Hot Wheels sponsors Danica, has her design a car

Filed under: Motorsports, Toys/Games, Celebrities

Danica Patrick at the unveiling of the Hot Wheels “Danicar” design – Click above for high-res image gallery

Hot Wheels has jumped on board the Danica Patrick NASCAR sponsor train. What does it all mean? Well, other than an TV camera-height embroidered logo on her Nomex suit, it means that Danica’s getting a Hot Wheels car of her own. The “Danicar” is apparently Hot Wheels’ first celeb-designed car (she’s credited as a co-designer along with the HW design team in El Segundo, a group of people who may well have the greatest jobs ever.) It’s one of those pie-in-the-sky Hot Wheels originals, featuring an Indy-style nose section and cockpit that leads to a big rear-mounted engine and quad, jumbo-sized drive wheels in back.

We figured it might be a positioned as a more collectible or special-edition car (the kinds that usually retail in the $2 to $3 range), but a Hot Wheels spokesperson set us straight: When it eventually ships, the Danicar will be part of the basic 1:64-scale assortment that tempts you from the toy aisle pegs at around 99 cents a pop. It won’t be limited in quantity for collectability’s sake, so anyone who wants it should be able to snag one. PR from Mattel (featuring an absolutely cringe-inducing Danica sponsor-speak quote) is pasted after the jump.

Gallery: Hot Wheels “Danicar”