Dateline 1968: Hot Wheels Redlines...Our lives were NEVER the same!!! 1969 brought a NEW kid on the block, Topper Johnny Lightnings. Eleven new cars, whose mission was to dethrone Hot Wheels!!! And their claim: Johnny Lightning, "Beats Them All!"
 
 

Al Unser and the Johnny Lightning Special "shocked the world" in 1970 by winning the Indy 500. This catapulted the Johnnies to the forefront of the diecast world, running almost neck and neck with Hot Wheels!!!
 
 

Claims were laid down by both "back in the day," but there were never any "match races" to prove who had the biggest and baddest dog on the block.
 
 
 

Until now...
 
 

Fast forward to June 2001. St. Louis is the site and the Gateway Hot Wheelers' 4th Annual Midwest Hot Wheelers Rally will be the venue of what should have taken place but never did -- "The ULTIMATE Challenge!" Match races pitting Hot Wheels Redlines against their nemisis of the past thirty-two years, Topper's Johnny Lightnings!!!! 
 
 

On hand for "The Challenge" wll be John Knoll from Wisconsin, who is one of the premier Johnny Lightning collectors in the country!! He promises a few surprises and some dissappointment for the Redline faithful!!! 
 
 

These fantastic match races will only be a warmup, as our four class races begin soon after!!! Kids, Outlaw, Blackwall and REDLINE will all shoot it out for class trophies and the "ULTIMATE Prize" Top Eliminator!!!