Today's Daytona 500 opens the NASCAR season. For collectors, the season is well under way with a wider range of items, especially trading cards.
Mainstream card companies Upper Deck, Classic, SkyBox and Pinnacle have joined longtime producers such as Action Packed, Maxx, Press Pass and Finish Line. New outlets are carrying auto racing items -- baseball card shops and TV shopping stations.
Sharon Knecht at Pit Stop Racing Souvenirs in Catonsville says she was surprised that all the new card issues didn't overwhelm the hobby.
"That's created a lot of new interest," she says. "I thought it was going to be overkill. . . . Now some people seem to concentrate on the sets they like the best" because they won't be able to collect everything.
Since October, she's been helping the card collectors by sponsoring a swap night the first Monday of each month. Between 10 and 12 people bring their unwanted cards in hopes that someone wants them.
"If they're loyal enough to buy from me, it's the least I can do to give something back," Knecht says.
Not all of her customers are race fans from way back.
"I've had some people mention that they're tired of fooling around with baseball and they're turning their attention to NASCAR," she says. But she says she has no idea if these people will be around when major-league baseball resumes.
Although 1995 calendars and press guides remain popular season-starting items, Knecht has noticed changes in buying habits. She says that die-cast collectors, like card fans, have so many more choices now that accumulating everything is unrealistic. They, too, are specializing. "Customers are pickier," she says. "You don't sell them on something else [when you don't have what they want]."
And her once-large mail-order business is largely history. "There's just so many stores all over the place and QVC selling the stuff," she says. "[Mail order] did real well when I needed it."
However, some fans have no option.
"I just sent an order to Australia for cards," she says.
Finish Line details
Finish Line by Classic, a 120-card NASCAR set, has six insert sets and includes cards autographed by Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt.
The hobby version has 120 printer's proof insert cards (398 of each card) and 10 die-card insert cards of top cars. The retail version features 16 gold signature cards numbered to 1,995 and 10 die-cut cards of Winston Cup drivers. Each card also appears with foil stamping, with one such card per pack.
Toasting Babe's centennial
The Trevlin Collection has created etched wine bottles to honor Babe Ruth's 100th birthday.
The bottles, filled with de-alcoholized wine, show Ruth batting, waving farewell and in a headshot.
There are three sizes, 3-liter ($199), 1.5-liter ($99) and .75-liter ($69). There is a $9 shipping charge. Call (714) 837-7998.
'94 NFL stats
The 1995 NFL card season has begun with Topps Finest Series 1. The 165-card set includes 1994 statistics, and each card comes protected by peel-off laminate. There are two insert sets.
Jordan in metal
Highland Mint is making bronze, silver and gold replicas of card No. 38 from Upper Deck's 1994 Rare Air set, showing Michael Jordan in an Upper Deck baseball uniform. There will be 5,000 bronze, 1,000 silver and 500 gold cards. Call (800) 544-6135.
Coming events
Through Sept. 5, "Babe Ruth: An Artistic Perspective," Babe Ruth Museum, 216 Emory St., (410) 727-1539.
Today, card show, Hunt Valley Mall (I-83, Exit 20A), mall hours, (410) 529-1624.
Today, card show, Colonial Park Mall (expected signers are Greg Lloyd and Darren Perry), Harrisburg (I-83, Exit 30E), (717) 939-1075.
Today, card show, York (Pa.) Galleria Mall (signers include Tippy Martinez), noon to 5 p.m., (717) 225-7188.
Friday-next Sunday, card show, West Manchester Mall, York, Pa., mall hours, (216) 571-3546.
CARD OF THE WEEK
Upper Deck and Global Telecommunications Solutions are putting major-leaguers on phone cards. The cards feature action photos and have 12 minutes' calling time. Cards are $15 each. Oriole shortstop Cal Ripken (shown) will be in the second series, available April 15. Cards can be ordered now from LogoFon at (800) 280-1166.