Relive memories at this weekend’s Hot Wheels Diecast Show
HUNTSVILLE – You’re never too old to be a kid again. That’s how many members of the Rocket City Hot Wheelers club feel as each has memories of being young and becoming attached to Hot Wheels, the number one selling toy brand in the world.
Today, the Hot Wheelers are made up of about 30 members and will hold its second of two 2026 Diecast Shows this Saturday, Sept. 19 from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Jaycee Building at John Hunt Park. Admission is free. Only requirement is to bring the love for Hot Wheels.
“Hot Wheels are more realistic than anything else at the time the toys came out as each had details, vibrant colors and seemed to be as close to the cars you saw on the road,” said Keith Sapp, president of the Hot Wheelers and who indicated more than 600 people attended the last show held in Huntsville earlier this year, which is the largest Hot Wheels show in Alabama.
Dwayne Gilpin of Madison has around 3,000 Hot Wheels in his collection that got underway in the 1970’s only to get revived in the collection of the toys the last few years. He always seemed to like the noisy, smoky muscle cars and trucks and would build model cars as his way to being close to his fascination with muscle cars. Then Hot Wheels came out.
“They’re already built and look good,” said Gilpin, 60 and retired who has lived in Madison for 21 years. “As a young boy I got my first Hot Wheels and played with them in the backyard and lost most of them through the years, but in my late 30’s I got back into collecting. I love the style of cars. I know I’ll never be able to have a 1970 Dodge Charger, but I can dream of owning one with my Hot Wheels.”
Hot Wheels were introduced on May 18, 1968 by Mattel. They were developed as a toy line that would appeal to boys similar to the way Barbie Dolls had to girls. The first original 16 cars were a Red Line Series and were so named because for the tires on the cars which had a red pin stripe instead of white walls.
For Sapp, he began collecting baseball cards, but soon migrated to Hot Wheels as he thought the cars were realistic, colorful and loved the speed. “I had a Hot Wheels track setup around my house including the living room and kitchen,” added Sapp. “Today, I have them scattered around the house as I have roughly eight to 10-thousand cars in my collection and I have 11 of my original 16 that were first available. My collection is still evolving.”
Gilpin has been a member of the Hot Wheelers for six years and helps setup tracks for the club at certain events such as the recent Octane Car Show at the Von Braun Center where thousands of people dropped by to see the cars on display and actually race the cars on the tracks that were setup.
The Hot Wheelers gave away over 500 cars and hosted close to 500 races on the tracks.
At the upcoming Diecast Show, vendors from all across the Southeast will be on hand with their displays of Hot Wheels, many of which are the most valuable and most popular. The Hot Wheelers also use the event to raise money for local charities such as Bikes or Bust where the club actually donated 19 bikes for the charity last year. The club also donate Hot Wheels to Christmas Charities.
For more information on the Rocket City Hot Wheelers club, which meets the second Sunday of each month at 3:00 p.m. at Good Sheppard United Methodist Church in Madison, e-mail at info@rocketcityhotwheelers. com.
