2020 Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. 1:24 Chevrolet Camaro "Warthog"

 Bubba Wallace is one of my favorite drivers in NASCAR and the Air Force holds a special place for me so this is an annual purchase.  This is pretty much the same Air Force paint scheme from last year.  I think they could have done some minor changes to make this more different from last year.  Still I like the look and I'm happy with this car.

As always the detail on these is really good which is a big part of the appeal.  When I looked this one up this week it was on sale for $32.99 and they normally sell for $54.99.  Might be due to his changing teams this off season.

Bubba Wallace had the best season of his three year career and is currently 22nd in the standings going into today's final race.

Bubba will be moving to Michael Jordan's new NASCAR team next year.  There he'll drive the number 23 car for 23XI Racing.  The team will be co-owned by current NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin.  

Today four drivers will compete for 2020 Championship - Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, and Brad Kesolowski.  I'll be rooting for Elliott but would be happy for any drivers to take the crown but Elliott and Hamlin haven't won one yet so it would be pretty special for them.

I also picked up the 1:64 version of this one which is just as cool.  I'll call my pop today and watch the end of the race with him via phone.  Something I try to do every week and it's definitely something I miss when the season ends.  It's that thing we have together even though we don't live close.  Just wanted to share this beauty.  Hope some of you enjoy the race today as well.

2019 Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. 1:24 Chevrolet Camaro "Warthog"

NASCAR kicks of the 2019 schedule today at Daytona.  I'll show off my Bubba Wallace 1:24 Chevrolet Camaro Air Force "Warthog" car to start off the season.  This is a departure from the normal blue scheme the Air Force  sponsored cars have traditionally had in the past.  I follow Bubba Wallace who got to the top level of NASCAR just a few years ago and the Air Force has always been one his sponsors.

The car is pretty slick and of course tries to mirror what you see on the racetrack.  The #43 is the same number NASCAR legend Richard Petty drove and Wallace now drives for Richard Petty Motorsports.

The hood and flaps on the roof flip up and the front wheels can be turned slightly.

The paint job overall, specifically the gray color and the grill, were done to mirror the Air Force's A-10 Warthog.  It is a beast of a plane and hailed for the damage it can do in it's close air support role.  It can also definitely take a licking and keep on ticking.

 I have ties to the Air Force through the careers of my pop (a huge NASCAR fan), my wife and myself so I've followed those sponsored cars since I became a fan.

I'm very happy with this car.  It is sharp and done really well.  I also purchased the 1:64 scale (Hot Wheels size).  This one will go up with the rest of mine that are at my desk at work.  Looks like this year Bubba Wallace will once again go with the "Warthog" paint scheme on his Air Force sponsored car.  I'll definitely pick that one up as well.  Hopefully we'll have a good race today to start off the season and maybe Wallace can have a nice finish.  I'm really hoping he can be a consistent top 15 finisher this season.  Easier said than done but I have hope.  Let's go racing boys!

• Racing Series: NASCAR Cup Series
• Driver: Darrell Wallace Jr
• Model Year: 2019
• Car Make: Chevrolet
• Car Model: Camaro
• Scale: 1:24-scale
• Finish: Standard

  

Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. 1:24 Chevrolet Camaro

Though I don't talk about it much I do follow NASCAR.  It is tough to watch as many races as I'd like but I'm always talking to my pop about the sport which helps.  I don't have much 1:24 scale but I do have some of the Air Force sponsored cars which I've always followed just due to my time in the service.  This year rookie Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. got me excited so I ordered this car way back in January.

Wallace is only 27th in the standings through 28 races but still he is an up and comer so I'm hoping for better results in the future.  His best finish was his 2nd at the Daytona 500, the first, and most prestigious race of the year.

This car has the standard paint finish.  I really like the details on the cars.  This one is still on the base but a few screws will free it or it can be left there.  While you can order cars early in the year, most aren't produced until later in the year.  Some are actually never produced due to lack of demand or other reasons.  This one arrived late last month.

There is also a Daytona raced version that is planned.  This will include the dents, scratches and tire marks incurred during the race.  If I'd waited a bit I might have gone with that version instead of this one.  Doesn't mean I won't add it as well sometime.  The 1:24 cost approximately $55 and the 1:64 $10.

I also grabbed the 1:64 scale of the same car.  I'm very happy with both cars.  They do a great job on NASCAR diecast nowadays.  It is hard to complain too much.    

• Racing Series: NASCAR Cup Series
• Driver: Darrell Wallace
• Model Year: 2018
• Sponsor: AIR FORCE
• Car Make: Chevrolet
• Car Model: Camaro
• Scale: 1:24-scale
• Finish: Standard
• Production Quantity: 949

Matchbox Jurassic Park '93 Jeep Wrangler and '93 Ford Explorer

I, like many, have always been a big fan of Jurassic Park.  I remember being in awe seeing it in the theater.   When Matchbox released the 1:64 '93 Jeep Wrangler and '93 Ford Explorer movie from the movie I was stoked.  

These are the "muddy" versions from the Land Rescue Series of the Matchbox 2018 Jurassic World collection.  There are different versions within the collection but I really wanted the muddy versions.

These cars are just perfect for having some fun.  I couldn't resist grabbing the camera and heading outside with a few of the grandson's  dinosaurs.  

I was also able to snag these cars for my grandson.  Can't have him playing with pappie's right?  lol  He is a huge Jurassic Park and dinosaur fan so he was super excited.  

While these seem tough to find in the wild to some extent it seems like some of the 5-packs with these two are still around.  With Hot Wheels and Matchbox is it is all about looking every time you get a chance.  You just never know when a case will be put out.

These are found in the Jurassic World toy section, not the regular Matchbox area.  Matchbox has done a good job covering the Jurassic World car spectrum but so far these are the only two I've picked up.

That's enough showing these sweet cars off.  It's always fun to find cars that mean something to you like that special movie you that was huge when you were young and is one of those all-time greats.  

Hot Wheels 1989 Batmobile with Red Pinstripes

I had just read about this on the Hollywood Diecast Facebook page and what did I find at my local Wal-Mart yesterday?  You guessed it.  This is a new version of the 1989 Batmobile that Hot Wheels added to their base collection.  There are red pinstripes on this version.  The picture to the left is the only picture I took which looked decent.  Once I removed the car from the packaging my camera couldn't focus on the car for some reason.  Some special technology Batman added to the car no doubt.  Hot Wheels did do a version of this back in 2003 and many different versions have been released throughout the years.  Again Hollywood Diecast does a good job chronicling all the different Batmobile releases throughout the years from all the different movies, the TV show and unique interpretations.  This car specifically is a pretty good representation of the 1989 movie car.  Not overly detailed but it looks good.  While the red pinstripes aren't a true representation of the movie I like the look on the car.  Keep an eye out for this car as you are out and about.  For under a dollar you can't beat it. 

2014 Hot Wheels Cool Classics 1977 Pontiac Firebird

Picked up the latest Firebird offering from Hot Wheels.  It is part of the Cool Classics series two cars Hot Wheels put out.  I'm a huge 70's Trans Am fan no doubt due to the Smokey and the Bandit movie coming out in my formative years as a boy.  I have many of the late 70's Trans Am diecast with the Ertl 1:18 scale Smokey and the Bandit version being my favorite.  Back to this car.  I really like the way it is done.  It is just different enough from Hot Wheels' normal offerings to make it worth the $3.79 I paid.  I like the color, the detail, the "glass tops" and the tires.  Just a nice little car.  I have many different Hot Wheels on my desk at work and I'll proudly add this to the collection.  My only complaint would be is the interior color is the same as the exterior.  This really would have set this car apart.  As is it seems like they made a nice car but didn't put that much thought into the colors.  Even having the inside a basic black, a different shade of blue or maybe tan would have worked.  Still I'll just say I like this car.  It will look very nice with all the rest of my Trans Ams.  I found this at my local Wal-Mart for those wondering where they might find one.  You can also look here for a look at the car via a YouTube video (skip to the 1:43 mark of the video).