u/bourguignon7

Happy to finally have this piece in my collection.

This is the 2000 Carlos Contreras #12 Hot Wheels Dodge Ram Supertruck that he raced in the 2000 Craftsman Truck Series. Many of you probably have seen the #43 truck, which he raced in 2001 for Petty Enterprises. But this particular truck is a little more special than that.

This truck was owned by Impact Motorsports, where he ran 23 of 24 events in the season. This is a 2nd Gen Dodge Ram, contingencies and all, plus Real Riders (rubber tires), and was only offered and available for purchase in Mexico when released in 2001.

Carlos Contreras is the first Mexican-born driver to compete in NASCAR. This sponsorship began in 1999 and ran through the 2002 season. And although the Hot Wheels sponsorship with Kyle Petty in Cup was ending after the 2000 season, they continued to support various Mexican drivers in motorsports, including Contreras in NASCAR Trucks, Jorge Goeters & Hugo Oliveras in Mexico Formula 3 Series, Oscar "El Vampiro" Ruiz & Freddy Tame, Jr. in the Copa Corona Ford Trucks Challenge.

Also, not sure why HW didn't use the already existing Ram Supertruck mold they had in use. It would've looked 10x times better IMO. My guess is because the Supertruck casting was only used with a diecast chassis, and they didnt want to use that for a peg product.