CONCORD, N.C. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. has accomplished yet another great feat.
Wednesday morning, Lionel racing announced the top-10 die-cast cars of 2017, and Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevrolet SS appeared on the list six different times.
The 15-time most popular driver’s scheme from his final NASCAR Cup Series race topped the list, becoming the best-selling car in Lionel Racing history. The red, white and black No. 88 Axalta payed homage to Earnhardt’s scheme from his first career Cup Series race.
“The demand for this car has been simply astounding,” said Howard Hitchcock, Lionel Racing’s president said on lionelracing.com. “The fan response to this die-cast is a true measure of how much Earnhardt has meant to both NASCAR fans and serious die-cast collectors.”
Multiple No. 88 Chevrolet SS paint schemes made appearances on the list, starting with the Nationwide Throwback Chevy at No. 2, the Nationwide Chevy at No. 3 and the Axalta Chevy came in at No. 8. The Mountain Dew Chevy Earnhardt raced in his final race at Talladega, capped the list at No. 10.
Chase Elliott also made the list with two separate entries. His No. 24 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet SS was the No. 4 best-seller, and his No. 24 Hooters Chevrolet SS came in at No. 9.
Overrall, Hendrick Motorsports claimed eight of the 10 top-selling die-casts of 2017.