US Postal Service unveils muscle car stamp line

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. (AP) - The U.S. Postal Service is honoring raw power and muscle cars through a limited-edition stamp collection.

The stamps are part of the "America on the Move: Muscle Cars Forever" line, and feature five historic muscle cars: the `66 Pontiac GTO, the `67 Shelby GT-500, the `69 Dodge Charger Daytona, the `70 Plymouth Hemi `Cuda and the `70 Chevelle SS.

"The Muscle Cars stamps celebrate an exciting era in American automotive history," said seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty, who was part of Friday's unveiling at Daytona International Speedway, where he won seven Daytona 500s.

"These examples of raw power bring back fond memories for me and my family, a testament to how aerodynamics transformed racing. I've been around racing and muscle cars all my life. These stamps bring back the memories of our racing heritage in the `60s and `70s. This is a great way to share our stories, old and new, about the Petty history in racing."

The Muscle Cars Forever stamps are the third issuance in the America on the Move stamp series. The artwork was created by Tom Fritz of Newbury Park, Calif., under the art direction of Carl T. Herrman of North Las Vegas. The so-called "Forever" stamps can always be used to mail first-class letters even if rates change.

"Just looking at the stamps evokes a feeling of speed," Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said.

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