Press Pass kicks off new season of collecting

It may still be more than a month ubtil the 2006 NASCAR season gets under way, but collecting has no off-season. The year's first trading card set, Press Pass 2006, has already been on the market for several weeks.

As always, Press Pass' initial 2006 release, provides a comprehensive look back at the previos season. The most comprehensive set of the year, Press Pass 2006 offers all the elements that collectors have come to enjoy with cards featuring drivers from the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the NASCAR Touring Series Champions.

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"This has been an exciting year in NASCAR especially with the break-out performances of two new young drivers, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch," said Tom Farrell, Director of Marketing For Press Pass. "Collectors will be able to capture a piece of that history with Kyle Busch's Burning Rubber card that contains a piece of his tire from his first ever NASCAR Nextel Cup victory in California. Additionally, the 120-card base set covers the largest range of racing of any Press Pass set. You will find top drivers from a variety of NASCAR series, a look back on the greatest moments from 2005, and an innovative look at this year's most sensational wins."

The Press Pass 2006 insert program boasts chase cards like an updated version of the popular Cup Chase series, where collectors can win a complete 10-card Cup Chase prize set if the driver on their Cup Chase redemption card makes the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Chase for the Nextel Cup in Sept. 2006.

To add even more excitement, those holding the redemption card of the driver who wins the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Championship can redeem it for a special memorabilia card of the 2006 Champion (hobby 1:28, retail 1:36).

Press Pass' coveted Signature Series autographed cards are back for a second season after a rousing launch in 2005. They'll be included in all 2006 Press Pass NASCAR sets.

Burning Rubber, the original race-used memorabilia card that debuted in 1996, is the memorabilia insert exclusive to Press Pass 2006. The ultra rare Burning Rubber Signature Series cards are autographed and numbered to the driver's door number, and found in hobby packs only.

If that isn't enough to whip insert chasers into a frenzy, the newly designed Certified Autographs will make their debut in Press Pass 2006. These particular cards will make only one more appearance this year, in Press Pass Eclipse. They are seeded at a ratio of 1:84 hobby packs and 1:96 retail packs.

Also, collectors can look for the final installment of the Dale Earnhardt Victory Series 76-card insert (1:72). Other inserts include Game Face, a 9-card foil etch insert (1:6); Velocity, an embossed holofoil 9-card insert (1:12); and Snapshots set-within-a-set that captures unique candid moments of the 2005 season in a "digital camera motif" (1:2).

In another big move, Press Pass has beefed up its year-long memorabilia chase with some new offerings.

"We are introducing our new year-long memorabilia program in Press Pass 2006 with our Four Wide memorabilia card that contains 4 pieces of race-used memorabilia, and Double Burner, a two-piece memorabilia card that is unique to each Press Pass brand in 2006," Farrell explained.

Here's a synopsis of the Press Pass 2006 insert program:

• Burning Rubber (1:112 packs (hobby & retail )): Real race-used rubber from the tires of eighteen drivers featured in three levels; hobby-only driver cards foil stamped in gold, numbered 1/1; hobby-only driver cards foil stamped and sequentially numbered in silver foil; and retail-only bronze foil stamped car cards.

• Burning Rubber Signature Series(hobby only): A very rare version of the Burning Rubber cards with authentic autographs of ten of NASCAR's top drivers, including Kasey Kahne, Rusty Wallace, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Carl Edwards, and more. (Numbered to driver's door number)

• Four Wide (Numbered to 50 (hobby only)): Four Wide features four pieces of race-used memorabilia on one card! Sheet metal, tire, and car cover plus an oversized 4th piece: driver firesuit. Sequentially numbered to 50 per driver. Look for special 1 of 1's with a piece of checkered flag as the oversized piece.

• Double Burner (Numbered to 100 (hobby & retail)) Double Burner will contain two pieces of race-used memorabilia. For Press Pass 2006, each card will contain race-used sheet metal and tire. Sequentially numberedd to 100 per driver. (Hobby & Retail)

• Press Pass Autographs (1:84 hobby, 1:96 retail): This limited autograph program will be found only in Press Pass 2006 and Press Pass Eclipse 2006, with nearly 60 personalities featured.

• Cup Chase (1:28 hobby, 1:36 retail): Updated for 2006. Collectors can win a complete 10-card Cup Chase prize set if the driver on their Cup Chase redemption card makes the NASCAR Nextel CUP Series Chase for the Nextel Cup in Sept. 2006. As a bonus, those holding the redemption card of the driver who wins the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Championship can redeem it for a special memorabilia card of the 2006 Champion.

• Game Face (1:6): In this foil-etched nine-card insert, you will literally "see" the track from the driver's perspective.

• Velocity (1:12): As world class athletes, see what these nine drivers' bodies must endure to battle the race tracks every weekend in this holofoil embossed card.

• Dale Earnhardt Victory Series (1:72): These mini cards feature victory photography and are the final installment chronicling all 76 Dale Earnhardt's wins.

• Snapshots (1:2): This 36-card set-within-a-set captures unique candid moments of the 2005 season in a "digital camera motif.

New Press Pass Year-Long Memorabilia Program

New in 2006, each Press Pass brand will feature Quad-, Double- and Single-piece cards and autographed memorabilia cards.

• Four Wide features four pieces of race-used memorabilia on one card! Sheet metal, tire, and car cover plus an oversized fourth piece: driver firesuit. Sequentially numbered to 50 per driver. Spread throughout all 2006 releases. Look for special 1 of 1's with a piece of checkered flag as the OVERSIZED piece! (Hobby-Only)

• Double Burner will contain two pieces of race-used memorabilia. For Press Pass 2006, each card will contain race-used sheet metal and tire. Sequentially numbered to 100 per driver. Two-piece memorabilia combos will vary from product to product in 2006. (Hobby & Retail)