Diecast Update: Week of 7/20/26

It's a bit of a shame that the discussion around Nascar this week has primarily been focused on if North Wilkesboro should have an annual Cup event or not. After years of revival efforts, and a sellout Sunday crowd, a long run of green flag laps, and a Joey Logano drubbing has many talking heads and fans backing away from the lime light. But the weekend should be viewed as nothing but a success for Nascar. Logano's raced version leads off an average week for Lionel Racing. While we don't have the quantity we've become accustomed to as of late, the selection quality is still quite good. For all of the latest announcements, read on...

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Raced Version: (North Wilkesboro)

In what's been a lackluster year for Joey Logano and the No. 22 Team Penske group, a trip to North Wilkesboro for the first points paying cup race since 1996 appears to be just what the doctor ordered. Logano led 323 of  the Window World 450, and he brought home 73 points boosting him into 15th place in the points standings. This car features the 2026 regular Shell Pennzoil paint scheme and looks to be significantly covered in confetti. This is carer win number 38 for Joey placing him 23rd all-time.

Chandler Smith entered the race weekend as the defending winner from 2025. Front Row Motorsports brought a stout pair of Ford F-150s and both Smith and teammate Layne Riggs led laps. But it was Smith who had the more dominate machine on Saturday, and he calimed his second trophy of 2026, and the ninth win of his Truck career. His QuickTie Truck with foil door numbers looked solid in victory lane. His Daytona win made MOQ, so I'm feeling good that this one will too. 

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Standard Versions (Cup)

Chevy:

Our first bowtie of the week is one that shouldn’t be surprising to see. Daniel Suarez who has continued to quietly impress in 2026 during his revenge tour, hasn’t gotten the diecast treatment as often as I would have thought. With only one standard 1/64 scale car that’s been offered so far, it’s great to see Lionel offering the patriotic sugar skull Modo Casino Chevy that Suarez brought to a respectable 14th place finish on a very competitive evening at Chicagoland Speedway.

Austin Hill continues on in 2026 in the unenviable position of having to carry the mantle of the second RCR car that used to be the home of Kyle Busch. Bank OZK, a former supporter of Busch, was the primary sponsor of the RCR No. 33 car at EchoPark Speedway. Hill did not have a great night in Atlanta. He was only able to muster a 31st place finish. This is the fourth 1/64 standard Cup scheme for Hill, and I’ve got this one ranked as the fourth best looking. The Cheddar's Patriotic car is still P1.

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Ford:

We’ve got just one standard Ford this week, and it’s a pretty nice one. Austin Cindric has had a very quiet year. He’s continued to lurk just around the final playoff spot all season. He’s done essentially what he’s supposed to do with the third Team Penske Mustang. As the keeper of the team’s iconic No. 2, he drove this specially designed Freightliner tribute scheme to Rusty Wallace at North Wilkesboro. On a night where Penske shined, Austin Cindric finished 14th.

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Toyota:

There are two 23XI Camry’s this week and both of them competed at Chicagoland Speedway just a few weeks ago. First up is the 11th standard 1/64 of the year for Tyler Reddick. The Jordan Brand continues to be a prolific sponsor of the No. 45 car, and red white, and blue colors combine with elephant print to create a top five Reddick scheme of 2026. ​While the car looks super cool, Reddick struggled during the 19th points race of 2026 finishing 36th.

I’m still mourning the loss of Corey Heim’s Chief's car that was momentarily offered, and then withdrawn. But at least the best scheme he’s had in 2026 is now being offered instead. Shield A.I. picked up a bunch of space from 23XI for the 4th of July weekend, including all of the available real estate on Corey Heim’s car. The result is this awesome looking car that I can’t wait to see in 1/64 scale because there’s no reason it shouldn’t make MOQ. ​

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Standard Versions (O.A.P.S.)

I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see a third 1/64 for Brennan Poole and Alpha Prime Racing based on how much diversity has been made available in the scale by Lionel this year. His third, but arguably least eye-catching scheme of the year, the A.M. Woodland Contracting Group Chevy first appeared at Chicagoland Speedway. No telling if they will be back this year, but Poole was able to deliver them a 25th place finish America's 250th birthday. 

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Standard Version (Trucks)

Chase Elliott filled his calendar last weekend to take full advantage of Nascar's return to North Wilkesboro. Not only did he compete in both LMSC events on Friday, and of course the Cup race on Sunday, but he also took up the seat in the Spire Silverado with Hendrickcars.com. Chase managed to qualify his truck in 6th, but finished 7th while trying to run down the race winner, Chandler Smith. This is the first 1/64 Truck of the year for Chase Elliott, and the first offered since his last Truck start in 2023

Perhaps the most surprising detail around the qualifying session for the Faith Fest 250 at North Wilkesboro was the failure of the Henderson Motorsports entry driven by Landon Huffman, to make the race. Without the speed or owners points to fall back on, the BaldEagle.com Chevy wasn't able to make it into the starting lineup. This was certainly a disappointment, and it means this is a diecast that's being offered that's never actually raced. 

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Conclusion:
This week features an interesting spread of drivers and teams. Each major Nascar manufacturer gets at least some attention, and Ford leads the way at North Wilkesboro. Back to back weekend wins for Team Penske show that the Ford program is making progress as they try to catch the surging Toyota teams. Front Row claimed the fifth win of the season for their organization, and getting a second Chandler Smith diecast I'm sure will be a welcome offering, his QuickTie F-150 would look great next to his Daytona win. 

I'm quite partial to the red white, and blue cars this week. Between Daniel Suarez's Modo Casino car, and the pair of patriotic Camrys from 23XI, I think these are the preorders that will garner the most attention. Corey Heim's Sheild A.I. Toyota is my pick of the week, and I've already placed an order with Lionel. Now we wait until February 2027... As always, thanks for checking in here on the Diecast Update, with just one announcement so far, things are looking mangable for a much quicker turnaround on next week's edition. Until next time, keep on collecting!

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