B.D. McClure #92 Collector's World Pontiac

    Welcome back to the NASCAR Racing Champions blog~ Today's post is gonna be a rather unique one, and I'm not really sure how I'm gonna go about it.. but I'm sure it'll all work out when all is said and done~ I say this because today's post is on B.D. McClure, and the #92 Collector's World Pontiac~ If you're not familiar with the name, don't feel bad.. Mr. McClure has turned out to be the hardest person to find information on that I've ever come across in the Racing Champions diecast world~ Even more so than Stanley Smith~ With that being said, I'll work with what I've got, and make a go of this thing~

    I'll start this off by saying that I'm not even sure when Collector's World magazine was founded~ I'm almost certain the first issue was put out in May of 1991~ B.D. McClure was the founder of the company, and he also had owned a NASCAR memorabilia store near Charlotte for several years~ As with Robert Griggs and his Winston Cup Scene magazine, McClure saw the potential of the growing NASCAR memorabilia market, and decided the NASCAR world needed an official price guide for the many articles of NASCAR memorabilia that had entered the up and coming market~

                                Rusty Wallace on the cover of Collector's World - June 1993~

    Back in 1991, the NASCAR scene was red hot, and you could find your favorite drivers name or number on just about anything~ Anything that was remotely related to NASCAR was also made into memorabilia~ Being the clever man that he was, McClure jumped in just at the right time, with his new magazine instantly turning into a major success story~

    I can remember being a kid, when my father was the supervisor for the Food Country USA grocery chain.. I would always look at the new magazines every month~ I remember looking through many of the Collector's World ones, as well as the Beckett price guides every month to see how much the Butch Miller #75 Food Country Racing Champions 1/24 scale was worth~ Back then it was worth quite a bit more than it is now, but it's still way up there as far as Racing Champions 1/24's go~

                                Dale Earnhardt on the cover of Collector's World - December 1993~

     If you're new to NASCAR diecast collecting, that's probably not a bad thing~ During the 1990's, NASCAR diecast, and basically anything NASCAR related demanded quite a high price tag~ As companies like Racing Champions, and Winner's Circle started getting out of the NASCAR diecast market, the new cars started getting even more expensive~ Although they had much better detail, I found it preposterous to pay $125.00 for a NASCAR diecast~

    Many people (myself included) got out of collecting diecasts around this time~ I only got back into it last summer, when I noticed how cheap they were again at the local flea markets, and thrift stores~ I guess so many people got out of collecting them, that it just killed the market value.. which is awesome if you're buying, but completely gut wrenching for someone who had bought their collection during the price gouging days of the 1990's~

                                             B.D. McClure custom Racing Champions card~

    Although B.D. McClure got into the market at the right time, and became an overnight success, time was not on his side~ I'm not sure how it happened, but I do know that he died in 1992~ I was also able to find out that he was born in 1943, so he was either 48, or 49 years old when he died~ The business continued, at least until 1995.. although I'm not sure who took over after Mr. McClure passed away~

    As I said earlier, this guy was so tough to find information on~ He's like the D.B. Cooper of the NASCAR world~ I couldn't find 1 single picture of him on the internet, and I even asked some people in several Facebook groups if they had any pics or information on him, but got no reply~ The small amount of information in this post took me 2 days to gather up~ I at least wanted to find 1 picture of him to use for his Racing Champions card, but it just didn't happen~ This blog post will be a shrine for anyone who remembers him, or is just trying to find out information on who he was~

                                             B.D. McClure #92 Collector's World Pontiac~

                                                              Click pics to enlarge~

    I wish I could start off this review by filling you in on how this car came about, but I just can't find out any details~ On the deck lid of the car, it says "In Memory of B.D. McClure", so it obviously came out after his death in 1992~ I would also assume that this is why the car is number 92~

    The car came in a clear PVC box, and was stamped 1 of 5,000 made, so there aren't a whole lot of these out there~ I absolutely love the car, and I wish I knew who designed it~ If you have it on display with other cars, it definitely stands out like a sore thumb~ This thing is bright, and vibrant all the way~ Although the colors are bright and vivid, the car isn't shiny, and has sort of a matte finish to it~

    I'm gonna have to give this car an A- on the Racing Champions scale of quality, due to it's lack of a card and stand~ Of all the people to not make a card for, this has to be the worst choice~ A card along with this car would have been a cherished accent to go along with the car.. but it just wasn't meant to be~ I did the best I could with the card, but I'm not pleased with it at all, it's just the best I could find~ Thank you all for stopping by the blog again!~ I've added some random NASCAR clips below since I'm never gonna find any B.D. McClure videos~ Until next time, stay alive.. don't drink and drive~ :)

                                             1989 Mountain Dew 200 @ Hickory highlights~

                                            Dave Stacy flips into Lake Lloyd @ Daytona~

                                             Poor ol' Casey Atwood's career in a nutshell~

 Finish of the 1993 Kroger 200 @ IRP~