CONCORD, N.C. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon didn’t just have the top two die-cast cars of the year, they dominated the list of best-selling cars, which was unveiled Wednesday by Lionel Racing – The Official Die-Cast of NASCAR.
“Since we began publishing our top-10 list in 2011, we haven’t seen such a dominant performance by two drivers as we have this year,” said Howard Hitchcock, president of Lionel Racing. “Their sales numbers are a testament both to their impact on the sport and their ability to connect with the most passionate NASCAR fans – our collectors – in a big way.”
Earnhardt’s new primary paint scheme drove sales of his No. 88 Nationwide Insurance die-cast to the top spot, while Gordon’s wildly popular throwback, the No. 24 Axalta Rainbow Chevrolet, was the company’s second-biggest seller.
“We knew when the Axalta Rainbow car was first announced that this would be one of the most important die-cast of the year to longtime fans of the sport,” Hitchcock said. “I think we were just as thrilled as Gordon’s fans were to see this iconic paint scheme on track in his final year of competition.”
The only driver to make the Lionel Racing list that wasn’t named Earnhardt or Gordon was Chase Elliott. Elliott’s No. 25 NAPA Chevrolet SS die-cast ranked a solid sixth.
“Elliott’s popularity with NASCAR fans is incredibly impressive when you consider he has competed in the sport for just two years,” Hitchcock said. “That fan appeal is directly reflected in his sales numbers – his Cup debut car outsold several of our historically best-selling drivers.”
The 2015 Top 10 list is below:
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Nationwide Insurance Chevrolet
- Jeff Gordon No. 24 Axalta Rainbow Chevrolet
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Mountain Dew/Dewshine Chevrolet
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Nationwide Insurance/Talladega Win Chevrolet
- Jeff Gordon No. 24 3M Chevrolet
- Chase Elliott No. 25 NAPA Chevrolet
- Jeff Gordon No. 24 Axalta/Homestead Chevrolet
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Nationwide Insurance/Stars and Stripes Daytona Win Chevrolet
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Valvoline Chevrolet
- Jeff Gordon No. 24 AARP Member Advantages/Martinsville Win Chevrolet