DALE EARNHARDT
TRADING CARDS
BY THE YEARS:

1982-89
1990-91
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002-2004
2005-2024
Promos & Misc. Cards

LES RACING'S COMPLETE PRINTABLE CHECKLIST'S:

Dale Earnhardt Checklist
Kevin Harvick Checklist
Kerry Earnhardt Checklist
Jeffrey Earnhardt Checklist

MY CARD WANT LISTS:

Dale Earnhardt Wants
Kevin Harvick Wants
Kevin Harvick White Whale #1/1 Wants
Kerry Earnhardt Wants
Jeffrey Earnhardt Wants
Miscellaneous Racing Set Wants
Non-Racing Cards & Misc. Want List

TRADING STOCK PAGES:

Page One - Alphabetical Driver's List
Page Two - Miscellaneous Cards & Collectibles List

LES' SPECIAL PAGES:

About Me
Bad Traders List
Dale's Facts & Misc. Info Page
My Friends Banners & Web Links
My Hero Card Collection
Just Quotes
My Idol
The Grinch Of 2000
Racing Card Collectors (printable) Checklist

DALE'S PHOTO PAGE & SLIDE SHOW:

Photos of Dale
A Flash Show of Dale Pics

HI, my name is Les, and I'm ADDICTED to trading cards !!!

I've been collecting racing only trading cards since the 1988 Maxx set first came out and have "thousands" of these small rectangular cardboard pieces in my collection.

I live in New Jersey, I'm married (to Debbie), 45'ish, with 3 sons (Robert, Chris & Tim), 1 dog (Annie), a cat (Everstina - RIP 11/8/05). I'm a member of Jersey Cruisin' Classics, a car club dedicated to the restoration & preservation of 1955, 1956 & 1957 Chevrolets. I was also a member of Classic Chevy International for quite a few years. I drive a 1956 Chevy for club functions and just for the fun of it. I have a 1957 Chevy that I'm restoring (well really it's on a back burner but someday I hope to finish restoring it). I collect magazines and other print materials from 1955, 1956 & 1957 as well as having a collection of baseball style hats totaling nearly 3,000 now. I worked for 12+ years as a baker/foreman for a pretzel baking company and nearly another 12+ years I drove truck as my way to fund my trading card habit (as well as paying some of the household bills). I am currently unemployed but still searching for a good job.

In 1986 I began supporting Dale Earnhardt as "my driver". I've liked a lot of drivers through the years, but it's been Dale that I've supported religiously ever since.

Around 1997, I started to compile a "complete" list of Dale's trading cards because the list that appeared in Beckett Racing Collectibles Price Guide wasn't complete or correct enough for me. I had written to Beckett on numerous occasions trying to get them to correct some of the errors in their guide and add some missing cards that should have been listed. But, they just didn't seem to want to listen to me (even after providing pictures of the cards to back up what I wrote to them).

BUT, along came a friend that did listen to me! I met a fellow collector, and trading card enthusiast through Yahoo auctions. We've become the "bestest" of friends since that first auction together. He listened to me as I went "on and on and on" about the list I had made because Beckett's list didn't satisfy me. In the past I had always offered to share my list with any fellow collector's that wanted it. He asked me for a copy and I sent it to him. He felt that I should make it easier for other collector's to get it somehow (AND also to help save thousands of trees because it took SOOOOOOOOO much paper to print). One day I found an email from him telling me to check out a web site link that he sent me. I did. WOW!!! Was I ever surprised. That was the birth of my first website, "Les_Racing's Complete List Of Dale Earnhardt Trading Cards". He took the time (hours and hours and hours! I'm sure much more then he has told me!) to sit down and create a web page for me that he has kept making better and better through the years. "THANK YOU" Scott, for designing my first website and being my webmaster and my BESTEST friend!!!

Now, as my website has grown to include multiple checklists and many other information pages, I have taken over the website's duties 99.9% (my wife helps me out when I get stuck on some of the HTML and ideas, "Thank You Deb!!!"). The website has been located previously at 4 different host sites until it has now come to rest at it's current location: http://www.lesracing.com

In the early years, I wasn't able to purchase as many of Dale's collectible's as I would have liked (you remember, 3 sons and they always needed money for something). Two of my sons have left the nest now and I have more time (and a little more money, well... for awhile until I became unemployed) to devote to my collections. I have a "shrine" for Dale Earnhardt that includes almost anything you can think of, to name a few: die-cast, bottles, knives, mugs, lighters, key chains, post cards, 1st day covers, magazines, newspapers, schedules, hats, t-shirts, tins, cereal boxes, helmets, posters, beanie bears, coins, stamps, remote control cars, models, standups, etc, etc, etc. (Oh yeah, and of course over 1,700 of Dale's trading cards).

I'm also collecting 'all' the sets of racing cards that have been produced through the years. I currently have over 500 sets and have them in 70+ Ultra Pro Racing binders starting with the 1983 UNO card set. Someday, I may just have every set ever produced (with all the inserts too, if I'm lucky! I know, wishful thinking!!!) I also collect autographs of driver's I meet in person and by mailing trading cards to the drivers for them to sign.

I love doing trades with fellow collectors. (after all, isn't that why they call them "TRADING CARDS"???) I have traded with over a thousand different collectors over the years from all over the United States, Canada, Germany, France, England & Australia. I have literally three hundred thousand plus base cards & inserts, etc. to trade with. I hope to someday have all the sets completed in my collection, as well as have ALL of the Dale Earnhardt trading cards ever produced for my shrine (one can dream can't one???). Well, at least pictures of every card for all to see and enjoy, I HOPE!!!

I was saddened with the loss of my hero. I was visiting with my 'bestest' friends for what was supposed to be a great Daytona 500 weekend. When the news of Dale's death came, I was utterly and totally devastated. I dearly appreciated the support of my two best friends, Scott & Tami. There is a tribute poem posted here on the site (My Idol), that was written for me within minutes after the sad news by Tami. It says everything that I have felt by the friends that know me best. At first I wasn't sure what I was going to do with my collection, but I'm dedicated to making this list, and decided to continue collecting and completing "the big list" as my way of a tribute to my idol. I hope someday to have every card that has ever been produced of Dale's listed, as well as having pictures of each card on the list for all to see and enjoy.

Many "Thanks" to Scott, Tami, Ken G, Ken L, Tony, Rene, Gino, Alex, Rick, Mike G. and all the friends I've met online that have enriched my life and have helped me in so many ways. A special "Thanks" to Deb for all of her support and putting up with me and all my "stuff" for all these years!!! And also a big "Thank You" to my sons Robert, Chris & Tim for helping me to grow my collection with all those special gifts through the years. (Thanks to my two older boys leaving the nest, I now have a den for my Dale Sr collection and trading cards. LOL! Dad loves ya guys!)

And with the news of a grandchild on the way, I am preparing a special collection of goodies for my 'grandson' due in April, 2004. I have already warned my son & daughter-in-law that the boy will have racing memorabilia/collecting in his future, LOL!!!

UPDATE #1: Our first grandson, Aiden was born on March 28, 2004 to proud parents Rob & Maureen. Can't wait to help him decide what driver he should support and grow up with! :-)

UPDATE #2: Our first granddaughter, Danica was born on August 5, 2005. Sure hope she'll enjoy collecting with me as well. I'm sure she'll want a really cute young driver to collect! ;-) Rob & Maureen have informed me that she was not named after Danica Patrick, the Indy driver. I know it's only a coincidence, but the same month my granddaughter Danica is born, Danica Patrick makes the cover of Beckett Racing! :-)

UPDATE #3: Our second grandson Deakon, was born on March 12, 2008. This little guy is gonna be the big toughie I think!

UPDATE #4: Our third grandson, Samy, was born on October 10, 2011 to proud parents Chris & Kim. Poor Gram was in Brazil on business when he was born, but she couldn't wait to get home to meet him.

UPDATE #5: Our second granddaughter, Stella was born on October 31, 2019 to proud parents Tim & Sandy. They seem to own the month of October, with 3 birthdays and their wedding anniversary. The Covid-19 pandemic kept us separated for awhile. But now she gets to spend some time with us and loves to stay over and hang out with Gram!



Now you know a little bit about me and my collections. I hope to hear from you about your collection too! Thanks for taking the time to view my website and please stop back again and again as changes occur as often as time allows. I hope you will take the time to look over all the pages and enjoy your visit! Please be sure to sign my guest book before you leave and let me know what you think of my website. Any suggestions for things you'd like to see on the site are appreciated.

THANKS!
Les (:->

Dale #3, forever in our hearts!