Shopping For Authentic NASCAR Memorabilia

The rush of seeing those cars go round and round at almost 200 MPH...the excitement of engines roaring and cars pulling into pitstops, vying for the front spot...it must be NASCAR!  There’s good news for all you die-hard NASCAR fans.  If you want to get your hands on some great memorabilia, you don’t have to go very far.  You can find terrific mementos all over the place.  Autographs, clothing, decals—whatever your heart’s desire, it’s out there.  You just have to know where to look.

My first suggestion is to search the World Wide Web.  With over 30 billion web pages available, many of them are just for NASCAR admirers like yourself.   Auction sites like eBay or Yahoo Auctions are a good place to start.  eBay, for example, had 329 items found for NASCAR collectibles (in April 2008).  Bear in mind that when searching for anything on eBay, you may have to try various search phrases  to maximize results.  You’ll want to search for the words “NASCAR”, “racing” and “auto racing” to describe the sport.  For the collectibles, try words like “memorabilia”, “antiques”, “collectibles”, “old”, or “historic”.  It takes some time, but it’s worth it.  And of course, don’t just limit yourself to eBay and Yahoo.  There are plenty of online sites (including NASCAR.com) who sell items you’d be interested in.  Try Googling the same search words if eBay doesn’t turn up anything you’d be attracted to.

Next, try searching trading posts, newspapers, and garage sales.  They might seem like a long shot, but folks still use these outlets to sell NASCAR memorabilia.  Then consider shopping at local antique stores and/or memorabilia shops.  They display all kinds of collectibles—some brand new, and some used.

 A good way to get NASCAR memorabilia is by going to an actual race.  Granted, when you think of memorabilia, you think of something nostalgic.  Most people don’t think of items you buy at a race as a collector’s item.  But think of this—the merchandise of today is the memorabilia of tomorrow.  So the next time you go to the race, be sure to purchase something.  Ten or twenty years down the road, you may have a very valuable item, especially if it’s a memorable race!

There’s one thing to be aware of when buying collectibles (whether it’s NASCAR or anything else).  Anybody can claim that an item is a collectible.  That, of course, doesn’t necessarily make it so.  Be sure your item has a certificate of authenticity and a return policy that’s acceptable to you.  With online purchases, you also have to worry about websites wanting to infect your computer with spyware or fake sites stealing your identity.  So go out and have fun searching for cool stuff...just be smart about it.