<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-03-17</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2005-03-21</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000892147</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ACTION PERFORMANCE COMPANIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ATN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001283815</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ENDOWMENT CAPITAL GROUP LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1007 N. ORANGE STREET, SUITE 757</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WILMINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19801</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001286800</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LONG DRIVE L P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1007 N. ORANGE STREET, SUITE 757</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WILMINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19801</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001286807</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ENDOWMENT CAPITAL L P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1007 N. ORANGE STREET, SUITE 757</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WILMINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19801</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001080175</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TIMON PHILIP C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1007 N. ORANGE STREET, SUITE 757</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WILMINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19801</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001297571</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Endowment Management, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1007 N. ORANGE STREET, SUITE 757</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WILMINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19801</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-03-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>62400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>14.281</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2028250</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-03-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>122890</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.6365</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1905360</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-03-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>60000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.4543</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1845360</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Endowment Capital, L.P. (1,180,392 shares) and Long Drive, L.P. (664,968 shares) (collectively, the &quot;Funds&quot;) directly own the 1,854,360 shares of Common Stock (the &quot;Shares&quot;). Endowment Capital Group, LLC is the sole general partner and Endowment Management, LLC is the sole investment manager of each of the Funds. Philip Timon is the sole managing member of Endowment Capital Group, LLC and Endowment Management, LLC.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">By virtue of its position as the sole general partner of the Funds, Endowment Capital Group, LLC may be deemed to be the indirect beneficial owner of the Shares. Nothing in this Form 4 shall be deemed an admission that Endowment Capital Group, LLC is, for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Act or otherwise, the beneficial owner of any securities reported on this Form 4 in which it does not have a pecuniary interest as calculated pursuant to the rules and regulations promulgated under Section 16 of the Securities Act.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">By virtue of its position as the investment manager of the Funds, Endowment Management, LLC may be deemed to be the indirect beneficial owner of the Shares. Nothing in this Form 4 shall be deemed an admission that Endowment Management, LLC is, for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Act or otherwise, the beneficial owner of any securities reported on this Form 4 in which it does not have a pecuniary interest as calculated pursuant to the rules and regulations promulgated under Section 16 of the Securities Act.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">By virtue of his position as the managing member of both Endowment Capital Group, LLC and Endowment Management, LLC, Philip Timon may be deemed to be the indirect beneficial owner of the Shares. Nothing in this Form 4 shall be deemed an admission that Philip Timon is, for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Act or otherwise, the beneficial owner of any securities reported on this Form 4 in which he does not have a pecuniary interest as calculated pursuant to the rules and regulations promulgated under Section 16 of the Securities Act.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>This filing is a correction of the Form 4 filed by the same reporting persons on March 21, 2005.  Due to a miscommunication between our trading firm and prime broker, the number of shares sold on March 18th, 2005 and listed on the Form 4 filed on March 21, 2005 was incorrectly reported as 113,600.  The correct number of shares should have been 122,890.  This filing represents the correct amount.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>See attached Exhibit 99</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-03-23</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
