In 1962, domestic (US) market auto racing trading cards were limited and mostly promotional or regional rather than major national releases from companies like Topps or Fleer. Notable issues included the 1962 Marhoefer Meats Indianapolis 500 Drivers set (16 unnumbered cards featuring Indy 500 participants, distributed with meat products in select Midwest markets) and scattered other small promotions tied to racing events or sponsors, but no large-scale dedicated NASCAR or IndyCar card sets dominated the year like in later decades.
Internationally, particularly in the UK and Europe, 1962 saw more dedicated auto racing card issues, led by the 1962 Petpro Limited Grand Prix Racing Cars set (a 35-card tobacco/trade issue focused on Formula 1 and Grand Prix drivers and cars, including stars like Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Stirling Moss, and John Surtees). Other minor or related releases appeared in Europe, such as scattered motor-themed cards in non-sports or multi-topic sets, but Petpro’s was the standout dedicated auto racing effort of the year, emphasizing international open-wheel racing. Overall, 1962 was a quiet year for racing cards compared to surrounding eras, with limited production across both markets.
1962 Dickson Orde & Co. (UK) “Sports of the Countries”
1962 Dickson Orde (UK) “Sports of the Countries”
1962 Jacques Superchocolat (BE) “Autos 1962”
1962 Jacques Superchocolat (Belgium) “Autos 1962”