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GAINSCO/Stallings 2007 Mexico City Winner First Available in New Line of Grand-Am Slot Cars
A new line of slot cars from Grand-Am and Fly Model Cars has been launched with the introduction of a replica of the No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac Riley that Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty drove to the team's first win in the 2007 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Mexico City 400k at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
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The detailed model is race-ready for 1/32-scale slot-car tracks and is of high enough quality to be displayed in any collector's showcase. The No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Pontiac Riley slot car was the first model issued in a run of Riley Daytona Prototypes that will be fully distributed by the end of the year in a new relationship between Fly Model Cars, of Spain, and Grand-Am. Specializing primarily in sports car endurance racing replicas, the GAINSCO model and the other planned Riley editions are part of Fly's line of Flyer's Slot Cars, which are designed for both slot-track racing and collection display.
"A fan showed us one of the cars in New Jersey and asked us to autograph it, which we were more than happy to do," Fogarty said. "Alex and I were both impressed with the detail, including matching the paint job we ran at the Mexico race for the first time. It brings back some good memories and I plan to get a few GAINSCO slot cars for my own collection and to save for my kids when they get a little older."
At the 2007 Mexico City race, and also at this year's event, GAINSCO ran a special paint scheme in honor of what the company considers a "home game" in the culturally rich Mexico City market. A significant portion of GAINSCO's insurance customers are Hispanic, many of whom have Mexican heritage, and the company annually celebrates this link by running the special paint scheme exclusively at the Mexico City race. Saluting the colors of Mexico's national flag, the No. 99's familiar red finish is complemented by sweeping white and greens stripes that swirl along both sides of the race car. Included in the special Mexico theme are Spanish-language "GAINSCO Seguros de Autos" logos on the nose and tail of the No. 99, which speak directly to customers in the growing Hispanic auto insurance market. All of these elements are replicated to the finest detail in the No. 99 GAINSCO Flyers slot car.
"For sure, they nailed it," said Gurney, who went on to win six more races after Mexico with Fogarty and GAINSCO to take the 2007 Rolex Series Championships. "It's great that they chose the GAINSCO car to launch the line and that Daytona Prototypes are starting to be produced as collectible slot cars and models. Just about every race car my father ever drove is available as a model or slot car so it is pretty cool to see our team's championship-winning GAINSCO car now out there too."
Plans call for the No. 99 GAINSCO slot car to be available soon through Grand-Am's online store and at-track merchandise trailer. The slot car will also be distributed through Fly's dealers, and a link to one retailer can be found here: http://www.electricdreams.com/Shop/fly-97000-riley-daytona-prototype-2007-champion-p-5564.html.
PaddockTalk Perspective
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