Bass reprises 'Knights of Thunder' collection

Honor. Glory. The spoils of victory... and good old fashioned bragging rights. Like knights of old riding a high-octane time warp, NASCAR's elite meet to do battle week-in and week-out on tracks from one end of the country to the other.

Motorsports artist Sam Bass has reprised his highly-acclaimed "Knights of Thunder!" Series with a collection of fine art posters showcasing 10 of today's brightest stars.

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"There are so many similarities between the modern stock car driver and medieval knight," says Bass, the first artist officially licensed by NASCAR. "Both go into 'battle' on their fast 'steeds' wearing helmets decorated in their patron's colors. I really wanted to suggest that connection in this series of illustrations."

Drivers included in the newest "Knights of Thunder!" releases are Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, and Jeff Burton.

Focal point of each 18" x 24" poster is the featured driver's silhouetted image, using a stormy night sky as a fitting backdrop. Two car shots occupy the foreground, with the car number displayed prominently in the background.

Bass' "Knights Of Thunder!" series made its debut in 1997 featuring six drivers. Nearly a decade later, it remains one of the artist's most popular collections, inspiring the latest generation of "Knights."

The "Knights of Thunder!" series is now available at the NASCAR.com SuperStore. Our on line collectibles mall boasts over 100 different Bass prints and posters. Here are a few of his latest releases you'll find there:

"DE Day!" - Back in April, Dale Earnhardt Jr. raced a special color scheme in the NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Talladega (AL) Superspeedway to celebrate his father's induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. For that one event, Dale Jr.'s No. 8 Chevrolet shed its familiar red in favor of the predominantly black paint scheme made famous by the Intimidator himself. It was a fitting scene for the tribute, considering Dale Earnhardt posted a record 10 Cup Series victories at the sprawling 2.66-mile facility.

The most poignant special paint scheme of the year has been commemorated by Bass in "DE Day!" The black Budweiser car is seen streaking down the backstretch. In the background, all eyes focus on the "DE" in the "Talladega" sign that adorns the wall. (Available as both a print and poster).

"Earnhardt '88" -In 1988, the legendary Dale Earnhardt donned the stealth black colors of GM Goodwrench for the first time. At that moment, the legend of the Man in Black was born. It was truly the beginning of an era with no end in sight.

Bass gives fans a retrospective view of The Intimidator in "Earnhardt '88" with images of Earnhardt himself, his famed black No. 3 GM Goodwrench Monte Carlo at speed, and his pit crew going through the urgent rigors of a green flag pit stop. It's a beautiful tribute to the man who defined NASCAR racing. No Earnhardt collector will want to be without this immaculate piece of history. (Available as a poster.)

"Your Personal Pit Crew 2006!" - Jeff Gordon racing in reverse? Well, sort of. For the second consecutive year, Gordon raced a special "reverse" paint job in the NASCAR Nextel All Star Challenge to promote DuPont's Performance Alliance--a national network of DuPont's all-star automobile collision shops. The one-race color scheme-designed by Bass--basically reversed the colors of Gordon's popular fire-and flames livery.

"Your Personal Pit Crew 2006" Is available to collectors as both a limited edition print and fine art poster.

"Stars of the Show!" -The program cover for the 2006 NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge paid tribute to the "Stars of The Show!" Focal point of the composition is the silhouetted image of a driver hoisting the all-star event's trophy against a night sky. On either side-racing full-bore out of a checkered flag-are the cars of the 18 asphalt warriors who earned guaranteed starting berths in this year's shootout.

"Stars of The Show!" is on sale as a limited edition print and fine art poster. Edition size for the prints is only 500.

"Coca-Cola 12-pack!"--Could there be a more fitting title for the artwork used on the cover of this year's Coca-Cola 600 souvenir program? "Coca-Cola 12- Pack" showcases the dozen drivers who make up the Coca-Cola Racing Family. Centerpiece of the artwork is a driver adorned in a uniform and helmet. Images of the Coca-Cola Racing Family members are reflected in his visor, with their cars racing across a stars-and-stripes background.

A total of 600 limited edition prints have been made available to the public. The illustration is also offered as a poster.