Diecast Update: Week of 1/12/26

It’s been great to take a step back over the last few weeks to rejuvenate and rest for the upcoming season. With the countdown to the Dayton 500 on, and the Clash at Bowman Gray just a few weeks away, the new story lines and most importantly for this page, new diecast announcements ​are rolling in. Over the past few weeks, there have been several new paint schemes announced, and the majority of them have come from the HMS garage. There are several other schemes to take a look at (eleven in total), and a lot for collectors to contemplate!

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Standard Versions (Cup)

Kyle Larson will once again welcome Valvoline back onboard the No. 5 Hendrick Racing Chevy for the 2026 season. Valvoline is one of the few brands that share primary sponsorship space on Larson’s car and have done so since he joined HMS in 2021. This updated version of the Valvoline scheme, (and the one on William Byron’s car, which we’ll get to in a moment) is a nice upgrade compared to the one Larson ran two times during the 2025 season. The inclusion of a second shade of blue and inverting the logo is a marked improvement. ​

On December 16th, Hendrick Motorsports unveiled the updated Prime paint scheme that Chase Elliott will once again brandish in several races in 2026. The car gets a nice upgrade in my opinion, and the very subtle addition of some primary colors near the door number make this the second best scheme (UniFirst is first) that the No. 9 car will wear this year. Elliott had Prime onboard for two races last year, I'd expect a similar commitment for 2026.

There have been four (four!) new Byron paint schemes announced since our last edition of the Diecast Update. The first paint scheme to take a look at is the updated Valvoline livery. Valvoline partnered with Byron six times last year. In five of those races, Byron raced a standard Valvoline scheme that used very similar geometric styles compared to the revision for this year’s primary design. I have to say, this refresh also feels like an improvement and with a white base, this car gives some strong Mark Martin energy. ​

The second William Byron livery to take a look at is the updated Raptor design for 2026. Upon first glance, it would appear that this is a paint job advertising for Axalta, but gone are the bright green, black and gray colors from previous seasons. A mashup between the old Axalta livery, and the Raptor one gives us this flame emblazoned Chevy you see here. I expect this car to be covered in confetti at least once this year. This is a nice looking render.

The third William Byron race car in this round is the Liberty University standard livery. The design remains virtually unchanged compared to last year’s edition with the only real adjustments being the adjusted ‘HP’ logo and the removed ‘Relay’ logo. The car also now showcases a red fuel port. Liberty University has been a sponsor of Byron since the beginning. That partnership continues in 2026, but the support seems to be diminishing with fewer expected races than ever.

The fourth and most recent 1/64 scale preorder showcases a new and emerging HMS partner. Phorm Energy, which makes a line of sugar free, naturally caffeinated energy drinks. The brand is a collaboration between UFC President, Dana White and Anheuser-Busch, and the goals is to provide a product that provides sustained focus, and hydration. William Byron will bring the brand to nascar by driving this red white and blue Phorm Energy Chevy that closely resembles the drink can design. The number of races remains unknown. 

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Ford:
There's only one Mustang on the flier this week. RFK racing announced a revised Build Submarines livery for all three of their cars. Only Brad Keselowski's is being offered for now. I've seen some mixed reviews on this paint scheme. It's clear to me that the car is meant to more closely resemble the hull of an actual submarine. While the detail is there, the look is initially underwhelming.

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Toyota
​Dollar Tree in many ways is a founding partner of Legacy Motor Club. The team, which was formerly known as Petty GMS Racing, evolved into what it is today and the considerable support coming from Dollar Tree is a significant part of that. This will be Dollar Tree’s third year with the team. The paint scheme is relatively unchanged compared to last year’s version. The Dollar Tree logo has been removed from the hood however, and the Dollar Tree logo is now going to be present on the rear facing side of the spoiler. This isn’t a bad paint scheme for JHN.

An even better looking Camry appears this week as Carvana will continue to support Jimmie Johnson in 2026. 'The custom design features interlocking halos that form a gradient across the body, a visual nod to movement, connection, and speed. A prominent rear halo anchors the design, while yellow streaks from the wheels evoke light in motion. The scheme also incorporates Johnson’s iconic neon accent, long associated with his career triumphs and LEGACY. It’s a subtle signature that signals his return to the track where he’s twice claimed victory.' Johnson will drive this car at Daytona.

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2025 Cup Series

I thought we’d be finished with 2025 preorders at this point, but another couple have popped up on the Lionel Racing website. Now available for preorder is Tyler Reddick’s 2025 Upper Deck ‘Superman’ themed Camry. Reddick drove this car one time at Atlanta in June. The car has a yellow name plate on the windshield to indicate its participation in the 2025 in-season bracket challenge. Reddick piloted this car to an impressive 4th place finish. Also now available is a Championship logo emblazoned version of Kyle Larson's 2025 Valvoline car. This car was not the one he raced at Phoenix, but it is a primary sponsorship of Larson's that can say it had a share in claiming the title.

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Conclusion:
The past few weeks have been slow, but the past few days have been busy. I expect the frequency of new 1/64s popping up for preorder will increase considerably from now on. This week's group is dominated by Hendrick Motorsports and William Byron. Byron so far is dominating the preorder announcements with seven new schemes for 2026. That's three more models than have been announced for Chase Elliott. I also think the William Byron's Valvoline Chevy, Chase Elliott's Prime Chevy, and the two Camrys make up the best of the bunch. There have been 32 new standard liveries announced for the 2026 season so far, with lots more to come. That's all for this week's edition of the Diecast Update, see you back here next Monday!