October 25, 2007
By Larry Cottrill

Larry Cottrill

Are you a sports bar owner, or does your game room just look like one? Maybe you’re even more severely inflicted as I am, where your entire house has become a shrine to the sport. Allow me to point out a few offerings now listed on that great on-line flea market for your considerations. Some of the following are tracked in collectors guides at hefty values, while others are simply unique, obscure, or just plain . . . well, cool.

Leading off this weeks showcase ....

Item #1

NASCAR Officials shirt

A year 2000 Uniform shirt from a NASCAR Weekly Racing Series (local short track) track official. This heavy duty Cintas brand uniform shirt is a buttoned-down full-collared 65/35 poly-cotton blend with embroidered series logos above the front breast pocket, across the rear shoulders, and on a sleeve also. In new condition, this XL sized shirt is currently listed (at the time of this writing) for only $2.99 plus shipping.
Item #1

Item #2

"NASCAR Legends" PC Video game CD.

This game from EA Sports lets you race against all of the NASCAR greats from the 1970 season, and lets you do so at the tracks they graced back then. Race at historic venues like Bowman Gray Stadium; Texas Speedway at College Station, Texas; Ontario CA’s Indianapolis clone; the Riverside, CA road course; the old Richmond Fairgrounds track; Thompson Speedway; Greenville-Pickens; North Wilkesboro; the "Rock"; and Darlington - back in the day when you still had metal guardrails outside of the turns instead of concrete walls.

You’ll be behind the wheel of a Plymouth Roadrunner-Superbird, Daytona Charger, Ford Torino Talladega or Mercury Cyclone. Rub fenders with Richard Petty, Cale Yarbrough, A.J. Foyt, Bobby Allison, David Pearson, Tiny Lund, Wendell Scott, Leroy Yarborough, Bobby Issac, Dave Marcis, Charlie Glotzbach, Buddy Baker, Pete Hamilton and others.

Race your car as it comes off of the trailer, or tweak it to your liking. You can change your car’s camber, individual tire pressures on all four corners, left-right weight distributions, wedge, sway and torsion bar sizes, as well as gear ratios.

Play with full damage or an indestructible car, and choose any length of race you like. Set the level of your competition as high or as low as you need to remain competitive. Race with a view from over the roof of the car, or from right behind the wheel and through the windshield. You can also save an incomplete race at any moment and restart it at exactly the same moment without triggering a pace-car controlled restart which bunches up the field.

As owner of a copy of this very game, I can testify that this game is a priceless experience as well as a historic piece of NASCAR documentation. Yours for only $19.99 & shipping.
Item #2

Item #3

Dale Earnhardt 1997 Daytona "Crash Car" 1/24th scale die cast.

This car, as much as anything else, epitomized the sheer determination of the late Dale Earnhardt. With a dozen laps to go in the ‘97 500, Dale was pinched into the wall by Jeff Gordon, and then flipped over by Dale Jarrett. After rolling the car at 195 mph, Dale restarted the car and finished the race in this heap.

This car was reproduced with all of its dents, wrinkles and scratches by Action Performance, and it was all of the rage when it was introduced. Hundreds of these have sold for over $600, and this particular item is currently listed for only $177.50 & shipping.
Item #3

Item #4

David Pearson 1978 Charlotte World 600 Pole Award bank check.

Yes, this is one of those giant checks that used to be held up by the drivers for photos after winning the pole award for a race. Historically it is of importance too, as it is from the last of 11 consecutive poles ( yes, Pearson was that good.... ) at Charlotte.

It measures 44" x 19" and was signed by the "Silver Fox" himself. This one belongs in the upcoming NASCAR Hall of Fame. Currently listed for only $149.99 & shipping.
Item #4

Item #5

"Driver" of the week - Authentic 1994 Jeff Gordon/Hendrick Motorsports Lumina

Yep, this is the real deal. Chassis #2408, this was one of Jeff’s first-ever cup cars. Primarily used for short tracks, this car also saw action at Pocono and the "Track too tough to tame".

Restoration work performed by both the highly noted Gene Felton and the Elliott shop. Includes set-up/ race/ practice and maintenance notes from Ray Evernham, full documentation, and a complete drive line including the 800+ horsepower Hendrick motor.

The auction for this car ended on Tuesday, but at only $30,000, no one met the minimum "reserve" bid, so it remains unsold. Through this auction link, you can use the "contact the seller" option to inquire as to its relisting status or make your own offer.
Item #5

Happy hunting this week!

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.