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Part 3: Respect the Classics: Speedway of the South set

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  • Part 3: Respect the Classics: Speedway of the South set


    Here's the letter with Certificate of Authenticity for a genuine Speedway of the South set...



    One of the earliest boxed sets and at the time of release the most expensive boxed set was the Speedway of the South set... Limited to a run of 1000 pieces, the SOTS set went on sale in May 2008... To be eligible to purchase the SOTS set you had to join the Hot Wheels Red Line Collectors club... I joined in April 2008, and bought one set when they went on sale.



    One of these days I'll put the Cars in the display box and put it out on display... For various reasons, many collectors did not purchase the Speedway of the South set when it went on sale... Several of the Piston Cup racers had already been released and they didn't want to purchase Cars they already had... they wanted to purchase just the Cars they needed at the approximate $4.00 price of a single... Unfortunately, Mattel didn't cooperate with those hopes... most of the racers were released, but in various formats and with other Cars or accessories that you might or might not have wanted... In this article, we'll take a look at 6 of the Piston Cup racers from the Motor Speedway of the South set.

    This set was originally advertised to be numbered as a limited release... when they shipped, they were not numbered and there was no certificate of authenticity... Due to the threat of lawsuits, Mattel did mail letters containing a hologram with the number on it... Mine is 283 of 1000... I'll add photos showing the letter and envelope that it came in.


    The Box
    The Speedway of the South set came in a large box:


    The display box from the Speedway of the South set is huge... I finally took pictures earlier this week - over 4 years after I got mine... Here's the back of the box:



    The thin brown box underneath the display box contains the 2 trays containing the 36 Cars.

    Here are close ups showing the back of the box:




    Side of box:


    Other side of box:



    Piston Cup Racers

    Of the 36 Piston Cup racers in the SOTS set, Apple was only released by Mattel one time, in this set... This is currently also the only official release of Tach O Mint with plastic tires... At one time, there was a prototype of a Tach O Mint launcher... if they ever release Tach O Mint as a Pit Row Race-off launcher (or Lightyear Launcher) I will buy it.

    The rest of the plastic tire Piston Cup racers have been released again as either singles, Lightyear Launchers, Pit Row Race-off launchers, or in multi-packs.

    We'll look at photos of 6 more the 36 racers from the SOTS set in this article... as far as the order, I picked the ones in order starting with the tray on the left side in the earlier picture.


    Vitoline #61


    Each Piston Cup racer in the SOTS set came in a baggie... prior to taking photos for this article, I'd never opened 31 of the 36...










    Here's a photo showing the production code, 2637 EA:


    Vitoline has also been released with plastic tires as a launcher and possibly a Lightyear Launcher... A Vitoline Pitty was released as part of the 2nd Kmart Cars Collector event... We've seen photos of a prototype hauler as well, and there's a custom Vitoline Hauler on eBay today (1/21/2013)... Vitoline with rubber tires was also released as part of the Kmart Cars Collector Event #4.

    Vitoline is one of few Cars without a mustache (grill).


    Leakless #52


    Leakless #52 - adult drip pans... nice humor... Leakless has been released many times, as a single, in a 2 pack (with No Stall), as a Launcher and Lightyear Launcher... we've seen a single pitty (Stacy) as well as team set and team crew set... Leakless has been released in many boxed sets... and I even created my own super set by combining a team crew set and a team set... Leakless was part of the Kmart Cars Collector Event #3... here are pictures of Leakless from the Speedway of the South set:









    Here's a photo showing the production code, 2637 EA:



    Tank Coat #36


    Tank Coat is a favorite Car of girls - could it be the pink? Tank Coat has been released as a launcher... it was released with rubber tires as part of the Kmart 5 Cars Collector event... We've seen a Tank Coat Pitty during the Race O Rama series.

    Here are more photos of Tank Coat from the Speedway of the South set:









    Here's a photo showing the production code, 2637 EA:


    It looks like many of the Cars with the Leakless style body were made on day 263 of 2007.

    I also have an error Car that has the Tach O Mint Car on the Tank Coat cardback.


    Rev N Go #73


    Rev N Go - the carburetor decongestant.

    Rev N Go has also been released with plastic tires as a Lightyear Launcher and with rubber tires as part of the Kmart Cars Collector event #3... I like the blue... we've seen photos of a crew chief in a UK Cars magazine... I'd like to see the rest of team Rev N Go, but you probably knew that already.

    Here are pictures of Rev N Go from the Speedway of the South set:









    Here's a photo showing the production code, 2707 EA:



    Gasprin #70



    Gasprin - Hood Ache Relief - I love the humor... the logo is in the shape of an aspirin as well.

    Gasprin has been released in a two pack with Tow Cap... It was part of the Kmart 5 Cars Collector event... that's the extent of the releases so far... we've seen photos of a Gasprin Crew Chief in a magazine and a Gasprin hauler on the back of one of the last released haulers.

    Here are more pictures of Gasprin from the Speedway of the South set:








    Here's a photo showing the production code, 2637 EA:


    I can just hear myself saying - I need a Gasprin - I've got a hood ache.


    Chick Hicks #86


    The nemesis of first The King and then Lightning McQueen... Chick Hicks - Hostile Takeover Bank... a Car we love to hate... or at least root against, as he's definitely hostile in his attempt to take over as the #1 racer and the face of Dinoco.

    Chick Hicks has been released in many, many formats - Chick, The King, and Lightning McQueen are the 3 main Piston Cup racers... we've seen a launcher and a Lightyear launcher... we've seen Chick in a 2 pack with a pitty... as part of a team set and a team crew set (one of the first crew chiefs to appear as a pickup truck)... in a 3 pack with Chick Fan Mia and Chick Fan Tia... as a Dinoco Chick Hicks single... and in numerous boxed sets, most recently as part of the new Target 7 pack with the debut of Kit Revster... I've combined the team set and team crew set into a team super set... I have no idea how many different Chick Hicks I've purchased during the years but I would guess at least 30 if not more... and probably more... but not as many as the number of stickers on Chick - how can he see with all the stickers on all the windows.

    Chick was released with rubber tires as part of the Kmart 6 Cars Collector event.

    Here are photos of Chick Hicks from the Speedway of the South set:









    Here's a photo showing the production code, 2637 EA:


    Look for an article on Chick Hicks in the future... (Please note - the bad guy Piston Cup Racer Chick Hicks, Hostile Takeover Bank, is not to be confused with the good Australian trader Hostile Takeover Banker).


    In Conclusion

    My wife was not happy with me for buying a Speedway of the South Set... with shipping, membership in the Hot Wheels Red Line Club, and the one set, I spent about $362.00... Within a week of receiving my set, she wanted to know why I didn't buy 2 of them... Limited to 1000... some have been broken up and sold as individual singles...We've not seen as large a boxed set since then...

    It may seem that most of the Cars in the set have a production code date of 2777 EA... but others were made on different dates... if I remember right, 17 or 18 of them were 2777 EA... many built on the Leakless body style have a production code of 2637, the same date as on my box.

    I wanted a complete set of Pit Row Race-off launchers; Mattel released 19 and GotFrank made me the other 17 as customs... I wanted a complete set of haulers and still do... same goes for the team crew sets with crew chief and pittys.

    I have not assembled my Speedway of the South set... if any of you have and would like to post a picture showing the fully assembled set, I'd appreciate it.

    As always, thanks for reading... I appreciate your comments.

    Chris
    Last edited by cac1959; 02-04-2013, 05:55 PM. Reason: New photo added


    I am cac1959... I am a Cars-a-holic... and a proud supporter of Nathan's Playroom

  • #2
    The Bible!!!

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    • #3
      i've so enjoyed seeing the pics and write ups for this set,thanks cac1959 for the time you've taken to do so.

      one day i will get one when my winning lottery ticket arrives

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      • #4
        Added photo of the letter that Mattel sent out after SOTS sets had been mailed... A genuine SOTS set will have this letter... I do know that some people sold their letters on eBay.


        I am cac1959... I am a Cars-a-holic... and a proud supporter of Nathan's Playroom

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        • #5
          Great, thank you for this article and the great pictures. Yeah, best set ever! I am so happy I have just finished to complete mine this month. During 4 years, I have been buying the cars 1 by 1 + an empty SOTS box and I have just received the last one: Tach-O-Mint !

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          • #6
            Thank you, David... Congratulations on acquiring Tach-O-Mint and completing your Speedway of the South set.


            I am cac1959... I am a Cars-a-holic... and a proud supporter of Nathan's Playroom

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