase and Kyle Larson beat out some heavy hitters when it comes to merchandise sales, and that only bodes well for the future of NASCAR.”
For images and a slideshow detailing the story behind each car, a list of best-selling drivers and more, please visit www.LionelTop10.com.
About Lionel Racing
Lionel Racing is the market leader in the design, promotion and distribution of licensed die-cast race cars. A division of Lionel Trains, Lionel Racing makes and sells replica die-cast NASCAR®, NHRA and other cars through a variety of channels, including Corporate, National Accounts, trackside, online, a network of specialty dealers and the Racing Collectables Club of America (RCCA). Located near Charlotte Motor Speedway, Lionel Racing has the pulse of the motorsports community and is committed to giving fans the very best in die-cast collectibles. For more information, visit www.lionelracing.com.
