The Hot Wheels Team is really firing on all cylinders this year! Seriously, the crew at Mattel has been on-fire with some fantastic new products and initiatives, and today, Hot Wheels rolled out something special to celebrate the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 – a custom take on the classic Indy 500 Championship Trophy, unveiled by Ryan Hunter-Reay at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum. This hand-made trophy celebrates the past 99 epic Indy races with 99 Hot Wheels cars.
“All 99 cars featured on this trophy have an authentic Indy 500 story,” said Chris Down, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Hot Wheels. “Most of them are about the journey, not the win. For kids and adults that is exactly what Hot Wheels play is about. Everyone has a Hot Wheels story!”
Standing approximately nine feet tall, the Hot Wheels Indy 500 Championship Trophy features 99, 1:64 cars, with each car drawing inspiration from the stories, colors and numbers of the winning Indianapolis 500 drivers and cars. From Wilbur Shaw capturing the 1937 checkered flag with his mechanic riding shotgun to Bobby Unser who slept in his car his rookie year in 1963 – each epic victory is represented. The base of the trophy is wrapped with the famed Hot Wheels orange track representing the competition that runs through every car.
“My first experience with racing was with Hot Wheels cars, I remember zipping cars down the orange track, and now I watch my two sons do the same,” said Ryan Hunter-Reay. “Sharing stories from past races with my kids opens up a conversation about hard work, competition and my passion for racing.”
The trophy will be on display starting May 31, 2016, at The Hot Wheels™ Race to Win™ Exhibit, which runs May 14 – August 13 at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. The Race to Win Exhibit is a family-friendly filled with hands-on activities designed to demonstrate what makes real race cars go fast. On select days, some visitors will even get to zip race cars down Hot Wheels iconic orange track with famous race car drivers from INDYCAR, stock car, or the NHRA drag racing circuit.
Want more fun? Check out http://www.hotwheels.com/
