PUBLISHED LAST NIGHT BUT UPDATED TODAY with new pics & info – instead of doing a new post, I updated this one and moved it to today.

At one point called the “CARS Spiral Race Track Set,” it is now called the RACE OFF RIDGE track set.

SlicePie seems to be the first in the country to spot it. It is part of the 1:55 line but it’s also not very canon – not saying you should or shouldn’t buy it – just giving you the high holy clarification.

As SlicePie also notes – does NOT Include “Bug Mouth Lightning McQueen” as the box promises but rather “Dirt Track Lightning McQueen.”

I suppose the closest to the film CARS is the scene where McQueen drives around with Sally but of course, there is no dual track lane that he races with Sally (or with King – not included).

It looks to be $22.97 at WM if it’s shelved in the right place.

Presuming the track hasn’t changed from the prototype, here’s what it looks like opened …

The UPC is: 0-27084-68003-4

Thanks for the pics SlicePie.

SlicePie went back and took a closer look … NOT DIECAST.

I think this is the first all-plastic 1:55 Mattel CAR?

SlicePie description: “Correction. It is a 2 piece mold and is definitely dirt track and not bug mouth. Also, it is not die cast. It is 100% plastic with stickers on top. No clear coat, just tinted plastic.”

So like the current step on race track, it’s an oddity that it’s a two-piecer but it’s also the first all plastic 1:55 McQueen … so while the track is not very canon (though fun as SlicePie notes below in the comments) … since this CAR is released by Mattel, it’s 1:55 and this track does work with 1:55 CARS, welcome to the family of McQueen’s – I dub thee …

Fantastic Plastic Dirt Track Lightning McQueen

🙂

Who will make up a custom ticket? 🙂

Of course, Dirt Track McQueen has gone through many names.

In his youth, he was known as Willy Butte’s McQueen.

And by youth, we mean May 2006 to November 2006.

At the end of 2006, Mattel realized – holy snickey, people are still buying this line … in their best Homer Simpson impression, they cried “What do we do? Whaaa doooo we do? Whaaa doooo we do?”

Hey, how about dropping Willy Butte’s McQueen into a single packet and calling him Dirt Track McQueen?

BRILLIANT!

Of course, you could still buy him with the track – only now – only at TRU.

(please note the last two pictures are not in scale to each other … scary thought – who here WOULD buy a Mattel 1:6 scale line where the card is 6 feet high  and the car is 4 feet long … humm … imagine the megasize line).

But now we have a third ‘Dirt Track McQueen.”

SlicePie has thoughtfully take pictures of all three lined up …

More importantly, he gives us details as all CARS owners should do  🙂

From his email: “There are several difference in the cars themselves.”

Material:
ROR Race-Off Ridge McQueen – Plastic
WOC Dirt Track McQueen – Die cast metal
Willy’s Butte McQueen (Mountain Challenge) – Die cast metal

Rear Spoiler:
ROR Race-Off Ridge McQueen – Rust-eze Logo
WOC Dirt Track McQueen – No logo
Willy’s Butte McQueen (Mountain Challenge) – No logo

Mold:
ROR Race-Off Ridge McQueen – 2-Piece
WOC Dirt Track McQueen – 1-Piece
Willy’s Butte McQueen (Mountain Challenge) – 1-Piece

Front Grille:
ROR Race-Off Ridge McQueen – Painted teeth and tongue
WOC Dirt Track McQueen – Unpainted teeth and tongue
Willy’s Butte McQueen (Mountain Challenge) – Unpainted teeth and tongue

Finish:
ROR Race-Off Ridge McQueen – No paint or decals, all stickers
WOC Dirt Track McQueen – Matte paint finish
Willy’s Butte McQueen (Mountain Challenge) – Matte paint finish with slight gloss

Headlights:
ROR Race-Off Ridge McQueen – White Stickers
WOC Dirt Track McQueen – Normal decals
Willy’s Butte McQueen (Mountain Challenge) – Normal decals

Eyes:
ROR Race-Off Ridge McQueen – Slightly lowered eye-brow
WOC Dirt Track McQueen – Normal eye-brow
Willy’s Butte McQueen (Mountain Challenge) – Normal eye-brow

Undercarriage:
ROR Race-Off Ridge McQueen – Screws
WOC Dirt Track McQueen – Rivets
Willy’s Butte McQueen (Mountain Challenge) – Rivets

Date Stamp:
ROR Race-Off Ridge McQueen – 3178 QH with additional # N5538
WOC Dirt Track McQueen – 2647 EA
Willy’s Butte McQueen (Mountain Challenge) – No date stamp

Thanks for all the great pics, SlicePie … great detective work!

So, while the track is not necessarily canon, though fun, the new Bug Mouth Dirt Track Lightning McQueen is part of the track/playset branch of the Mattel Disney Pixar CARS tree … the oddball branch populated by one two-piece metal Lightning McQueen & now a two-piece plastic McQueen.

The last updated variant recap is here – scroll down for info on the two-piece McQueen.