--- title: "What’s the Dorkiest Car Merch You Own?" date: "2024-03-28" modified: "2024-03-28" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/whats-the-dorkiest-car-merch-you-own" categories: - "Culture" - "News" - "QOTD" --- # What’s the Dorkiest Car Merch You Own? ![]() *\Nurburgring Shop\* Car merch, swag, memorabilia—whatever you prefer to call it, it's all cool and it can even be pretty addictive. [I've written about this before](). Whether you're a rookie car enthusiast or a seasoned diehard, everyone loves [a cool car t-shirt or hat](). Or two, or four, or a storage unit full... When this question came up during yesterday's staff meeting, everyone immediately looked at me (if such a thing can be done via webcam), and for good reason. I've been collecting racing memorabilia since I was literally in diapers (thanks, Mom and Dad!), and besides the usual shirt, hat, or flag, I have some pretty dorky stuff that would make most people raise an eyebrow. How about some hand-painted Scuderia Ferrari cereal bowls or a [Michael Schumacher-branded shaving razor]()? If that isn't dorky enough, I'll raise you my Red Bull-era Sebastian Vettel beach towel or Ferrari-era throw blanket. Maybe a Tecate beer can-shaped hat from Adrian Fernandez's days in CART will do. ![]() ![]() But what about you? What's the dorkiest piece of car merch you own? As a journalist, I've also been privy to little things here and there like OEM thumb drives containing media kits—which back when I started in this business they used to hand out for every new car that hit the market. Sometimes these were plain and boring USB sticks while other times automakers got creative and gave them cool shapes. It doesn't get sillier than a faux .50 caliber projectile with [Ram Trucks]() branding on it, really. Or maybe it does? How about that one toaster that branded your toast with the Nurburgring's outline? It's your turn to share! ## Author Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter. ### Author social links [Instagram]()