Motorsportcollector.com

Yesterday, we added the latest models in development by Spark Model for future release to our website. The listings cover a wide selection of 1/43 scale current and historic Formula One, Le Mans, Rally and road cars and the latest National Series offerings.

Highlights include commemorative models in both 1/18 and 1/43 scale of Lewis Hamilton’s 2019 World Championship clinching Mercedes from last fall’s US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas.

More than 50 new models are available for pre-order in our New Model Announcement section under the following catagories:

• 1/43 Spark – Due 06/30/20
• 1/43 Spark National – Due 6/30
• Spark – Hamilton 2019 Champion
• 1/43 Spark – Sebring ’57
• 1/43 Spark – Additional Prod.

Advance order deadlines range from June 23 to June 30.

Spark Model has announced additional production of their 1/43 scale #6 Lola Mk.6 GT as driven by David Hobbs and Richard Attwood at Le Mans in 1963. The Lola Mk.6 was the forerunner of the Ford GT that made it’s Le Mans debut the following year.

$80.00 – Reserve ASAP

We are tracking two inbound shipments of 1/43 scale Spark Models. Most items are completely pre-sold out but we’ve listed information on the remaining items below.

• The first shipment, arriving next week features a pair of 1/43 scale Mario Andretti driven Parnelli VPJ4 Grand Prix cars and the Hutcherson/Bucknum Ford GT MkII from Le Mans 1966 seen here. Click HERE for the complete list of remaining items.

• The second, arriving around mid June, contains the third and final 1/43 scale Parnelli VPJ4, the #27 Swedish GP car that Mario drove to a 4th place finish, the high water mark for the Vel’s Parnelli Jones effort and several other Le Mans, F1 and Dakar subjects. Click HERE.

AS TOLD TO JADE GURSS

SEPTEMBER 2020 RELEASE – RESERVE NOW!

John Andretti’s life was driven by family and fueled by a passion for racing. In Racer, Andretti candidly recounts how these powerful forces shaped a diverse professional driving career. The honesty and character that defined Andretti’s life offer a behind-the-scenes look at racing at all levels full of lessons in racing and life supplied by this fiery and fiercely competitive driver.  

John is a wonderful storyteller, and the book is comprised of a series of John’s stories as told to bestselling author Jade Gurss (Beast, In the Red, Driver #8). The book opens with John’s memories of growing up as a member of auto racing’s famous family. His father, Aldo, is the twin brother of Mario Andretti. The book offers an intimate look at the interplay between these two men, and how their intensity and integrity shaped John’s life.

John was one of the world’s most versatile race car drivers, and Racer includes John’s remembrances of scoring wins in the NASCAR Cup series, IndyCar, IMSA sports car racing, and in sprint cars and midgets on dirt ovals across the country. He also tells about his experience winning the 24 Hours of Daytona, competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and even his colorful venture racing an NHRA Top Fuel dragster.

The powerful narrative includes John’s substantial charity work, and the story of how he contracted colon cancer at age 53 and turned his affliction into a public awareness campaign.Racer is an intimate look at racing at the highest levels as well as life lessons from one of the world’s most celebrated motorsports family.

$35.00 – RESERVE HERE FOR SEPTEMBER DELIVERY

Motorsport Collector is joining Publisher Octane Press in donating ten percent of our proceeds from your purchase of Racer to Riley Children’s Foundation, the fundraising arm of Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health and the founding organization that opened Riley Hospital in 1924.Today, Riley Hospital is recognized as one of the best children’s hospitals in the nation and is the only comprehensive children’s hospital in the state of Indiana. The charitable Race for Riley was initiated by John Andretti and Dave Wilson in 1997 and since then has raised more than $4 million for the Riley Children’s Foundation.

You can make an additional donation in John’s name HERE!

Starting Monday, June 1, we will resume normal business hours during the week. Customers are welcome between 10am and 5pm thru the summer. Masks and gloves optional. We will have them available at the door if you wish to wear them. We will be open the next two Saturdays (June 6 & 13) from 10am to 3pm. We’ll post our summer Saturday schedule here as our scrambled racing schedule becomes more clear.

Spark has just announced another batch of classic Le Mans Porsches to be produced in 1/18 scale later this year, including the 1977 (below) and 1981 (above) Le Mans winners. Check everything out HERE.

Spark Model has announced a series of 1/5 scale 2020 Formula One Helmets. Click HERE for the list.

Also, the latest 1/43 National Series announcement. Several US Series items on the list including the #54 Nissan DPi as campaigned by CORE Autosport in the 2019 IMSA Weathertech Sports Car Series. Only 300 will be produced. Reserve early!

1:8 #70 1979 Porsche 935 K3 – Dick Barbour Racing’s Hawaiian Tropic – Class Winner at Le Mans 1979

Chassis number 009 0030 was delivered to Dick Barbour Racing in early 1979 as replacement for his 935 that was damaged at the end of the 1978 season. Barbour would debut his newly prepared Hawaiian Tropic 935 K3 at the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans to much fanfare due to his ingenious marketing efforts with Hawaiian Tropic and his all star driving team comprised of himself, Rolf Stommelen and of course Paul Newman.

Newman already had a fairly impressive racing resume under his belt, but this was his first trip to Le Mans. He probably never imagined that he would be standing on the podium at the end his first ever Le Mans, but that is exactly what happened. Thanks to a series of circumstances that saw prototype cars either crash or break or just prove unreliable, Barbour and Stommelen and Newman power their Hawaiian Tropic Porsche 935 K3 to a class victory! It was like something out of a movie script. Newman had conquered Le Mans in his first attempt! 

Pre-orders are being accepted now for this amazing piece of automotive history.

Each model will come with a base and cover and a plaque personally signed by Dick Barbour. 

PN: RAR08003 – $5,249.95 – ETA: Late Q3 2020

Estimated Production: 50 Pieces

Reserve HERE

1/18 scale Limited Edtion (700) diecast from Acme Trading Company

5/21/20-IN STOCK!

Check out this killer 1970 Boss 429 Street Fighter finished in a custom Candy Red Metallic paint job and a set of brand new Street Fighter 18″ Modern Torque Thrust wheels! Other model features include everything you’d expect in an Acme model: opening doors, trunk, hood, fully detailed Boss 429 engine, fully detailed interior, individually serialized and more!

$134.95 – Order HERE

Due to last minute (always helpful) cancelations, we have a couple of the 1/12 Spark #92 Porsche 911 RSR ‘Pink Pig’ 2018 LM GTEPro Le Mans Winner available for immediate delivery. $390.00 plus shipping.

We have a nice selection of 1/12 and 1/18 scale Spark remaining from last week’s shipment, including the 1/12 #2 Porsche 919 Hybrid  that won Le Mans in 2017 (one available) and a restock of the 1/18 Ken Miles / Lloyd Ruby 1966 Daytona winning #98 Ford GT Mk.II.

Check out the complete list of New Arrivals!

Saturday’s outlaw day ‘mask required’ Gallery Hours marked the first time we opened for visitors in more than 2 months. Everything went very well. This week (M-F), we are welcoming appropriately garbed guests by appointment only.

We will be closed Memorial Day weekend. The first Memorial Day weekend I’ve spent at home since 1969.

We’ll see what our dear Governor says after his current edict comes up for renewal on May 30. Hopefully we can reopen soon. As always, we are accepting and shipping online and phone order and receiving new stock from our suppliers.

BTW – The infection rate in Downers Grove is 2 per 1000 people. Can’t get much lower than that.