By Van Cox, Special to NASCAR.COM
February 9, 2006
04:42 PM EST (21:42 GMT)
Wheels has rolled out its annual recap of the previous season with the brand's first release of the year: Wheels High Gear 2006. Fans can relive all of the excitement from Daytona to Homestead, and the set is also the first to highlight the 2005 "Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup". As usual, the set's foundation is a comprehensive 90-card base set highlighted by a full complement of statistics and a special awards subset that pays tribute to the top performers of the 2005 season. All the best from NASCAR's Nextel Cup, Busch, and Craftsman Truck Series are included. A 2006 sneak preview subset featuring NASCAR Nextel Cup Series newcomers is also part of the set. "Wheels High Gear 2006 gives collectors the chance to re-visit the 2005 racing season and also gear up for the exciting 2006 kickoff in Daytona," explained Tom Farrell, Director of Marketing for Press Pass. Of course, each Wheels release is punctuated by its own unique memorabilia program. For High Gear, it is Flag Chasers, which features pieces of race-used flag incorporated into the design of the cards. There are seven different flag versions to collect, from the green flag to the extremely rare checkered flag (1:40 Hobby, 1:112 Retail). In addition, Wheels High Gear 2006 is the first product to include the new Wheels Autographs, featuring a wide range of newcomers, stars, and legends such as Reed Sorenson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Richard Petty (1:40 Hobby, 1:96 Retail). The all-new Daytona Power Pick Contest allows collectors to enter a drawing to win a one-of-a-kind signed helmet and flag from the 2006 Daytona "Speedweeks" signed by top drivers as well as memorabilia cards from the 2006 Daytona 500 winner (1:20). The Daytona theme continues with short-printed NASCAR Nextel Cup base card variations. In fact, only past Daytona 500 winners will have the special variation and Daytona logo(1:14) . "With an expanded contest, new Nextel Cup rookies, and the first opportunity to collect the 2006 Wheels Autographs, Wheels High Gear 2006 promises not to disappoint," Farrell adds Other Wheels High Gear 2006 chase card sets include: Man & Machine, Top Tier, Full Throttle, MPH, and Flag to Flag. All totaled there are nearly 20 insert cards per hobby box on average. The Wheels High Gear 2006 insert breakdown looks like this: • Flag Chasers: Rare race-used memorabilia cards that feature a swatch of flag waved during the NASCAR season; paired with 10 talented racers, there are seven flag versions to collect including the coveted checkered flag. This is a progressive series seeded at 1:40 on average (Hobby), 1:112 (Retail).! • "Daytona '06" Power PIick: A new interactive game for 2006. Contest cards allow collectors to enter a drawing to win a one-of-a-kind signed helmet and flag from Daytona Speedweeks signed by top drivers as well as memorabilia cards from the 2006 Daytona 500 winner...1:20 • Wheels Authentic Autographs: Wheels exclusive autograph cards signed by the past, present, and future stars of NASCAR make their 2006 debut in Wheels High Gear ...1:40(Hobby)...1:96(Retail) • Daytona Winners: Short Printed NNC Base Card Variations- only past Daytona 500 winners have the special variation and Daytona logo...1:14 • Full Throttle: Six drivers slice through the field to a top finish on these plastic cards...1:12 • Top Tier: Holofoil insert that features the 10 finalists in the 2005 Nextel CHASE FOR THE CUP...1:9 • Man & Machine: Nine drivers are paired up with their machines on these etched-foil cards that emphasize the connection between the driver and his team. Look for "Man" cards in Hobby (# 1A-9A)...1:5, and "Machine" cards in Retail (#1B-9B)...1:7 • Zero Card: Foil card commemorating 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart...1:72 • Flag to Flag: This is a 27-card "set-within-a-set" that captures all of the race action...1:2 • MPH: 90 base cards paralleled and treated with special holofoil stamping, sequentially numbered to 100 (Hobby only) | 
