Earnhardt reigns in die-cast sales while the new champ makes a strong showing.
CONCORD, NC. (December 20, 2012) – When it comes to die-cast sales in 2012, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is king per a top 10 list released today by Lionel NASCAR Collectables, The Official Die-Cast of NASCAR.
Earnhardt’s No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet was the best-selling 1:24 scale die-cast of the year. In addition to the top spot, Earnhardt also claimed spots two and four.
“Dale Jr. is still the most influential personality in the sport, so we weren’t surprised to see his Diet Mountain Dew car pop to the top of our bestsellers list,” said Howard Hitchcock, Vice President and General Manager of Lionel NASCAR Collectables.
“Plus, when Dale won in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ car at Michigan, it really delivered a knockout punch from a sales perspective. The Raced Win version of that die-cast clinched our runner-up spot.”
Danica Patrick’s No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet die-cast was also a hit in 2012, ending the year at third place on the list. An authentic replica of Patrick’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ride, the die-cast was in high demand.
“The great thing about our business is that when you look at our sales at the end of the year, it really tells the story of what happened in the sport,” Hitchcock said.
“The popularity of Danica’s first Cup car is a great example of that, and so is the fact that Brad Keselowski’s champ die-cast made our top 10. It just shows that fans are excited about the energy Brad has brought to NASCAR.”
For the second year in a row, a NASCAR Classics die-cast also made the cut. Released in April, Dale Earnhardt’s No. 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which he wheeled in 1989, took the eighth spot.
The Top 10 Die-Cast Cars of 2012 are listed below. For images and a slideshow detailing the story behind each car, please visit www.lionelnascar.com/top10.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/“The Dark Knight Rises”
Chevrolet – Michigan win car
Danica Patrick No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/“The Dark Knight Rises”
Chevrolet – standard car
Jeff Gordon No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet
Kasey Kahne No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
Jeff Gordon No. 24 AARP/Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt No. 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Kevin Harvick No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski No. 2 Miller Lite/NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Dodge
About Lionel NASCAR® Collectables
The official die-cast of NASCAR, Lionel NASCAR® Collectables is the leader in the design, promotion, marketing and distribution of licensed die-cast race cars. A joint venture with the NASCAR® Team Properties and Lionel Electric Trains, LNC makes and sells replica die-cast race 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). Made up of a group of experienced merchants, artists, sales people and support staff, LNC has its pulse on the racing community and is committed to giving fans the very best in die-cast collectable cars. LNC is based in Concord, NC. For more information about Lionel NASCAR® Collectables, please visit www.lionelnascarcollectables.com.
