More than any other piece of NASCAR merchandise, die-cast cars tell the story of a race season. The best-selling die-cast are those that capture a historic moment, commemorate an important win, or excite fans with a special paint scheme. This season was no exception. For the first time in the history of the Lionel Racing Bestsellers List, the die-cast of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie claimed the number one spot.
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Lionel Racing - The Official Die-Cast of NASCAR - announced today that Chase Elliott's No. 24 NAPA Chevrolet is the company's best-selling die-cast of 2016.
The announcement marks the first time since 2011 that a driver other than Dale Earnhardt Jr. has claimed the top spot.
"Chase Elliott's arrival on the NASCAR scene has been big, and the overwhelming popularity of his first rookie NASCAR Sprint Cup Series die-cast is further proof that race fans relate to him and everything he represents," said Lionel Racing President Howard Hitchcock.
Earnhardt owned the best-selling spot from 2012 to 2015. Although he was out of his race car during the second half of 2016, Elliott's ascension to the top spot was not a result of Earnhardt's absence. Both drivers' standard paint schemes were ordered and shipped prior to Earnhardt's exit.
In fact, Earnhardt is still the company's best-selling driver overall.
"Junior Nation will be happy to know that Dale Jr. is still Lionel's biggest driver," said Hitchcock. "His cars account for four of our top 10 sellers."
Making the list for the first time is Kurt Busch, whose Monster Energy Chevrolet secured the seventh spot. Kevin Harvick's new partnership with Busch gave him the fifth and tenth spots, respectively. Finally, seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson took spots six and eight, with his Lowe's 7X Champ die-cast well inside the top 10.