auto racing cards

[Peter_Spaeth]

Are there any cards of David Pearson during his active years?

[Exhibitman]

Best bet are postcards from Racing Pictorial and STP. I have a 1976 available if you are interested. Maybe some from the 1960s too.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Best bet are postcards from Racing Pictorial and STP. I have a 1976 available if you are interested. Maybe some from the 1960s too.

Thanks Adam. I don't love those postcards that mostly feature the car, but could be interested in 60s if a good pic of him. Something like this in better shape would be cool.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/23556601915...Bk9SR_6MnJeOZA

[Exhibitman]

Try the 1969 Don Hunter PC, eBay item # 235569319706

Seller doesn't show the back, but it is from a 1969 issue published by Don Hunter and has a nice bio back.

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Are there any cards of David Pearson during his active years?

There is not a good option for Pearson in terms of a traditional card. He has a sticker in the 1985 Sportstar Photo-Graphic set, but the choices are nearly non-existent for the prime of his career.

One of the mysteries of the 1972 STP set is where the hell is the David Pearson card? We get Elmo Langley and Dick Brooks in that set, but no Pearson. By '72, Pearson had already won three NASCAR championships.

[Theodderthebetter]

I am going to go out on a limb here and speculate , I think the 1972 STP cards were ony given out at a STP tent at the Daytona speedway. The only cards made were STP sponsered drivers which would explain the drivers selected. Im sure some drivers like Petty were major sponsers and other drivers were associate or minor sponsers by STP. As far as the Lorenzen cards being so scarce I think his sponsership was pulled befere the race. I have no proof but this makes sense.

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Theodderthebetter

I am going to go out on a limb here and speculate , I think the 1972 STP cards were ony given out at a STP tent at the Daytona speedway. The only cards made were STP sponsered drivers which would explain the drivers selected. Im sure some drivers like Petty were major sponsers and other drivers were associate or minor sponsers by STP. As far as the Lorenzen cards being so scarce I think his sponsership was pulled befere the race. I have no proof but this makes sense.

The STP cards were indeed available for free at the STP tent at the '72 Daytona 500. Collectors who picked up the cards that year insist the two Lorenzen cards were not available that day. Lorenzen did not lose his STP sponsorship; he retired prior to the '72 Daytona 500 and did not even compete in the race that year (he did subsequently make a handful of starts later that season before retiring for good). Lorenzen was good friends was STP CEO Andy Granatelli, and that has been speculated as the reason why Lorenzen is the only driver with two cards in the set.

Not all the drivers in the set were sponsored by STP.

[Exhibitman]

It also seems like the same 4-5 drivers are offered for sale all the time: Petty, Baker, Langley, Glotzbach. Where are the others??

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

It also seems like the same 4-5 drivers are offered for sale all the time: Petty, Baker, Langley, Glotzbach. Where are the others??

The poster "Justus," who posts on this board once in a while, has collected 1972 STPs for a long time. From different PMs I have had with "Justus" over the years, he has said that Bobby Allison is as hard to find as the two Lorenzen cards.

I had heard a while ago that Langley and Baker both had stashes of their own cards that they handed out to fans after the 1972 release. That does seem possible, considering how common the Langley and Baker cards seem to be. I wonder if all the Petty cards coming out of the woodwork is just a function of how much the value of that card has escalated the last few years. I remember selling a Petty STP card on here for $150 maybe five years ago, and that was a fair price for both buyer and seller at the time. Petty STPs were not always as common on eBay as what they are these days.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I wish I had bought a higher grade one when they were still cheap, but still, to me one of the great non major sports cards there is, an indispensable card.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Bored5000

The poster "Justus," who posts on this board once in a while, has collected 1972 STPs for a long time. From different PMs I have had with "Justus" over the years, he has said that Bobby Allison is as hard to find as the two Lorenzen cards.

I had heard a while ago that Langley and Baker both had stashes of their own cards that they handed out to fans after the 1972 release. That does seem possible, considering how common the Langley and Baker cards seem to be. I wonder if all the Petty cards coming out of the woodwork is just a function of how much the value of that card has escalated the last few years. I remember selling a Petty STP card on here for $150 maybe five years ago, and that was a fair price for both buyer and seller at the time. Petty STPs were not always as common on eBay as what they are these days.

There is a PSA 5 Allison on ebay.