Since our post ran so long ago, many people have forgotten about it or have never seen it before.

We have an EDITGRID spreadsheet database of the production dates on the bottom of official Speedway sets.

You can find it HERE.

Right now, there are about numbers for about 20 sets – please add yours to make it even more accurate. While a sampling of 20 is not huge, it only 1,000 sets and the numbers for each particular CAR tends to fall into common ranges and confirmed by others so while it’s not 100%, I feel pretty confident that if the Piston Cup racer production numbers you’re looking at deviates too much from these numbers, it’s not an “original” set from the original offer.

I’m not saying it’s not worthy of collecting or that putting together a set piecemeal is not valid, just so you know what you are getting if someone is selling you a set or particular CARS – that’s it’s not an “original” speedway of the South “Red Line Club” set but one essentially pieced together of real Mattel Piston Cup Racers through various other releases.

And by the end of 2009, you can pretty much build one together – other than the track itself and missing just a few other Piston Cup Racer CARS.

Production numbers are on all the CARS and are stamped something like XXX7 EA.

If you have an official set, please add your numbers in … if you don’t want to reveal yourself, just write in any name – your name or internet name is not as important as the accurate of the database.

Of course, the DB is handy if you are buying a set piecemeal and want to verify if it from the set or some other release. Just check the EDITGRID link and ask the Ebay/seller what the production number is at the bottom of the CAR they are selling.

And of the checklist above also shows all the other “formats” that that particular Piston Cup Racer was available in. The only update is Gask Its is coming as a TRU Promo.

The list is complete through the Kmart CARS Collector Day 2 in June, 2009 though of course, it’s not June, 2009 yet.