Salesman's Sample used during Race Week 1998 to pitch this set to sales executives with Winston, Fram, Mac Tools, Autolite, JEG's, AlliedSignal and Castrol.
I bought these from the original artist who created the prototype and hand painted all six of them. These are metal and have many finely detailed pieces. It was created with advice on details etc. by local legend and champion John Force, whose cars are also featured in the printed sales literature. Please note that the cars pictured are NOT an original part of the prototype samples. I bought them new on eBay to replicate the photos from the printed literature.
So all the direct references in the piece are for 1997 and the piece was used at the 1998 race to advertise for production pieces in 1999 and beyond.
The artist related the story to me as this: they made six pieces to take to the sales meetings (which he did not attend). The "toy was a hit with Winston, the primary sales target" who instantly signed onto the project. The sample from that meeting went with the Winston crew after the meeting (probably as a toy for an executives kid :). We were unable to track it any further.
The sample offered here is the only other one ever opened, it was used in the subsequent meetings and came back to the art house where eventually the artist took all five remaining pieces home to gather dust in his garage for 25 years until he prepared to move and sold them to me. The other four are unopened, unassembled and have heavily dusty boxes.
I have gotten some vastly varying ideas from fans and collectors as to the value of this set, everything from "don't sell it too cheap" to "that might be worth more than your house" to an offer " I'll give ya $200 each for all five right now"
I hope the new owner will enjoy the piece and chime in with any comments.
Includes all original parts in original packaging as well as the pictured John Force cars, all will be overpacked and fully insured as befits a true collectible one of a kind piece of history.
