Into every small town must come a guy who is just passing through. He’s not interested in stopping for gas, in soaking up the local atmosphere, or buying a souvenir. So don’t ask him! He’ll just set his car alarm and keep on driving.

At least that’s what Leroy Traffik did when he mistakenly ended up in Radiator Springs while lost with his wife. He just wanted to know how to get back on the Interstate. And although he turned down everything from a night at the Cozy Cone to a new paint job, he did end up with a bumper sticker.

And at some time in the future, a set of Snow Tires from Luigi’s, of all things. After all, he was travelling through the desert! So it seems to be a strange purchase.

Pixar’s CARS franchise is a license to print money as just about every background character and crowd scene participant has earned their own die cast figure. And multiple variations. I believe I have another Leroy wearing (is that the right term for these guys?) just his normal radials!

But I just had to have this variation of a mini van with large tires. And Disney/Pixar goes ‘Ka-Ching!’

I will say that these die cast models are well crafted and aren’t just cheap plastic or some other light-weight material. These are hefty metal cars with fine detailing. So I don’t feel too bad about collecting way too many of them! And Disney/Pixar goes ‘Ka-Ching!’

I really wish they’d stop doing that!