Dale Earnhardt Jr. sets record for best-selling NASCAR die-cast in final Cup Series season

The paint scheme Dale Earnhardt Jr. had in his final Cup Series start was a hit with fans, who purchased die-casts of the car in record numbers.

Surprise, surprise: Dale Earnhardt Jr. had the top-selling die-cast car in 2017, according to Lionel Racing, NASCAR’s official die-cast producer. Earnhardt, however, not only sold more die-casts than any other driver, he also set a record in the process.

The paint scheme coined “The Last Ride” is now the bestselling die-cast in Lionel’s 25-year history. That livery is what Earnhardt drove in his final career Cup Series start Nov. 19 at Homestead-Motor Speedway, and the design is mirrored off the popular Budweiser scheme Earnhardt carried during his 2000 rookie Cup season.

Official sales numbers weren’t released by Lionel, but the company said sales of “The Last Ride” die-cast exceeded the previous record holder by more than 10,000 orders. Contributing to the increased sales generated was a QVC special where Earnhardt revealed the commemorative paint scheme for his final race before retirement, though Lionel said even without the television show Earnhardt’s Homestead car would’ve still surpassed the previous No. 1 seller, Earnhardt’s car when he won the 2014 Daytona 500.

Altogether, Earnhardt die-casts were six of the top 10 best-sellers on the year, including the top-three positions. Chase Elliott (twice), Ryan Blaney, and Kyle Busch also had die-casts inside the top 10.

"The demand for this car has been simply astounding," Lionel Racing president Howard Hitchcock said in a statement. "The fan response to this die-cast is a true measure of how much Earnhardt has meant to both casual NASCAR fans and serious die-cast collectors."