LIBERATION 22: NASCAR OFFICIAL #94 BARBIE

Never one to let a success go unfollowed, Mattel produced the bizarrely named Nascar Official #94 Barbie as a follow-up to the Nascar 50th Anniversary Barbie. Contrary to their usual behavior, Mattel made this doll just as nice or even slightly better than the original. The costume is more elaborate, the ads more prolific… but if Barbie is #94, why isn’t the number anywhere on her racing gear?

The Doll

Mattel did an extremely nice job here with the facial paint. Barbie’s eyes are dark blue, accented with pale blue and silver shadow. Her lips are a dark garnet color, and the blush is extremely subtle. Her dark brown hair is relatively short, at shoulder length, but the trim is awful, even on the bangs. She has great little silver ‘hoop’ earrings, one of which broke off when I checked to see if it was molded as part of the head. *sigh*

There isn’t much to tell here. This doll uses the basic Barbie body with Shani arms and pale skin. Most disappointing are the legs with a measly two clicks!

Doll Scorecard
Face: A-
Body: C
Hair: B-
Overall: B-

The Outfit

Nascar drivers have a long history of selling advertising space on themselves, and Barbie is no exception. Her nicely detailed cotton jumpsuit has ads all over. The jumpsuit itself is nicely done, with extra details like a black fabric belt, collars, and the yellow and orange contrasts on the sleeves. Best of all, Mattel used three whole snaps in back! Her shoes are also nicely done black hightops with painted white laces.

Outfit Scorecard
Fabric: A
Style: B
Execution: A
Overall: A-

The Accessories

Barbie doesn’t get many accessories in this box, but they did include some nice extra touches. Barbie’s racing helmet has a working visor, and fits nicely without making her head undersized or looking oversized when on. The black and red cap has the official Nascar logo. Best of all, they included a clear plastic waist-grabbing stand instead of the usual crotch-rocket.

Accessories Scorecard
Concept: A
Style: A
Playability: B
Overall: A-

The Result

Barbie takes a break from the fast-paced world of Nascar to vacation in the tropics. This lovely outfit is actually a Teen Skipper Fashion Avenue, but as you can see, it fits Barbie just as well.