Diecast Update: Week of 12/1/25

The beginning of December truly marks the turning point in the world of Nascar as teams and drivers begin the countdown to the Daytona 500 and the beginning of the 2026 season. That also means that all but one of the featured preorder releases this week is based on upcoming liveries for the 2026 season. This week's rundown focuses on three Cup Chevy's two of which are the new Red Bull schemes for Trackhouse. There's also a single Cup Mustang and a brand new JRM livery to discuss. For all the latest, read on...

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Standard Versions (Cup)

Chevy:
Apart from some rumors last year, Kyle Busch will continue on with the RCR No. 8 program. Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen has been an important partner for RCR and will continue to be in 2026. A new navy blue and orange paint scheme is now ready for preorder. The croissant covered Chevy is likely to see multiple starts. Could it really be Kyle's 4th year at RCR? Hopefully it's the best one yet as Nascar is better off when Rowdy is winning. 

Red Bull is back in a big way for the 2026 Nascar Cup season. The energy drink mega brand has apparently committed to over 25 races of sponsorship split between Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen. Connor will race the full slate of Cup races this season and he will contend for Rookie of the Year. I think we'll see some regression this year from Zilisch, but would it surprise you if there was a raced version of this car offered soon?

In 2026, Shane van Gisbergen will move from the N0. 88, to the No. 97. The number is hugely significant to SVG, and while the door on his car will change, the goal of capitalizing on his generational road racing talent will remain the same. With five road courses coming up, there's ample opportunity for SVG and Trackhouse to go trophy hunting, but as his oval skills have been developing quickly, could van Gisbergen make a play for a Cup championship?

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Ford:
The Josh Berry experiment is going well over at WBR/Penske. Berry will turn his attention to year number 2 with the longest running team in Nascar and he justifiably will be seeking multiple wins in the legendary No. 21 Ford. As usual, Ford's service and maintenance division, Motorcraft/Quicklane will be featured prominently in 2026 and this will be the standard and timeless look. Expect gold foil numbers on this diecast as well. 

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

KOA (Kampgrounds of America) has been increasing their footprint in Nascar as of late. This task is made simpler when attaching your name to a star like Connor Zilisch. It was announced recently that while Zilisch will be going full time Cup racing, he'll maintain a big presence in the OAPs garage and KOA will be a returning primary sponsor for 2026. No word on how many races yet, but this a great looking Chevy Camaro with a new patriotic flair. 

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2025 Standard Versions

RDaniel Suarez is on the move to Spire for the 2026 season, but as a nod of thanks and appreciation, Trackhouse Racing and Freeway Insurance collaborated to create a truly stunning final livery that Daniel drove to a 19th place finish at Phoenix Raceway. The success that Daniel was able to find at Trackhouse racing is significant, and while the expectations at Spire will likely be lower, he is now a Cup veteran who should be able to leverage his expertise.

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Conclusion:
This new slate of 1/64 diecast is certainly a nice reprieve from all of the gloom and doom that's surrounded Nascar in recent weeks concerning the major court case between 23XL/Front Row and Nascar. The new 2026 liveries help to keep an eyes forward mentality that there are plenty of good things to come in the very near future. Red Bull's continued support will encourage a wider audience and their massive multi-race deal with Trackhouse should be both noted, and celebrated. As usually neither of those Red Bull Chevy's are to be missed. I also really like the RCR Cheddar's number 8 Chevy this time around, and who could say that the Wood Brother's Racing Ford is anything but truly classic? Be sure to check out all of the new 2026 diecast preorders that can be found over on the production tracking page. That's it for this week's edition, we'll see you back here next Monday!

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