Diecast Update: Week of 8/3/27

Even though Nascar was off this week, Lionel Racing made sure there were still plenty of new and interesting 1/64 scale Nascar diecast cars to pay attention to. They also gave collectors a number of raced diecast from the previous week that didn't originally get announcements. Among some of the newly posted raced versions of several cars, there are some great 2026 standard schemes, a few of those could even contended for scheme of the year honors. There's even a special four-pack of 1/64s to take a closer look at this week with a special auto'd version offering.  Read on for more....

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Raced Version: (Lucas Oil Raceway)

Both Crafstman Truck teams competing out of the Front Row Motorsports garage are performing at a very high level right now. Two weeks ago Chandler Smith won at North Wilkesboro; and last week, Layne Riggs claimed anther trophy from the 2026 season for his collection at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indiana. With an average finish of 9.9 so far and five wins, Riggs is primed for the next level in racing. This is the second win that Riggs has delivered to Bare Knuckle Boxing, and his 10th career win. 

Raced Version: (Lucas Oil)

CARS Tour owner, and Nascar Cup champion, Kevin Harvick was featured last week in the standard version of this Realtree 40th anniversary LMSC. This week, the car returns to the spread this week with a raced version after Harvick led the final 131 laps at Post Falls, Idaho. This is the second win of the 2026 season for Harvick. This is a good time to remind readers that Lionel's 1/64 scale LMSC is an awesome tooling, and this car will really good looking. 

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Standard Versions (Cup)

Chevy:

For one of the smallest teams in the Cup series, we've gotten a steady diet of Stenhouse Jr. 1/64s this year. For the fourth time, in 2026 we've got a Hyak Chevy to consider. The Clemco Chevy has only appeared once so far this season. That appearance was at the most recent Atlanta race, the Quaker State 400. The race was rain delayed, but those who stayed awake were rewarded with one of the best races of the year. Ricky brought it home on the lead lap, P23.

The continued success of Carson Hocevar equals more diecast. Zeigler has been one of Carson's most long-lasting partners, and the return to Chicagoland Speedway on America's 250th birthday was an occasion worthy of a patriotic take on the Zeigler paint scheme. While the season has gone well for Hocevar, his night at Chicagoland didn't go as planned. Finishing the race in 22nd place and a lap down, this was his worst race in July. Great car though.

When you think of Trackhouse, you don't immediately think of Wendy's, but their participation in Nascar in 2026 has been spread across all three of the full time Trackhouse Chevys. Each of the three Wendy's cars have been just slightly different pertaining to the secondary color on the leading end of the car. SVG's irrationally is the light blue. I love this paint scheme, and I've got this one ranked 6th, just begin the Red Bull and Superfile cars. Van Gisbergen brought this one home 16th at Indi. 

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Ford:

Just a single Mustang this week, and it's a nice looking one at that. Athletic Brewing, perhaps the most recognized non-alcoholic craft brewer in the country brought their brand to Nascar fans at Chicagoland. The Mariano's/Athletic Brewing Ford was handful for the No. 60 RFK team, and Ryan Preece had to settle for a 32nd place finish in the Eero 400. Aside from the difficult evening, this car looks quite nice, I've got this one ranked as the 5th best of eight.

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Toyota:

The 9th Chase Briscoe 1/64 of the year became available this week after its second appearance on the season at Indianapolis. The paint scheme first was raced at Watkins Glen this past spring. Mobil 1 has sponsored, Christopher Bell, John Hunter Nemechek, and no Chase Brsicoe in 2026. While the nest Mobil 1 scheme has to be the one J.H.N. has displayed, this one is a close second. I've also got this car ranked as the fifth best on the year so far. 

Columbia has been a real treat to have as a sponsor in Nascar, and their activation has often resulted in some incredible race car liveries including this one, which I'm ranking as the best paint scheme of the year for the No. 23 team. The Academy Sports Outdoors, PFG Columbia Camry nearly raced to a win at Atlanta this summer, but Bubba was relegated to 29th place finish after illegally dropping below the solid line on the last lap of the Quaker State 400.

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Standard Version (Trucks)

The celebrity driver of the week at North Wilkesboro was Ryan Newman. The Nascar Cup series great who has continued to be visible and involved in many different lower levels of racing ascended to the Truck series of Kaulig Racing. Newman drove the No. 25 Ram on a hot day to a 24th place finish after starting 25th. This was his 8th career Truck start. The paint scheme is one we've continued to enjoy this year is only unique in the name rail, and quarter panel detailing. 

Next up, one of my favorite Truck paint schemes of the year for Christian Eckes. Debuting at the San Diego street course with McAnally-Hilgeman Racing, Columbia Bank and the U.S. Navy Jolly Rogers collaborated to bring this awesome looking Chevy Silverado. It's the only diecast in recent times that I can think of the that has the skull and crossbones logo. This truck looks immaculate, and is easily the better of the two 1/64s that have been offered for Eckes so far this year. This truck finished P.9. IRL.

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Standard Special Diecast

It's amazing how often it seems that when new drivers with great expectations struggle to deliver early on in their biggest opportunities, the success that evades them is finally found in some of the biggest moments that the sport has to offer. We've seen it happen already this year when Carson Hocevar won at Talladga. How about Carson Kvapil, who has been trying to pick up his fort win in JRM equipment for several years? With a quartet of powerful Chevy Camaros, JRM swept the top four finishing position, an organizational first for the long time O'Reilly series company.

Lionel and JRM are now offering a special four car set, and one option is to have your set signed by team owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr. This is a great way to pick up a Dale Jr. autograph if you need one!

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Conclusion:
It's been a nice bunch of diecast announcements especially for not having a race last week, and a couple of the best cars we've seen all year are in this bunch. The 23XI Columbia PFG Camry is a work of art and if produced, has a legitimate shot at being in the running for diecast of the year if not most certainly, paint scheme of the year otherwise. 

There's good reason to add any of these cars to your shopping basket, and I've already added a few to mine with high hopes that the manageable MOQs will be met. That's it for this week, we'll see you back here after Iowa and the Iowa Corn 350! Until then, keep on collecting!

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