Racing Fans' Guide to NASCAR Memorabilia Welcome NASCAR fans!  This vintage NASCAR Clymer Crash Helmet, made by the The Clymer Co. was aquired from a North Carolina Estate sale in 2008.  This program is a very rare find! It holds 11 autographs including Fireball Roberts, Dave Pearson, Bob Burdick, Fred Lorenzen, and Bobby Johns from the Dixie 400 Atlanta International Raceway, October 28, 1962.  The individually numbered Jimmie Johnson 5 Parts with Display Case from Mounted Memories is a limited edition of 136. The mirrored back acrylic display case is for showing off the race-used NASCAR memorabilia components in this collectible which include: a spark plug, large piece of sheet metal (7.5" x 1.5"); and from the valve train system a lifter, a pushrod, and part of a valve spring. The licensed collectible comes with a statement of authenticity and hologram.  This vintage photograph of Herb Thomas and the Grand National Champion trophy from Daytona Beach from 1951 was part of an estate sale in 2005.  This Southern 500 Rebel flag was found in an estate in S.C. and the story, according to the family, is that this item was given away to patrons of the 1956 convertible race in Darlington. It was brought back from that event by the driver of the "Pure" oil truck at that race.  An original vintage track message board from Watkins Glen Raceway in New York used the the days before modern radio communications between drivers and their pit crews. This device told the drivers on the track how many laps until he needed to pit, how many seconds he was ahead or behind the next car and more.  Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre Vt. 1972 Late Model Sportsman winners trophy. The winner was Tom Tiller driving a yellow #77 Plymouth.  Collecting patches has been a long tradition for many NASCAR faithful fans. Every race, every year, and every sponsor produces new designs for a chance to become part of fans' collections or to be sewn onto jackets, hats, or shirts.  This high quality Team Caliber jacket is made with a durable cotton twill shell, smooth nylon interior lining and 2 convenient front welt pockets. It is officially licensed and decorated in the team colors and designed with the embroidered driver and team graphics on the chest, back, neck and sleeves.  Many NASCAR racing fans collect ticket stubs, game day programs, credentials, pit passes, and autographs that they aquire from all of the races they attend year after year. Avid collectors will trade and sell to one another in order to add to their growing collections.  Autographed and race-used NASCAR memorabilia are easily the most coveted of all racing collectibles. For the average racing fan these types of memorabilia are fairly hard to come by, and even more difficult to verify as authentic. Industry experts estimate that 50-90% of memorabilia sold in the sports industry are counterfeit.  Selling Nascar merchandise requires a license to sell merchandise bearing the NASCAR name or drivers’ names. When buying NASCAR memorabilia, collectibles or souvenirs be sure to look for the official NASCAR hologram logo or official race team logo prominently displayed on only authentic, licensed merchandise. Imitations may be cheaper than licensed items, but the low prices usually means low quality. 
Some very special NASCAR memorabilia items include race-used pit crew fire suits, helmets, gloves, tires, lug nuts, actual pieces of race track and pieces of race car sheet metal.  As a member of NASCAR a logo lapel pin is yearly distributed to participants to wear or keep for their collection.  NASCAR members also look forward to regular newsletter distributions which feature the latest news, statistics, insights and feature articles about NASCAR and drivers.  Race-used helmets are the most difficult and the most desired collectibles to obtain. Most drivers use only two or three helmets in a year. Many of them become available to the public through charity auctions or will given to their sponsors or museums.
Signed Robby Gordon Race Thrown Helmet for Charity This Robby Gordon helmet gained national attention when it was thrown at the car of Michael Waltrip in a sign of frustration after Waltrip wrecked the no.7 car driven by Gordon under caution. It raised over $50,000 for Hurricane Katrina victims in 2005 through an online Ebay auction.  The NASCAR logo has evolved over the past 59 years. This initial design was used for brand recognition which can be found on various forms of NASCAR memorabilia items. 
Authentic race-used NASCAR driver uniforms are also highly sought after by collectors and race fans. Normally, about a dozen uniforms are produced for each driver each year. Many of these authentic uniforms end up either displayed in race shops or given to primary sponsors as gifts.  Limited availability of race-used NASCAR memorabilia insures its long-term collectibility. If you want to buy a collectible made from the tires that won at Daytona, there are only a limited number that can be made. There were four tires on the winning car when it came across the finish line. From those four tires, typically 1000-1500 number of pieces can be made for a plaque presentation.  NASCAR fans can find memorabilia products that are season, driver, and race specific. For example:  This collectible contains an 8x10 glossy photo blend of NASCAR'S 2005 Rookie of the Year, an actual piece of Kyle Busch race-used sheet metal, an actual piece of the racing surface from the Daytona International Speedway and a laser-engraved name plate. Each piece of memorabilia is double matted and comes framed with black wood framing. These pieces are limited to editions of 505.  Collectors can find race-used NASCAR memorabilia cards that feature NASCAR's top drivers from Press Pass, the leading manufacturer of NASCAR trading cards since the mid-nineties.  Press Pass offers all the elements that collectors have come to enjoy with race-used tire, sheet metal, glove, shoe, lugnut, pit sign, firesuit, and signature cards featuring drivers from the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and The NASCAR Touring Series Champions.   Inaugural 1959 Daytona 500 Program Daytona International Speedway One of the best parts about being a NASCAR racing fan is following your favorite driver and their team as they compete. Collecting the different NASCAR diecast cars is a great way for fans, at any age, to get started. 
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