It's been a couple of weeks since the last edition of the Diecast Update, so this week's edition is loaded with lots of 1/64 deicast of all kinds, from raced versions, Cup, O'Reilly, Trucks, ARCA, LMSC, and more, there's so much to catch up on in the world of 1/64 Nascar diecast. There are some especially nice offerings from Lionel Racing that you may not want to miss out on, and there are a few scheduled releases that are truly historic and unique. This week also features a first look and the first DNP of 2026. As usual, for all of the latest and more, read on.

Raced Version: (Bristol)

Connor Zilisch was excited to remind us that at the ripe old age of 19, he's still got it. The tongue in cheek comment and joking aside, it has been a rough start for Zilisch as a rookie in the Cup series so far, so I'm sure regaining his familiarity with victory lane, at Bristol no less, was a welcome reminder of how good the young driver really is. This was Connor's 12th win in 39 starts in the O'Reilly series, and it was the 111th win for JRM in there series.

Raced Version: (Rockingham)

Special things seem more likely to happen at special places. The Nascar passion project that has been the return to Rockingham has gone well for the O'Reilly series and the Craftsman series. William Sawalich has waited patiently for his first trip to victory lane, and with 80 laps to go, Sawalich took the lead to cement his name as a winner at the penultimate level of Nascar racing.

Lurking. That's the best word I can come up with for the time being. As Corey Heim continues to follow his own path in Nascar, his inevitable first Cup full time season just moved a bit closer. Has Heim really won 25 races in the Craftsman series?! The kid is a great driver, and his second win in a row is just another reason why people will be saying his name a lot in the future. This is the first win for Heim and Robinhood. Don't forget to throw in the Tripple Truck Challenge $100,000 as well.

Raced Version: (Martinsville)

The first regulation win for UniFirst in the Cup series, and the earliest ever win for Chase Elliott came on lap 400 of the Cookout 400. The 155th recorded Cup race at the track gave Elliott the 22nd win of his career tying him with Hall of Fame driver, Terry Labonte. The day seemed like it was going to be Denny Hamlin's, but a late call made by 9 team leader Alan Gustafson changed the status quo.

Justin Allgaier made it three wins on the season on Saturday afternoon. While the NOAPS at Martinsville has been guaranteed wreckfest as of late, the best still manage to shine. This is Allgaier's first win at Martinsville since 2023. This is also the first win of the year in the normal Brandt paint scheme. The win also came along at the same time that the Nascar community has been discussing and debating the credentials needed for the Nascar HOF, and whether or not Allgaier is worthy of admission.

Standard Versions (Cup)

Ross Chastain brought the Busch Light Fishing Chevy to a mediocre 20th place finish on Sunday night during the Bristol Spring race. The less than stellar 2026 season rolls on for Trackhouse Racing that saw all three teams and drivers continue to struggle. While the results, and speed are certainly lacking, the cars look great. The Busch Light Chevy with a big bass on the side goes back a long way and reminds me of the car Kevin Harvick drove in 2016.

For a guy that sometimes struggles to make in impact on race fans, there's a curious selection of diecast cars that to do and don't get made for Austin Dillon and the No. 3 RCR team. This Titan Risk Solutions Chevy will be what the organization brings to Atlanta for the summer race in a few months. It's not a bad looking car, but it's the second 1/64 for Dillon this year, and certainly second best compared to the Bass Pro/Winchester dynamo the team led off with.

I really wanted to like this new LLumar paint scheme for 2026. At first glance, it gave some strong vibes, think Dodge and Evernham days, and even some Hooter's No. 9 feels, but the closer you look, the more 'AI slop' feels most appropriate. The car is just awkward no matter which way you look at it. This is the fifth 1/64 scale diecast car for Chase Elliott fans, and it's easily the worst one. I think the HMS designers are really struggling this year.

On the polar opposite side of the spectrum, we have what is perhaps the best looking 1/64 we've seen for Ricky Stenhouse in a very long time. Jack Links gave us a really nice Jack Links Duo's Chevy last year that I've recently just picked up. I like that car a lot, but this one just looks even better. The Non-Vegan movement that the jerky brand has kickstarted in Nascar has been a lot of fun, but this car takes it to the next level. Look out Jerky Boys.

Noah Gragson, despite struggling in the Cup series, continues to be a top prospect for brands looking to work with exciting drivers who truly resonate with the Nascar fanbase. FUEL by Franzia joined Gragson and FRM at Martinsville this spring. I had the opportunity to see this car in person (check out the Race Report, here). This car will come with an attached base, so buyer beware. I've got this car ranked as the best looking for Gragson so far this season of this three 1/64s being offered.

Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe are tied at Joe Gibbs Racing with five 1/64s for each driver. The return of Rheem to JGR for multiple races also means the return of one of Bell's best looking liveries. I've got this one ranked third bast after the Mobile 1 scheme and the Interstate Batteries scheme. The Rheem scheme gets a nice upgrade with the added slogan of 'engineered for life.' I like this added detail, it fills up the space and gives the car a better identity.

This next one has the potential to compete for paint scheme of the year. The second Mobile 1 livery of the 2026 season is one of the best looking cars we've had so far. This Legacy Motor Club Camry will be driven by John Hunter Nemechek during select events in 2026. Comparing this livery to the Mobile 1 design we've already seen onChristopher Bells car, this one is easily better in my opinion. The LMC design team is on a roll.

The final Toyota this week comes from the 23XL garage. Tyler Reddick has been enjoying a career season and he continues to attract new partners to the 23XL team. Comparion Insurance made their Nascar debut this past weekend at Bristol. As Reddick manages his hold on first place in the Cup series, he drove this car to a quiet but meaningful 4th place finish. Even with a variety of new paint schemes this year, this car is very basic. I've got this one ranked 6th out of 6.

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

The first diecast of the 2026 season for Young's Motorsports was announced this past week. Brad Perez drove this car sponsored by Live to be Different Foundation, an organization developed by Bubba Wallace and the Boys and Girls Club of Lucie County. Perez drove this car to a very respectable 21st place finish at Martinsville last month. This is a nice looking car and it's good to see a smaller team like Young's MS get some coverage in 1/64 scale.

Standard Version (Trucks)

Ross Chastain will continue to make appliances in the Nascar Craftsman Truck series in 2026. Perhaps his longest running supporter, the Use Your Mellon initiative will adorn the watermelon themed Chevy Silverado that Niece will bring to the track presumably on multiple occasions. This truck has yet to make its debut this year, but Chastain has already completed two Truck races to this point, netting two top five finishes thus far.

Brenden Queen continues to find his way in the Truck series, and with recent Truck OEM entrant, Dodge Ram. Back in March, at Darlington, Kaulig Racing brought this special livery to commemorate the 1952 Cummins Diesel Special, the first diesel-powered car to capture the pole for the Indianapolis 500. 'Butterbean' Queen brought this truck to a 20th place finish during the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 on March 20th, 2026,

The other Kaulig Ram that was announced for preorder is this fellow Darlington throwback that was driven by Corey Lajoie. The No. 25 Ram as many are aware, is the 'celebrity' car for Kaulig Racing. Tony Stewart led the season off at Daytona, and the vehicle has seen a range of different drivers. This paint scheme appropriately pays homage to Corey Lajoie's father, Randy who piloted this design in 2004. I'm anxious to see these samples when they finally make it to Lionel HQ.

Frankie Muniz has remained dedicated to his career in Nascar despite the many challenges and hardships he's faced along the way. This will be the first 1/64 diecast for Muniz and it's a great looking truck. The main sponsor, Panini went all in on a vibrant and eye-catching design. The only point of criticism I have is with the truck's roof number. Why not keep it consistent with the door number design? This is the second Team Reaume truck of 2026.

Another race team that's getting its first 1/64 scale representation of 2026 is the legacy team, ThorSport. We've seen plenty of ThorSport trucks in the past, our first of the year represents Ben Rhodes. Rhodes has been competing in the Truck series for a decade now. He's got 7 career wins in that span, but hasn't been to victory lane since 2023. TYM North America will be celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and will be showcasing their brand on the No. 99. This is a great scheme, simple, refined, elite.

Standard Version (ARCA)

It's been quite a while since Hailie Deegan has made much noise in a stock car, but she's quietly come back on the scene. Most recently she raced for Bill McAnally at Phoenix in early March. The race went well for Deegan. She started in 19th and brought the car home in 16th. This version of the Napa scheme works well on the old Gen6 Chevy S body. I'm not sure if Deegan has more races lined up, but I hope she does. This is a nice looking race car.

The other ARCA car announced this week was Derek Kneeland's 2026 A & D Welding Chevy SS that's fielded by ARCA team Pinnacle Racing. Kneeland primarily serves as a spotter for RCR racing, but has made one start so far this season at the ARCA Menards East series race at Hickory  Motor Speedway. Out of 23 cars, Kneeland brought his Chevy to the finish line in 4th place. I like that Lionel is keeping this Chevy SS mould in rotation and this is another nice looking ARCA car, I sure hope it makes MOQ.

LMSC/CARS Tour

Perhaps the most interesting curveball from Lionel this past week was this LMSC representing Stephen Nasse's sensational win at the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway last December. This was Nasse's first win at the Snowball Derby for Mitch-Smith Racing. The car looks super cool with the black, silver and gold features. The car also has a ton of detailing and many contingency sponsors. This one could be special for Late Model collectors.

First Look Report

DNP Report

Unfortunately, this week also involves a DNP Report. I was very hopeful that Justin Allgaier's Carolina Carports Chevy would make it into production, but it did not make MOQ. This car was announced back in early December alongside two other JRM cars wearing the same livery. This brings the current available non-raced Allgaier JRM cars from four down to three with the Roto-Rooter as my currently highest ranked of the remaining group.

Race number six of the 2026 season is over and while the main event didn't bring the chaotic action many anticipated, the race still delivered some spectacular and memorable moments. It was good to hear and see Darrell Waltrip in the booth again to deliver his signature 'Boogity, Boogity, Boogity, Let's go racing, boys!' After 16 lead changes, and four cautions, Tyler Reddick would claim his fourth trophy of the season and his raced diecast heads off a bumper week for Lionel Racing. There are 21 new models that are up for preorder and now need to be discussed. For all the latest in the 1/64 world, read on...

Raced Version: (Darlington)

Tyler Reddick and 23XL continues to build on their hot start in 2026. Reddick overcame a faulty cool suite and a power issue requiring an impromptu battery replacement to beat out a couple of very fast RFK Mustangs this past Sunday during the Goodyear 400. This is a big win for Reddick as it significantly elevates him in the All-Time wins list at 12. In the updated points system, the No. 45 team solidifies their standings to race for a championship.

Justin Allgaier continues to showcase his brand of racing that truly sets the standard for every regular full time driver in the NOAP Series. Allgaier drove his No. 7 Brandt peaches Chevy to the 30th win of his career. He did so while beating out top drivers from both the O'Reilly series and the Cup series. Justin Allgaier and JRM are now on a path that begs the question, should he be a candidate for the Nascar Hall of Fame?

Core Heim also netted a big win. On 91 starts, Heim has 24 wins, and collecting one this past weekend on an incredible last lap pass will be highlight reel material for years to come. Heim has to be the top prospect in Nascar, and while he only has a part time schedule so far this year, he will undoubtedly be the holder of a full-time Cup ride next year. This is a a super nice looking truck, and I don't typically collected raced Trucks, but this one may be too good to pass.

Standard Versions (Cup)

One of the longest running partnerships at Trackhouse Racing is the partnership with the Moose Fraternity. Made iconic on the day Chastain ran the wall at Martinsville, the ‘Be a Moose’ message returns to the Cup series for select races in 2026. The scheme also gets a refresh for 2026 with a more gradient heavy design and less geometric compared to last year. The roof of the car is now black instead of red which is a change that I quite like.

The Workforce Chevy made its second appearance of the season last week at Las Vegas for Spire Motorsports, and now it’s available to preorder the 2026 1/64 version of this car. The Workforce paint scheme is refreshed for 2026. It features the same color palate from 2025, but the pattern and placement of those colors is somewhat different. This is the better looking of the two McDowell cars we’ve been offered so far. ​

French-born, and Los Angeles based artist, Mr. Brainwash took on design responsibilities for the second Superfile paint scheme of 2026 for Shane van Gisbergen. The wild design has received all kinds of attention both good and critical, but I love the vibe. I can’t imagine how this will look in 1/64 scale, but I certainly want to see it produced. SVG drove this car to a 36th place finish after a rough day in the desert at Las Vegas. I've got this one ranked 3rd of five.

A trio of RFK Fords honored Greg Biffle this week at Darlington. Solomon Plumbing, Fifth Third Bank, and Kroger will all throw their support behind the team’s effort to pay homage to the late Nascar superstar. Each of the paint schemes utilize the number font and livery style that Biffle made famous during his many years in the Cup series. ​The cars performed well at Darlington with Brad K winning stages and bringing his car home 2nd.

In a very special weekend for Team Penske, Joey Logano drove a one-off paint scheme that was designed as a tribute to Penske legend Scott McLaughlin. The design is a replication of the livery McLaughlin drove at Mount Panorama in a truly breathtaking run. If you’re not familiar, check out this footage. This is the best looking car Logano has sat behind the wheel of this year and this design is flying way under the radar. This is my top 1/64 for Logano this year so far.

While many teams have capitulated on the throwback weekend at Darlington, Front Row Motorsports has not. Todd Gilliland and the FRM No. 34 team will bring their Mustang to Darlington that was designed to remember the success of Bill Elliott when he drove for Melling Racing. This car is a front runner for best retro scheme of 2026 in my opinion, and it’s also the best looking of the three Todd Gilliland cars we’ve been offered so far this year.

The fourth 1/64 for Denny Hamlin was announced this week in conjunction with Hamlin’s paint scheme reveal for Darlington. Sport Clips has commonly been the brand Hamlin represents at perhaps his favorite track. Last year Sport Clips and JGR paid tribute to Carl Edwards in a special throwback livery. This year, it’s back to normal with almost the same standard Sport Clips paint scheme that we saw in 2025 with minimal differences. ​

With the departure of McDonalds from 23XL racing and Nascar altogether, Hardee's has slid in to take advantage of the high profile opportunity. Hardee’s has been involved in Nascar in the past, but it’s been several years since they’ve been a primary sponsor. The new livery is good, but while I don’t think they’ve nailed the opportunity, the paint scheme is probably the best the 23 car has had so far. The design is very similar to Reddick's’ Supplyhouse scheme, just different colors. Basic but effective.

Death, Taxes, and Petty Blue on a No. 43 race car. There are just some things that always make sense. Another one of the Darlington throwback participants this year will be the Legacy Motor Club’s Camry driven by Erik Jones. This is the third 1/64 for Jones on the season, and like it or not, I have this car ranked second best on the spread sheet. The car looks good, but without STP on the hood, it’s just a bit off. As I write this, Jones just took a big spin...

At the Las Vegas spring race, 23XL celebrated the induction of Kurt Busch into the Nascar Hall of Fame. In 2022, Kurt Busch would deliver the final win of his career to 23XL at Kansas. He did so behind the wheel of a stunning elephant print Jordan Brand No. 45 Camry. That paint scheme was recreated for the 5th races of the year at Las Vegas in Kurt Busch’s hometown. Tyler Reddick was only able to manage a 13th place finish at Las Vegas however. The car looks good, but there’s nothing like the original. ​

Tyler Reddick possessed a very rare opportunity in Phoenix two weeks ago, a chance to win the first four races of the year in four consecutive weeks. The No. 45 23XL team brought a very sharp looking Jordan Brand Toyota Camry to the desert and ended up finishing in 13th place. Not what the team had hoped for, but at least for diecast collectors, the best Reddick scheme of the year is now being offered by Lionel. It's just too bad Reddick's fourth wasn't in this livery.

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

Carson Kvapil may be poised to take a significant jump this season. Seemingly being given the scraps and leftovers from the sponsorship bucket, and having to share cars and numbers, Kvapil is off to a solid start in 2026. ​Behind teammate Justin Allgaier, Kvapil quietly now sits third in the points over two other contenders who both have wins already. The High Rick car looks even cooler this year. Great colors, excellent design.

Jordan Anderson Racing strikes twice this week. The first 1/64 of 2026 for Jeb Burton is now up for preorder. Bommarito Automotive Group has been synonymous with J.A.R. for several years and they’ll continue to make a full season of racing possible for Jeb Burton in 2026. The car’s first appearance of the season came last week at Las Vegas where Burton brought the 27 car home 27th. This completes the full time offerings for Jordan Anderson Racing in 1/64

Donut Media joined the ranks of Nascar sponsorship last weekend at Las Vegas. The automotive entertainment brand known for making car culture humorous and accessible extended their reach into the NOAPS ranks with Jordan Anderson Racing and Rajah Caruth. That car which Caruth drove to a 19th place finish can now be secured in 1/64 form. The car features the company’s ‘Cars are Pain’ phrase and logo, and the black and orange scheme look good.

Lavar Scott has largely gone undiscussed in 2026. But with a momentum boost by the higher profile signing of Sunoco with Alpha Prime Racing. Scott has had a tougher start to his first full-time season in the O'Reilly Series. He’s only placed in the top 20 once (Daytona), and he’s been involved in crashes in two of his first six starts including this past weekend’s race at Darlington. ​

Standard Version (Trucks)

While Christian Eckes put together a pretty good season in the Xfinity series last year, but due to the many changes at Kaulig Racing, he was likely a victim of the various moving pieces around the entrance of Dodge. Relegated to the Truck series for 2026, Eckes joins McAnalley-Hilgman racing and another former Kaulig teammate in Daniel Hemric who will both be chasing wins for the Chevy powered team. This Turck, sponsored by Columbia Bank finished 3rd at Daytona in February.

LMSC/CARS Tour

Dale Jr. Announced this past week that he would once again in 2026 get behind the wheel of a Late Model Stock Car. Dale Jr., with the support of Bass Pro Shops and Tracker Boats will race in April at the CARS Tour event being held at the Nashville Fairgrounds. ​Dale Jr's LMSC this year features support from Bass Pro Shops. It's been a couple of years since the two entities have joined forces. This is a sharp looking Chevy that will get a lot of attention from collectors.

Wyatt Miller, the son of racer and JRM co-owner Kelly Earnhardt Miller will be blazing his own trail in the CARS Tour in 2026. With support from Bass Pro Shops, Miller will be running several events behind the wheel of his No. 73 JRM Chevy. ​The car is basic in appearance, but it effective displays the support of Bass Pro, and the stylized No. 73 is very unique. Miller will undoubtedly continue to build support as his career grows.

Another young driver who is on the cusp of making some significant gains in their young career is son of current Cup series driver, Brexton Busch. Brexton who has continued to develop in the junior racing leagues, now will jump into the deep end. With support from longtime sponsor, Servpro, Busch will pilot this great looking LMSC at several events throughout the 2026 season.

This past week was relatively uneventful, but also a truly historic one in the world of Nascar. ​Two races occurred at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and two of the most likely victors walked away with the trophies. Kyle Larson went 1 for 1 on his NOAPS efforts for 2026. Larson led 47 laps and solidified his 18th win in the series. But the bigger story was Denny Hamlin's return to victory lane to claim his 61st win. Both of these raced won diecast, and many more standard paint schemes are now available for preorder in 1/64 scale. For a better look at those cars and more, read on...

Raced Version: (Las Vegas)

The most significant take away from this past weekend has to be that Denny Hamlin just moved into 10th place on the all-time wins list. This is a truly special feat, and one we may not ever see again repeated. Denny now chases Kyle Busch (63 wins) for 9th and has a good opportunity  to catch him within the season. The race was a special one for the Hamlin family as this was their first trip to victory lane since losing Denny's father last December.

Kyle Larson started Saturday's support race on the front row and stayed near the front all day long. After battling with Sheldon Creed, Corey Day, and Chase Briscoe all day, Larson led the last 47 laps. The margin of victory for Larson was 2.5 second over Briscoe. This ended up being Larson's 18th win in the NOAPS series tying him with Denny Hamlin and AJ Allmendinger. This should be a nice diecast complete with a cool door donut.

Standard Versions (Cup)

The second 1/64 offering of the year for Carson Hocevar is this Miner sponsored No. 77 Spire Chevy (the other being the Ziegler Chevy). Miner has been around as a lesser supporter in the Cup series for some time, but this paint scheme is a step up for 2026. I think this is a good looking design, and it should be featured on track for three races in 2026. It's first appearance was last week at Phoenix where Hocevar finished 20th.

Jockey is one of the most important long-standing Trackhouse Racing sponsors. The company has utilized space on Connor's car at Las Vegas this week to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the global clothing brand. The gold and blue colors will look great in the desert, but this isn't a favorite scheme of mine. It sits just a bit better than the Tootsie's livery and places fourth out of the five offerings for the No. 88 team thus far.

The other Trackhouse representative this week is the fourth 1/64 scale offering for Shane van Gisbergen. One of his long standing partners in Nascar, Safety Culture is back for another year. The easily identifiable neon and purple colors get a refresh in 2026. The lightening bolt design which first appeared on SVG's NOAPS car translates nicely onto the Next Gen Cup car. I like purple race cars almost as much as I like orange ones. This car ranks 3 out of 4 SVG cars thus far.

The sole Mustang this week come from the RFK garage. This will be the third 1/64 for Chris Buescher on the season, and despite the wonderful primary colors, this is the least appealing of the bunch. This car showcases Artesano bread, Kraft cheese singles and Fry's grocery stores. It's a savvy mashup of different brands, but I don't love cars that have graphic pictures of food products, so for me, this one falls flat.

We've got three Camrys this week, the first of which is the full-on Interstate Batteries paint scheme for Christopher Bell. This is easily one of the most eye catching liveries and has been for several years. This is the fourth 1/64 for Christopher Bell, and I've got this one ranked as the second best just beneath the Mobile 1 scheme, and above the to DeWalt schemes. Interstate Batteries has been with JGR since it began in 1992, a fitting for JGR's 35th year.

A new sponsor for Tyler Reddick this season is Supply House. Supply House is a retailer that specializes in tools and materials needed by HVAC technicians and plumbers. What to say about this livery? It sort of has those UPS vibes, but all-round, this could be the least interesting scheme of 2026 that is being released on a 1/64 scale model so far. This is model number three for Tyler Reddick, and it sits unsurprisingly as the third best in my opinion.

ampm, the western convenience store chain debuted in Nascar with JGR last year on Denny Hamlin's Camry. The brand was actually onboard for Hamlin's 60th win. So it's a little surprising to see them move over to the No. 54 program. That being said, I really like the upgraded ampm livery. Gibbs has raced in this car once so far (Phoenix), and he brought it home to a nice top five finish. If I was buying a Ty Gibbs 1/64 in 2026, this would be the one.

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

While Rajah Caruth will spend the majority of his 2026 campaign at JGR, he will also spend some time in the seat at Jordan Anderson Racing. Last week at Phoenix, Caruth drove his iRacing and Nascar 25 Chevy to an 8th place finish which ties his seasonal best finish (Atlanta). I think the most noteworthy detail there is that he finished well in a Jordan Anderson Chevy. This indicates that's a team that has found some speed. They have other finishes to back that up. A nice looking car too.

Standard Version (Trucks)

The only truck this week is a Spire Motorsports Chevy  Silverado that Michael McDowell drove at Daytona during the season opening race at Daytona. McDowell led the first 20 laps of that race and finished the race in 24th place. The Tibbetts Lumber Co. Silverado features a gray base coat and a burnt orange series of angled flourishes. Interestingly, this is the first 1/64 preorder offering for Spire in the Truck series. I expect more to come from the Spire garage in the coming weeks.

Week number four of the 2026 Nascar season is in the books. Ryan Blaney overcame multiple obstacles to claim his first trophy of the year, and multiple crashes and cautions upset the Cup series field. This week we have a considerable slowdown in the amount of new 1/64s that are up for preorder. The theme this week certainly has to be Chevy. There are four new Cup liveries, and just as many NOAPS Camaros as well. Add in Justin Allgaier's JRM Brandt Camaro, and it's bowties all around. The second week in March brings lots of 1/64 goodness, for all the details, read on...

Raced Version: (Phoenix)

The spring race at Phoenix, a doubleheader with the NTT IndyCar series, made for a thrilling weekend of automotive sport. The Nascar Cup race in particular was action packed. Nine of the 37 cars that stared the race failed to finish under power due to a wide variety of cautions. Ryan Blaney, who was also involved in some of the chaos, overcame issues on pit road. Blaney drove his dominant Mustang to his 18th career win, placing him in crowded 49th place all-time.

Justin Allgaier just tied Matt Kenseth for all time wins in Nascar's National Touring series. After a well executed strategy, (and pit road issues of his own), Allgaier drove his Brandt JRM Camaro into victory lane at Phoenix where he has done so before. Allgaier will now look for win number 30 where he tie Nascar Champion Joey Logano. I like the work that Brandt has been doing to showcase the products. The cotton car isn't my favorite, but this raced version is sure to be a good one.

Standard Versions (Cup)

The first Chevy of the bunch this week is the RCR No. 8 FICO Chevy that Kyle Busch is scheduled to run in select races in 2026. This is the fourth KB 1/64 for the season, and I'd argue it's the least inspired. Interestingly, there seems to be no other sponsor represented on the car. I'm anxious to find out if the 1/1 version of this Chevy will have the same details (or lack of). The car's color scheme isn't atrocious, but it just feels far more 'corporate' than it does 'Nascar.' Maybe that's the point, but I'm not thrilled.

Not having Austin Hill in a Cup car at any super speedway is a missed opportunity, and clearly RCR agrees. Austin Hill will bring a third Chevy to select races in 2026 as he did last season with the support of United Rentals. Unlike the other RCR Chevy being highlighted this week, this Chevy is really sharp. The color ratios are strong, and the details, including the forklift before the door number, are eye catching and exciting. This is a nice option for 1/64 collectors, and I've put it up in tier 1 personally.

Alex Bowman is a well known advocate for the health and wellbeing of pets. Ally and Bowman collaborate every year to promote the Best Friends initiative with a goal of supporting animal shelters. This year's livery features the usual 2026 Ally colors with a wide variety of pet paws. I actually like this livery better than others that we've seen in the past. It's not better than Bowman's normal Ally paint scheme, but it's a nice twist. This is the second Bowman 1/64 of the year, and ranks second for me as well.

The final Cup Chevy up for preorder this week is a familiar one. The Wendy's scheme we saw debut last week is a very close cousin to Ross Chastain's Wendy's Chevy from last week. The only differences are the base color of the hood, which is now white instead of red, and the presence of the Red Bull front bumper logo. I love the light blue foil numbers on this car, and I think it's one of the best schemes we've seen in 2026.

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

Connor Zilisch and his ride sharing deal with JRM and Carson Kvapil will include support from Roto-Rooter. We've already seen that Roto-Rooter will be supporting Justin Allgaier, but now they will also spread that support over to Connor Zillisch. The paint schemes are basically identical. They use the usual Hendrick/JRM formula of bold clean colors and effective ratios. Notable as well is the presence of Registix. Bass Pro, and other partners.

Wilde Protein Snacks is a new major entrant to the NOAPS garage and will make their foray into Nascar with Carson Kvapil and JRM. The car will feature the Buffalo flavored chicken chips which is one of several different flavors offered by the brand. This car is scheduled to be on track this upcoming weekend at Las Vegas. The livery is interesting, but feels just a bit bland down the side of the race car. It's not the worst looking JRM car this season, but also not the best.

The surprise of the week had to be the JRM reveal of the Folsom Fence Supply Camaro that Southestern Late Model legend Lee Pulliam will drive at Martinsville this spring. The car will also feature significant support from Jerky Boys beef jerky, a company that Dale Jr. promotes regularly. This blue, black and red paint scheme looks really cool, and the fact the JRM is giving this regional race car driver a chance to shine in the NOAPS is par for the course. Job well done.

Another big piece of Nascar news this week involving Cleetus McFarland hits the 1/64 Nascar world. McFarland will drive the No. 33 RCR NOAPS Chevy Camaro in three different races this year and he will be doing so behind the wheel of a car sponsored by Tommy's Espress Car Wash. Obviously that paint scheme has not yet been revealed, but as soon as it it, we will update it on the Production Tracker page and on here as well.

The more things change, the more they remain the same. The addition of COTA (Circuit of the Americas) to the Nascar schedule has been a stroke of genius by the racing league’s game makers. The Next Gen stock cars look great on the track meant for F1 cars, and the racing has matured into something really great. ​What no one could have seen coming was Nascar history being made in Tyler Reddick's third straight win, the only time a driver has claimed the first three races of a season, ever. There's that and so much more from another week of 1/64 preorders. For all the latest, read on...

Raced Version: (COTA)

Nascar history. After an unthinkable drive and after starting from the pole position, Tyler Reddick defended the lead all day long. Even after a Stage 2 caution that re-racked the field, Reddick was able to fend off Shane van Gisbergen. This is something no one has been able to figure out for months. Reddick beat SVG comfortably at COTA ending SVG's road course streak and winning his third race of the year, and third on the season. Incredible.

While Shane van Gisbergen didn't get get the results he was looking for in the Cup series, he still walked away from COTA with a trophy on Saturday. Behind the wheel of his JRM powered Chevy Camaro, SVG brought the Safety Culture Chevy home in first place without much fuss. This certainly won't be the last trophy SVG will look to collect on road courses this year. The Safety Culture paint scheme got a nice upgrade for 2026, and SVG is now 1/1 with the car.

Raced Version: (St. Petersburg)

The first ever meetup between the Nascar Craftsman Truck series and the NTT Indycar series resulted in a thrilling street course showdown that saw Layne Riggs net his first win of 2026. Both the FRM Ford F-150s were strong last weekend and Riggs and Chandler Smith took turns fighting for the lead. Ultimately, it was Layne Riggs who prevailed. This is the first raced 1/64 being offered for Layne Riggs in 2026.

Raced Version: (Bowman Gray)

This was unexpected. In fact, I’m not sure that this will work out well for Lionel or Ryan Preece fans but I at least applaud the effort that is being made. The entire livery of this car was designed around the Coca Cola logo. But Coke has not given permission to Lionel to replicate its logo in years, and the same is true now. Lionel will attempt to make the car anyway. I think there's very little chance that this gets made in any scale, but we will certainly see. Regardless, this was a big moment for Ryan Preece.

Standard Versions (Cup)

Busch beer has infused a ton of character into their paint schemes over the past few seasons. They often try to highlight some local themes into each design. What says ‘Texas’ more than some long horns across the front fender of Chastain’s Chevy? Add in some stars and the Busch mountains, plus some foil numbers, and this car looks super cool Unfortunately, Ross Chastain had a brutal afternoon at COTA and this car finished 35th. I have this car ranked as the third best Chastain car of the year so far.

I'm surprised we had to wait this long for the first Carson Hocevar 164 of the 2026 season. Zeigler has been a central part of the support Carson has relied on to make it to this point in his racing career. The No. 77 Zeigler Chevy gets a nice refresh in 2026. The car looks more refined with the new paint scheme and indent, it looks quicker too. The addition of Spectrum on the car is pretty cool. Spire did a nice job on this one! As this is the first Carson car this year, it's ranked number 1!

The first Ford of the week in standard colors is Brad K's Body Guard Fastenal Mustang. This is the second standard Brad K. scheme this year and it's probably my favorite. The orange foil numbers are an upgrade from the Body Guard paint scheme in previous years, and as I've said many times in the past, orange and black almost always look good on a race car. We'll see this design on track during several races in 2026.

Trimble was an interesting addition to the RFK portfolio last year, but it's clear they have gone all in on Nascar in 2026. This is the fourth Trimble paint scheme we've seen this including Corey Lajoie's that wasn't able to see actual racing action as he failed to make the 41 car field at Daytona. This is an awesome livery, and I think the overall look is as good as the Fastenal Body Guard paint scheme. This is the 3rd Brad livery, and second best. This is a tier 2 for me.

Fifth Third Bank is another stalwart RFK racing partner. The bank has brought its brand to RFK since 2012, and is usually good for at least five or six races per each season. It's interesting that Fifth Third only ever shows up on Chris Buescher's Ford. This car is may favorite RFK scheme for several years running. (Yes, even better than the Cinnamon Toast Crunch car). I think this will be a pickup for me. I haven't added a version of this car in the new Mustang.

Fastenal has all but abandoned the traditional blue and white colors they've used for years. Now, Fastenal sits in the background of their Body Guard brand that is presented with black orange and white. We've already seen the version of this paint scheme that is on Chris Buescher's car, now this week we get Brad's version, and Ryan's. This is the second standard release for Ryan Preece, and it's also second best as I believe the Trimble car is better.

The third Chase Briscoe 1/64 offering of the year is this blue and white Columbia Bank Camry that the No. 19 JGR team brought to COTA this past weekend. Unfortantly, Brsicoe was forced to retire the car early during the Duramax GP due to a broken transaxle. This would relegate him to a 37th place finish on a bad day. Columbia Bank will appear twice more in the 2026 season. This is the third best looking Briscoe 1/64 car for now. It's a clean scheme, but lakes any real excitement.

SAIA returns to JGR in 2026 to sponsor Ty Gibbs for the second straight year. This is the first 1/64 diecast of the year for Ty. The paint scheme just gets a bit of a refresh. The top red layer gets extended to encompass the entire rear window and runs the entire length of the c post. the phrase, 'It's a Yes.' replaces 'Est. 1924.' from last year. This is a nice livery, it's simple, but as is always the case, the lack of the Monster logo is a significant detractor.

Standard Version (Trucks)

Landen Lewis, a zMax Cars Tour champion, will now get his chance in the Nascar Craftsman Truck series. Sponsored by J.F. Electric, Lewis will drive his No. 45 Niece Motorsports Silverado in several races in 2026. Landen went 80 for 80 this past weekend in his first race of the year at St. Petersburg. He brought his truck home 6th, a fantastic first showing. This truck looks really cool. The dark blue foil numbers are sharp!

In a true surprise, Dario Franchitti made a very interesting return to racing this past weekend at the joint Indycar Craftsman Truck series meetup at the St. Petersburg street course. Jimmie Johnson was the well positioned ambassador that gave Franchitti all the encouragement he needed. He was able to muster the support from Dollar Tree, and bridged the Toyota gap with Triton Garage. Dario ran 79/80 laps and came home 27th. This truck looks awesome.

Adam Andretti will be a name race fans will hear regularly in 2026. Andretti will be behind the wheel of the No. 5 Tricon Tundra for several races this year. Andretti has been on track twice this year with the support of Top Liner, (a truck bread protective coating if you must know). Andretti has an average start of 9th and an average finish of 17th through two races this year. Tricon has done a nice job with their paint scheme this year, and this is another example.

Kaden Honeycutt has taken over the Tricon Garage flagship in the No. 11 Toyota Tundra. Safelite has remained with the team as the primary sponsor of their No. 11 program. Kaden raced with Niece Motorsports last year for a full season. He had an average finish of 12th. He's running about the same this year after three races. The Safelite Tundra gets just a minor refresh here compared to last year's paint scheme, and I think I like this version better.

Gio Ruggiero is off to a good start in 2026, his second full time season in the Craftsman Truck series. Ruggiero continues to carry the banner for long time Truck series regular, JBL speakers. Ruggiero represented JBL last year as well. Like all of the other Tricon Garage Trucks, the JBL Tundra features a white base coat with orange and black secondary colors. If all of these Tundras get produced, this will be a really cool set.

LMSC/CARS Tour

Caden Kvapil will have primary driving duties of the JRM No. 88 LMSC in 2026. The emerging jerky brand, Jerky Boys. Jerky Boys beef jerky is commonly referred to by Dale Jr, and he has announced a personal stake in the company. Dale Jr. is now helping to bring this brad to the racing circuit by putting the name on his LMSC. Caden Kvapil, younger brother to Carson, has been a dynamic up and coming in the Cars Tour. This is likely to be a very popular offering!

Week 2 of the Nascar season brought another round of fantastic super speedway racing that saw multiple lead changes and some truly engaging action. An incredible back-to-back win by Tyler Reddick and Co. capped off another really strong weekend for the stock car racing league. All three of the race winning cars will be offered in 1/64 scale and they head off another stacked addition of the Diecast Update. This week there are seven standard Cup schemes being offered, three O.A.P.S. Chevy's and a Truck plus the first historical special set of 2026. For all the details, read on...

Raced Version: (Atlanta)

After spinning out in a massive wreck on the Atlanta front stretch last Sunday afternoon, there was seemingly little hope for Tyler Reddick to do the unthinkable. Serious damage, and the loss of the right front fender on his Pinnacle 23XL Toyota Camry should have eliminated him from contention. The No. 45 team kept on going however, and unbelievably, with a late race surge and some luck, Reddick crossed the finish line first on lap 271. This is going to be a huge challenge to recreate in 1/64.

He's finally done it, after 15 second place finishes, Sheldon Creed has broken through in the O.A.P.S. series. Creed waited in an unsuspecting position as Ross Chastain and Austin Hill gave it everything at the end of the race. Haas FT's switch to Chevy seems like it's been a good move thus far. If this car reaches production it will be the first Cole Custer diecast  since he's arrived at the race team. Road Ranger has only appeared on a Nascar diecast once.

There's no denying that Kyle Busch still has some unbeatable skills While it's been years since he's visited victory lane in the Cup series outside of winning a duel last week at Daytona, Kyle Busch has won three years in a row while driving a Spire Truck at Atlanta. Lionel will have no trouble at all copy-pasting this livery as we've seen the Hendrickcars.com Silverado in victory lane many times before. Busch now boasts 68 wins in the Truck series.

Standard Versions (Cup)

We’ve seen many schemes for Wendy’s over the past few years, but this one may be the most inspired. The car features a white base with a red hood. The Wendy’s logo is nicely sized and placed on the hood, and red and light blue checkers swoop and flare back down the side of the car. Blue foil numbers, and the iconic Wendy’s bright red braids complete the look. I hope they use this scheme a lot this year. ​This car is currently my top rated Chastain scheme.

Kubota has sponsored Ross Chastain since 2022, so it’s no surprise to see that partnership continue in 2026. He brought the company its first Nascar Cup series win in 2024 at Kansas. This year’s Kubota scheme is the same sort of style as last year’s, but the colors are basically inverted, what was once orange is now black, and what was black is now orange. Not the most interesting design here. All of the main Trackhouse primaries are present as well.

I don’t think I’d go so far as to say the Tootsies car this week is uninspired, but it sure feels like a far cry from the dynamic liveries we’ve seen in the past. A new Tootsies location will be opening up in Panama City, and the rendition is certainly meant to stand out compared to other designs to make this detail known. For me, it’s a miss. If the 1/64 itself has the special sparkle that the 1/1 car has, this model could be redeemed to some degree, but this is a low tier offering. ​

Autotrader continues to hang on to a couple of races each year. They usually give a race or two to both Austin Cindric and Joey Logano. Each driver gets an inverted version of the same scheme. Joey Logano’s blue based livery was revealed last week, and this week we get the Cindric version with an orange base. This car, like many other Penske cars we’ve seen this year already features the faded logo look that I’m not a fan of. Cindric crashed this car at Atlanta during the spring race there. Finish: P 26.

Discount Tire will spread the wealth across all three full time Penske Teams this year. Even though the brand was largely brought to the Cup series by Cindric and made iconic by his Daytona 500 win, Blaney added his own pages to the story with a huge win at Martinsville a few years ago to send himself to the final round of four. The paint scheme remains unchanged this year. It’s not a flashy scheme, but this just looks like a proper race car. ​

The goofy pickle brand Grillo’s returns to Nascar and Front Row Motorsports in 2026. They will be aboard Todd Gilliland’s No. 34 Mustang for multiple races for 2026. I’ve somehow missed out on most of the Grillo’s cars except for the Sonic/Grillo’s mashup that adorned Ty Gibb’s Camry at Atlanta last year. This car is the better of the two cars for Gilliland this year, and is at the top of my list of schemes for him. This livery received a minor revision compared to last years’ version with a slightly higher cheatline.

While the Robinhood sponsored cars are certainly loud in their appearance, I don’t think they look like a complete paint scheme per se. But 23XL fans looking to get ahold of Corey Heim’s first Cup series 1/64 scale diecast have to wait no longer. ​Mission almost accomplished for Heim as he brought this car home 28th and one lap down during the 2026 Daytona 500, his 8th ever Cup race. I'm sure we'll see him behind the wheel of the 67 more in 2026.

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

Whelen is back with RCR in 2026. Jesse Love will look to demonstrate continued growth in the O'Reilly series. Jesse won 1 race in 2024, 2 races in 2025, and I'd expect him to either meet or exceed that benchmark again this year. The Whelen No. 2 RCR Chevy appears virtually unchanged compared to last year's version. This  is another long-standing and recognizable paint scheme. The car looks good but there's not much excitement to be found.

This will be Sam Mayer's 5th full time season in the O'Reilly series, and his third full season with Haas FT. Mayer has 8 wins in the series, four coming from his time at JRM, and four so far with Haas FT. After Sheldon Creed's impressive victory this past week at Atlanta, these Chevy's look like they will be fast this year, and I think 2 to three wins is truly attainable. This car has Audibel livery has never been produced by Lionel Racing, the lime green foil numbers...

Another Sheldon Creed diecast being offered this week is the updated Ollie's car. The paint scheme looks really good, and the ratios of the colors make sense. The No. 00 is unique, and the sponsor is unique as well. I like this car, and hope it gets produced. Two Sheldon Creed cars in one week is certainly unusual, but maybe that's a sign of things to come for the O.A.P.S. veteran. He has 138 start so far.

Standard Version (Trucks)

Perhaps the most unexpected 1/64 this week is another Truck from the Craftsman series. Tyler Reif ran just one race year in the Truck series. That race with the final of the year at Phoenix. Reif finished in 9th place impressively. He won't be full time in the Truck series this year, but he will be the anchor driver. I expect good things out of this young driver from Henderson, Nevada. This is a good looking truck. I especially like the foil numbers and the light blue mixed in with the black and white primary colors.

Special Sets (Cup)

I give Lionel Racing a lot of credit for consistently trying to tap into Nascar's rich history. It was unknown to me before this set was released that Kyle and Richard Petty swapped seats. Lionel is now offering either as a set, or as individual cars, the 1981 Monte Carlo STP Chevy's that the drivers raced at Riverside. This is a nice little casting, and it's seen some good use in the past. This pari will be really hard to take a pass on.

This was another monster week in the world of 1/64 scale diecast race cars. Special paint schemes, new OEMS, really cool raced diecast all abound in this edition. The 2026 season is officially in full swing. A fantastic week of racing at Daytona has produced some classic race cars that will go down in history. Tyler Reddick capped off the weekend by winning his first Daytona 500. Austin Hill put on another clinic for the O'Reilly field, and Chandler Smith stole the trophy from the rest of the drivers in the Craftsman Truck series. There's that and much more to review, for all the details, read on!

Raced Version: (Daytona)

On what has to have been one of the most thrilling last laps of the Daytona 500 ever, Tyler Reddick emerged from the chaos to surge past Chase Elliott at the last second off of turn four and kept just enough momentum to beat everyone else to the finish line. The redesigned Chumba Casino Camry looks good in my opinion, I know many people don't love this design. Either way, it's now an instant classic. I probably will only order the 1/24 version.

It's stunning to me that the whole O.A.P.S. field knows exactly what Austin Hill can do at Daytona and Talladega, and no matter what, he still wins anyway. As controversial as the driver has been, Hill is undeniably the absolute best right now on drafting tracks. It was good to see Richard Childress in victory lane, and it's good for the sport when RCR is winning. The paint scheme is basic but is becoming iconic.

Chandler Smith wasn't able to race his way into the Daytona 500 with his QuickTie No. 36 FRM Ford Mustang last week. But the sting had to be quickly remedied when he drove his FRM F-150 to a huge win on Friday night. The fish featured Ford came from 6th place with a late push from Ty Majeski in the Thorsport No. 88 Truck to catch up to and pass John Hunter Nemechek on the very last turn. This is a great looking truck that is likely to meet MOQ in all scales.

Standard Versions (Cup)

Chevy: The third 1/64 of the season for SVG is this SuperFile Trackhouse Chevy that seems to so far, be a one-off for Daytona. I haven't heard if the company plans to return for any other races this year, but even if this is a one race only deal, the car is truly wild looking. The fluorescent colors and the presence of Red Bull, WeatherTech, and Wendy's on the car make this a truly unique mash up. One for me please!

Ford: The David Pearson tribute on the Wood Brother's Daytona 500 Mustang was truly epic. The last time we saw this scheme was in 2016 (ten years ago!) when Ryan Blaney raced it at Darlington for the Southern 500 as part of throwback weekend. The Pearson tribute looked right at home on the high banks of Daytona, and Berry finished in 9th place impressively after a wreck filled last lap.

Team Penske does as good a job as anyone at spreading around sponsorship dollars. Discount Tire has been with Team Penske for a long time, but they have primarily backed Austin Cindric, and Ryan Blaney. Now, they bring their support behind Joey Logano. The No. 22 Discount Tire Mustang will make its first appearance at Texas this spring in May. Logano has an average finish of 8.8 at Texas. The paint scheme is unchanged comparative to other cars but it does have Logano's other partners and Capgemini as well.

Toyota: Pye Barker, a nationwide leader in fire prevention solutions, has been a supporter of John Hunter Nemecheck for many years. They were onboard the Legacy Camry for 18 races or so last year, and I expect their significant support to continue in 2026. Last year's Pye Barker car DNP'd. But with smaller runs required for production, I'm more confident that this 1/64 will come to fruition. I'll be preordering this one.

Pala Casino has dabbled in the Cup series for several years. They've bounced from team to team in the past. Now they bring their brand to 23XL where Tyler Reddick will reportedly race this paint scheme twice this year, once at the San Diego street course, and once at Sonoma. I really like this iteration of the Pala Casino car, but it could really benefit from a splash of orange. This is another tier one preorder for me. I own the Nascar Authentics RFK version from 2023, and this one looks to be even better.

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

Just a single JRM Chevy this week. Arby's has been successfully wooed by Dale Jr. and Co. They lunched a notable unveiling on Saturday last week before the first O.A.P.S. race of the season. Carson Kvapil will represent the brand at Atlanta during this upcoming weekend's race, and in April at Rockingham Speedway. As I've said in the past, I'm not a fan of paint schemes that have pictures of actual food on them. I feel the same about this car, but it could be worse.

Blaine Perkins will bring Werner, a trucking company specializing in freight and transportation logistics to the O'Reilly series for multiple races in 2026. Jordan Anderson Racing has notable momentum heading into the new season. With four full time cars, JAR has a meaningful opportunities to win races. Blaine Perkins has enjoyed support from Werner in the past. This paint scheme is almost the same from last year. Only a small section on the lower rear quarter panel with the EasyCare logo is new.

Unlike the JAR No. 31 Chevy, the JAR No. 32 Chevy will see a rotating cast of drivers in 2026. This car here though represents Jordan Anderson. EasyCare was a partner of Jordan Anderson Racing last year as well, and the car's livery is also largely the same. Both of the JAR cars have simple and clear paint schemes that make them easily identifiable, but they each have their own character. If I enjoyed the O.A.P.S. casting more, I'd buy both.

Standard Version (Trucks)

In an effort to not be too long winded, we'll consolidate all of the new Ram Trucks into one segment here. Justin Haley, Mini Tyrrell, Daniel Dye, Brenden Queen, and Tony Stewart all receive the 1/64 treatment for their trucks that they will bring with Kaulig Racing to Daytona. This was a bit launch for Dodge, and the company has fully recommitted to Nascar. In the upcoming years their presence will grow beyond the Truck series.

Special Sets (Cup)

With the tragic passing of Greg Biffle and his family in the off-season, the Nascar community has sought to honor and remember this legendary human and race car driver. RFK brought four Ford Mustangs to Daytona, each of them carrying a door number that was stylized to pay tribute to the same door number style that Biffle used for so many years. Even though Corey Lajoie wasn't able to qualify his Trimble Mustang, this group was the best looking of the bunch and wins the 'best in show' from me.

Even with the delay in racing action this week with the decision to postpone The Clash at Bowman Gray until Wednesday, it’s still shocking how quickly the 2026 season is already upon us. The 16 new preorders that Lionel announced this week are an even better indicator that the 2026 Nascar season truly is in full swing. The massive group of new race cars being offered this week is very evenly divided up. There are four new cars from each of the three OEMs, and there are three O.A.P.S. cars, and one truck. ​There's lots to cover, for more...

Standard Versions (Cup)

Chevy: ​Suarez is taking his talents to Spire for the 2026 season, his tenth full time season in the Cup series. He brings with him Freeway Insurance as he looks to jumpstart Spire’s No. 7 program which has struggled over the past few years with both Corey Lajoie, and Justin Haley. Even with a departure from high profile team Trackhouse, this move feels like it could be good for Suarez. This livery itself is basic, but clean. ​

Rebel Bourbon joined RCR and Kyle Busch in 2024 where they supported Busch for three races. In 2025, they returned and added a race. Rebel Bourbon is back again with RCR in 2026, and this time, the brand is showing off their root beer flavored whiskey. This is the third 1/64 of 2026 for Kyle Busch, and perhaps the best looking! I love this car's character and textured appearance. Kyle Busch is headed into his 22nd full time Cup season. ​

While the overall impact of The Clash this year under severe criticism, the presence of Team AmeriVet and Burt Myers was cool to see. While every educated race fan knew there was little to no chance of Myers making the show, this is a great looking race car, and Myer’s presence enhanced the weather impacted weekend in a positive way. Team AmeriVet had their car produced last year, and with a great livery, I expect this year’s to be produced as well. This is a tier one preorder for me.

We also got a second Spire car this week. This is the first 2026 1/64 scale race car preorder for Michael McDowell. Delaware Life, one of the Group 1001 brands returns to the Spire 71 Chevy. The livery is quite similar to ones we’ve seen in the past. The same base blue color covers the car and it is complimented by blue, teal, and red circular flourishes. I’m not inspired by the way this car looks, but Spire No. 71 cars are more rare. ​

Ford: ​There aren’t many Cindric liveries that catch my attention, but I really like this one. I think the neon colors work well together, and the Frog Tape brand is a fun one! Cindric now approaches his 6th season in the Cup series, and has a single win in each of the past two seasons. I think Cindric improves that stat this year. I’m not a Cindric fan, but if I were to pick up a 2026 Cindric car, this would be the one.

Another week, another Ryan Blaney Mustang that is hidden beneath a car cover. This time around, it’s another Bodyarmor car. This car promises to be a new scheme for Bodyarmor featuring their Flash I.V. line with Caffeine. I’d predict this one may be featured at Atlanta in a few weeks. With another Bodyarmor car leaked on socials, I think we are up for some great stuff from Bodyarmor in 2026.

There have been two Joey Logano schemes revealed this week. One of them is the Pennzoil paint scheme that Logano will race at Las Vegas in March. The other is this AutoTrader Mustang that will drive twice this year at Michigan in June, and at Daytona in August. Both of these cars have upgraded paint schemes, and both of these schemes utilize a faded effect on the secondary colors. I think this is certainly a unique design, but I’m not sure if it works well.

Last month, Lionel Racing announced the preorder for the first Zane Smith 2026 diecast of the year, and a month later, we got a second. The Speedy Cash Mustang is coming back to FRM in 2026, and I’m not sure if we’ve ever had the chance to preorder this car in the past, but I’m psyched we have the chance to now. I’m going to predict that Zane will lead the FRM stable in points in 2026, and this is one of the best looking Smith cars you’ll see this season. ​

Toyota: One of several new and important partners for Denny Hamlin last year was Bob’s Discount Furniture. I had the chance to attend the paint scheme unveiling in person last summer which was a great experience, and a really well done activation. Even if this isn’t the best looking paint scheme out there, the car still stands out. This will be the same design from last year minus a few changes.

The third Christopher Bell 1/64 was announced this week and it’s the best looking of the three so far. Mobile 1 aligned itself with multiple Toyota supported teams in 2025, and that will continue with JGR in 2026. This star spangled race car seems to be a mash up of last year’s Mobile 1 car and the patriotic Rheem car. I prefer last year’s livery to this one, but I prefer the Mobile One scheme to the two DeWalt cars we’ve seen!

The second 1/64 Bubba Wallace car of the year was posted this week. Xfinity, which dropped their title sponsorship of Nascar’s second highest series, is still sticking around in the Nascar world by continuing their partnership with 23XL. This purple car with lighter purple swooshes represents Xfinity’s fiber optic supported internet. I like this scheme, and it will be the one Bubba brings to the Daytona 500.

Chumba Casino turned out to be an important partner for 23XL in 2025, and they hit the jackpot when Bubba Wallace brought the brand to victory lane at Indianapolis following the grand return of the Brickyard 400. The livery that Tyler Reddick brought to Bowman Gray, and will likely race with again this season, gets some nice refinement. The black base stays the same, but interesting, curved, pink slashes swoop all over the Camry. This is the first 1/64 of the year for Reddick, and it vaults to the top tier of my ‘need it’ list.

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

Josh Bilicki has been trying his luck in the O.A.P.S. for nearly a decade. After 107 races, he’s only managed to crack the top 10 once. That finish came in 2021, his only full time season, for Rick Ware in the No. 52 Ford. Bilicki continues to find his way in 2026, and will do so with support from Mando with SS Green Light Racing. This is a basic, but still nice looking paint scheme with complimentary colors. ​

Over the last few seasons, JRM has been very creative with their Brandt paint schemes. They’ve innovated by showcasing the many products that Brandt Agriculture specializes in helping to produce. New this year, and not surprisingly after their collaboration with Traveler Whiskey, but corn, and whiskey in general is now being advertised on the side of Justin Allgaier's race car. This car will debut next week at Daytona and will serve as a precursor to the JRM Cup car. ​

The Corey Day experience continues at Hendrick Motorsports in 2026. Corey Day, the young driver from Clovis, California attempted eleven races last year and came away with one Top 5, and two Top 10s. Day will be taking over full control of the HMS Xfinity flag ship this season. This will be a very telling year for how well the driver can grow and develop. As for the paint scheme, there’s nothing new going on here, just the tried and true Ricky scheme. ​

Standard Versions (Trucks)

Josh Reaume has been around the Craftsman Truck series for many years. He’s netted one Top 10 in his 83 attempts. The Reaume Racing team held a fan vote for their Truck debut paint scheme for the start of the 2026 season. Supported by Ariel Titans distributes new and used forklifts, booms, and lifts. The patriotic paint scheme is known as the ‘Freedom Flyer’ and I think it looks quite cool! I don’t know if this one will get the votes for production, but it deserves them. ​

Just like the snow that’s spread across North Carolina this week, the announcements went from bust, to boom! Last week, we only had six new preorder models to choose from. This week, we have a staggering 14 new cars to cover. There’s a ton of great content that both the Nascar teams and Lionel Racing are putting out. This is an especially significant week for Toyota fans, Front Row Motorsports fans, and Trackhouse Racing fans with multiple releases for each area. We’ll do our best to explain everything that’s now available, read on!

Standard Versions (Cup)

Chevy: The first announced 1/64 of the 2026 season for Austin Dillon is an old and reliable sponsor. Bass Pro Shops and Winchester will be on board the RCR No. 3 Chevy throughout the 2026 speedweeks at Daytona and the 2026 season. This is a brand new look for the RCR Chevy, and has strong themes of Dale Sr. This will go into my tier 2 for needs. The color ratios are good, but I'm not sure about the side profile.

It’s truly strange to see a Haas branded race car coming out of the Chevy stables. In 2016, what was once known as Stewart Haas Racing, announced an OEM switch from Chevrolet to Ford. They’ve raced blue ovals since the 2017 season but now, the one remaining entity of the original company will return to the Chevy racing fold. The Haas Tooling colors look good on just about anything and with the new nose on the Chevy’s this season, this is a nice refresh. This is another tier one preorder for me. ​

Every year, Trackhouse racing uses The Clash as a way to infuse some of the team’s very unique energy into their liveries. The paint schemes aren’t loyal to any of the companies that sponsor their cars, but rather act as a montage of all that is to come. This year, Connor Zilisch gets a blue and black Chevy with neon highlights. These cars aren’t my cup of tea, but I think they are often very underrated by fans. ​

Just like the car Connor Zilisch will be driving at The Clash, SVG will also sit behind the wheel of a specially designed Trackhouse Chevy. Last year, Shane’s car had a base color of blue, this year, it’s gray. Like his comrade's car, this one too has black zigzag lines, and neon highlights. It also showcases SVG’s central partners for his 2026 campaign. I think both of these cars look especially sharp with the Red Bull detailing across the nose.

Ford: The dreaded car cover returns in 2026 for the first time. Ryan Blaney’s Bodyarmor cars are often notoriously kept under wraps for months forcing Blaney fans to roll the dice on a preorder. You typically can’t go wrong with a Bodyarmor themed race car, and this one promises to be patriotic. It’s probably a safe bet that this car will be featured at the Coke 600, but for now, we’ll just have to wait and see. I'll probably wait until I see this one.

Love’s probably doesn’t get the credit it’s due for the company’s commitment to Nascar. They’ve supported Front Row Motorsports for well over a decade, and the very recognizable red, orange, and yellow colors are back again in 2026. Gilliland’s Love’s Mustang is virtually unchanged compared to last year's design. As FRM cars are harder to come by, I’ll be putting this in my tier one priorities, especially since my last Love’s 1/64 is one that represents Michael McDowell.

Toyota: National Debt Relief came onboard with Denny Hamlin and JGR in 2025. They covered four races early on in the 2025 season and were an important stopgap when Fedex resigned from the sport. N.D.R. will once again partner with the JGR No. 11 team in 2026 and they are in line to be on Hamlin's Camry at Daytona. This is a pretty good looking race car. It's hard to take boring logos and make them look great.

Landing a partner like Progressive Insurance was a major accomplishment for Joe Gibbs Racing. Replacing the financial stream provided by Fedex likely took immense effort. In a time when most insurance brands have left Nascar, to bring one like Progressive in is almost shocking. Denny Hamlin won three races for Progressive in 2025. The car gets a nice little upgrade for 2026 with some extra white paneling around the C-post. Another nice car.

I know what JGR is trying to do here, but I'm just not convinced. The two different brands represented on Christopher Bell's Camry don't go well together. I think that if you had to smoosh these two logos together on one car, this is about as good of a job as anyone could do, but this, in my opinion, is just a bad looking race car. To each their own, but for me, this is a non-stater. This will be Bell's 7th season in the Cup series, and 6th with JGR. He has 13 career wins and will be a contender this year.

We've been waiting weeks for 23XL to finally break in with some diecast preorder announcements. Their first 2026 diecast is this Robinhood supported Camry for Bubba Wallace. The big news lately has been the exodus of major Nascar sponsor, McDonalds. Picking up the slack for 23XL in 2026 will be Hardees, and Robinhood. The largely online platform seeks to create financial growth opportunities for all in a new age of technology.

The last Toyota this week is the Legacy Motor Club Advent Health Camry that will be driven in 2026 by Erik Jones. This car truly flew in under the radar because it seems like Legacy M.C. bought out nearly the entire run. This car isn't just a preorder, it's available now. You can pick up a copy if you look on the team's website, or eBay. Advent Health has supported multiple teams in the Nascar world, but perhaps this iteration is the best looking one yet.

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

Just one O.A.P.S. car this week, and it's the return of one of the most recognizable. Justin Allgaier and Brandt Professional Agriculture are back again in 2026. Justin's car has gotten a bit of a refresh this year with a darker green replacing the almost black accents from last year's version. The corncob numbers, and usual JRM flair are all over this car, and there's also now an addition of the Arby's logo which will be a new and important partner for JRM in 2026.

Standard Versions (Trucks)

One of the best things about Nascar taking some chances and trying some new things is the interest that it garners from drivers you'd never expect. Jimmie Johnson is returning to the Truck series for the first time since 2008 to race a Tricon Garage Tundra at the San Diego road race in June. He'll bring along with him the support of car sales giant, Carvana. I don't preorder many 1/64 scale trucks, but Lionel's casting is quite good, and this truck looks amazing as well. Put this down as a tier one.

The final release of the week to go over is another FRM entry. Layne Riggs is a true Nascar personality, and he will continue to grow and thrive in the Truck series in 2026. With the continued support from Love's Travel Stops, Riggs will not only be contending for wins, but the 2026 championship. His F-150 is quite basic looking, but still is instantly recognizable. This isn't on my short list for preorder, but I can see why it will be for many other collectors.

On this week's edition of the Diecast Update, we've got a solid bunch of 1/64 preorders to take a closer look at. As you can see by this week's thumbnail photo, there's a bunch of red, black and orange! We have at least one representative from each of the three Cup series OEMs, and a pair of raced late model stock cars to investigate as well. This has certainly been a down week with fewer liveries announced, but a few of these are big time sponsors that have purchased multiple races in 2026. Without further delay, let's take a look at what's up for preorder for the week of 1/26.

Standard Versions (Cup)

Chevy: ​Chevy is the only manufacture that has two cars for the Cup series this time around. The first, is this Choice Privileges Chevy that Ross Chastain will drive for Trackhouse Racing. Choice Privileges was a partner with Trackhouse last year, but was displayed primarily on Daniel Suarez's car (six races). Chastain had one race with the company, but I'd guess we'll see more on the No. 1 Chevy now.

Even after losing Kroger, and many of the major grocery store's affiliated brands, Hyak continues do effectively market Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and their style of racing. The first 1/64 of the year for Stenhouse will be this red Chef Boyardee Chevy. This is one of my least favorite preorder offerings of the year so far. As I've said in the past, I'm not usually a big fan of liveries that showcase the product. This is clearly an example of that. I'll be staying away.

Ford Next up is our only Mustang of the week. Front Row Motorsports and Noah Gragson announced that Rush Truck Centers would be returning to support the Gragson and the No. 4 Ford for several races this year. They've stuck with Gragson since his SHR days. To my eye, the Rush scheme is virtually unchanged compared to last year's with just the addition of MillerTech on the C post. I'll be preordering this.

Toyota: The only Camry of the week is the second 1/64 announcement for Chase Briscoe. Last week we got the Free Bird water livery, and this week we get the instantly recognizable Bass Pro livery for 2026. This is another scheme that is virtually unchanged. I'm a little surprised Free Bird isn't represented more prominently, but it is on the B post. You can also see on this rendering, along with the others, the new rear window OEM banner. I have last year's 1/64, so I'll skip this.

LMSC/CARS Tour

Lionel Racing continues to take full advantage of the many opportunities that the 1/64 scale Late Model Stock Car offers. This past year saw many thrilling and historic races with important winners that have been emerging onto the racing scene. One of those is Branden Lopez. Up for preorder is this great looking blue and orange LMSC Chevy SS that Lopez raced to victory at Ashboro in 2025. There's a great story you can read about this important win, here.

You'd have to really be living under a rock to not know that Keelan Harvick, the son of racing legend, Kevin Harvick, is truly making a name for himself in the CARS Tour. Keelan won a big one at the Snowflake 125 in this awesome Christmas themed race car that he drove for Rackley W.A.R. If they can really squeeze every detail that this car has on a 3-inch piece of zinc, I'm going to have to get one of these. I'll wait to see what the finished product looks like but kudos for even trying.

Nine new preorders this week have arrived from Lionel Racing, giving 1/64 scale collectors lots of interesting new collecting options. There’s a great mixture of cars from the Cup series with all three OEMs receiving at least one new representative. Small teams flourish in this round with Legacy M.C., Frontrow Motorsports, and JRM all providing some interesting liveries. There’s also three O.A.P.S. Camaro’s, one of them coming from the Alpha Prime Racing stables, and a huge announcement from JRM regarding their second Cup start, for more...

Standard Versions (Cup)

Chevy: The Anheuser Busch company has been one of the longest lasting and most influential sponsors in the Cup series, and they will continue on with that tradition in 2026. Ross Chastain is entering his fifth season with Trackhouse Racing, and he’s got six wins to his name over that span. I certainly believe he will add to that stat in 2026, perhaps from behind the wheel of this undated Busch Light scheme.

The career of Justin Allgaier is a unique one. Even as perhaps the most important litmus test in the O.A.P.S. garage, he also maintains an impressive Cup resumé. JRM places a lot of stock in Allgaier and last year he was selected to drive the first ever JRM Cup series entry in the Daytona 500. The team will be running it back in 2026 in this completely refreshed No. 40 Traveller Whiskey Chevy. From neatly designed contingency stickers, to a great palette, this is a stunner, hopefully it make the 500.

Ford: Zane Smith has been one of the most consistent outliers in the Cup series field over the past few seasons. Since FRM reestablished itself as a three car team, Smith has written the book on doing the most with some of the least. It's been great to have Aaron's back in Nascar over the past few years, and the Lucky Dog No. 38 is up for preorder. This car didn't reach MOQ last year but I think that changes this time around.

Toyota: The No. 19 program at JGR has been one that’s maintained great support from sponsors like Bass Pro over the last several seasons. With the exodus of Martin Truex Jr., a lot of questions persisted about whether or not JRG would be able to maintain the prestige that the #19 car carried with emerging driver Chase Briscoe. Not only did Briscoe rise to the occasion in 2025, but he has now attracted interest from Free Bird.

As we explained in last week's edition of the Diecast Update, Dollar Tree has been a pillar of Legacy Motor Club. Not only will they be sponsoring John Hunter Nemechek this year, but they will also adorn the No. 43 Legacy Camry as well. Jones is now entering his 10th full time season in the Cup series, and he will be looking to steal a win for the first time since 2022. Under equipped, but not without talent, maybe this car will find victory lane in 2026.

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

Moving on into the O.A.P.S., we get a pretty big update about who Carson Kvapil will be supported by this year. After the announcement was made the he and Connor Zilisch would be ride sharing the No. 1 JRM Camaro, the question turned to how the sponsorship on the race car would be divided up and shared. Kvapil will maintain his support from Bass Pro Shops, in 2026, and the car gets a sharp refresh. The jagged orange lines give big McMurray vibes.

JRM will also welcome a new partner for 2026 with Champion Irrigation. This is a very eye catching livery, and makes some strong utilizations of the company's dark blue and gold colors. JRM always uses an impressive formula to devise quality schemes that get brands recognized. From what I can tell, it remains to be seen how many races Champion will be onboard for.

We have heard very little from any O.A.P.S. teams aside from JRM about scheme for 2026. Up until now, only JRM has collaborated with Lionel Racing to bring race fans 1/64 preorder options, but now we get our first alternative, a loud and eye catching Camaro from Alpha Prime to be driven by Brennan Poole. Alpha Prime Racing has been doing some interesting things in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, and they have momentum. Keep an eye on their cars .

Special/Fantasy

As both a big diecast fan, a big believer in the beauty of old race cars, you can't be surprised at all to see JRM and Dale Jr. taking a chance at offering fans this really interesting fantasy model of a 1978 Monte Carlo decorated in virtually the same scheme as the one Justin Allgaier will dive on the No. 40 JRM Chevy during speed weeks and hopefully into the Daytona 500 as well. For big time collectors, this car will make a nice stable mate to the 1/64 Next Gen.

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!

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.

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.

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.

2025 Cup Series

The countdown to both the end of the year and the Daytona 500 is rolling on quickly. We've got another nice bunch of 1/64s that have been announced for preorder, most of them are new for 2026 with a couple of outliers. Three of the four Hendrick Motorsports teams provided new liveries this week that will all be getting the 1/64 treatment. There is a group of Mustangs to take a look at as well for the Ford collectors, and there's a couple of special 2025 'Rookie of the Year' 1/64s that will be offered in the special 'galaxy coat' finish. For that and more, read on...

Standard Versions (Cup)

Chevy: This may be a bad take to some, but I really don't care for this KBB iteration at all. I don't understand what the graphic design boss of the No. 9 team is really going for this year. In my opinion, this is another miss from the HMS design department. Normally the Kelly Blue Book car is one of my favorite cars that Chase runs. I like the power blue base coat, and the usually pinstripes that regularly make up the scheme. But the wavy navy is a big no for me.

William Byron has had his second livery of the year announced this week. We actually missed his first preorder of the year which was the less than thrilling 'All-Pro' car. HP which has been a longtime partner of HMS will bring their brand onboard the HMS No. 24 Chevy this season with this very bland, yet still effective white and blue livery. I do think this car is sort of interesting, but it feels like an opportunity missed.

There are no changes to William Byron's Cincinnati paint scheme compared to last year's version. The scheme was really made famous when Bryon race it to a win at Martinsville last fall solidifying his place in the championship round. Cincinnati committed to two races with the 24 team last year. I'd imagine a similar commitment for the 2026 season as well. This is a patriotic livery that is interesting, but I don't think it really helps to identify the brand.

Alex Bowman notches his first 1/64 preorder of the 2026 season this week. Ally Financial will continue to be the main supporter of Alex Bowman and the No. 48 team. I like this livery better than anything else I've seen from Hendrick so far, and this car gets the easy vote from me for scheme of the week. The purple teal and white colors with a dynamic and aggressive looking livery make this race car a standout.

Ford: Noah Gragson is back with FRM in 2026. When me made the move from SHR, he brought with him MillerTech. The electrifying blue black and yellow Mustang gets a bit of an update this season as the nose clip features quite a bit more blue. MillerTech ran three races last year with FRM, and I anticipate a similar commitment from the commercial battery supplier this season.

Body Guard, which is Fastenal's exclusive line of safety gear will once again take up primary real estate on Chris Buescher's No. 17 RFK Mustang in 2026. Body Guard picked up about seven races last season for Buescher, I expect a similar commitment this season. Orange and black almost always look good on a race car. Throw in some orange foil door numbers, and you're in business. This is the first 1/64 scale preorder of the year for Buescher.

This week we also get preorder number 2 for Josh Berry and the Wood Brothers. eero provides reliable and secure mesh wifi solutions and they've been a partner with Berry since his SHR days. Their primary paint scheme gets a nice upgrade this season that both looks cool, and does a great job showcasing the service the company offers. The livery illustrates steady waves of broadband moving outward across the car from the nose. This will be a good looking model, one I'm excited about.

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

Rajah Caruth will be making another big career move in 2026. He'll be running the full slate of O.A.P.S. races behind the wheel of the No. 88 JRM Camaro. This is the 7th JRM 1/64 of the 2026 season so far for JRM, and the 1st overall for Rajah. The expectations are going to be very high for Caruth this year and the competition level is perhaps as high as it has ever been. The Hendrickcars.com livery is the usual design again in 2026.

Rookie of the Year

The new paint schemes for 2026 continued to come in steadily this week. A big contingent of Hendrick and JRM cars have been announced and they make up the majority of this week's highlights. There are two liveries for Chase Elliott in this round, and one of them is a brand new Napa scheme for 2026. JRM has also elected to honor the late Dale Earnhardt with a special livery that will adorn three of the JRM Camaros in cooperation with Carolina Carports. There's an interesting bunch of details to discuss this week, so for more, read on.

​Standard Versions (Cup)

Chevy: As I heard someone I know say, 'being a fan of a driver who never changes their paint is an underrated experience.' That's probably a true sentiment for many as Kyle Larson is one of the last guys who race the same paint scheme in virtually every race, year in and year out. The biggest difference this year comes in the form of a new nose. This will be Larson's 14th season in Cup and his 6th year with HMS.

The second Kyle Busch livery we've had released in as many weeks is the Lucas Oil Chevy that Busch will drive in select races during the 2025 season. Lucas Oil has supported Kyle Busch since he joined RCR, and that relationship continues. The Lucas Oil paint scheme is virtually unchanged this year. I'd be holding off on this preorder as it seems quite plain without any other contingency sponsors.

Unifirst is back with HMS in 2026. They are the first featured primary livery for Chase Elliott in 2026. The Unifirst livery remains largely unchanged. In fact, I can't see any  differences from last year's version. I actually really like this scheme and prefer it to most of Chase's other cars. UniFirst has steadily been increasing their sponsorship, going from four races in 2024, to 5 in 2025. Look for a similar commitment for the 2026 season.

The Napa scheme has comparatively gotten a complete refresh for 2026. A mixed base of both white and blue are featured on different parts of the car and the biggest detail has to be the blue foil number. Typically, Hendrick cars don't run foil numbers, so this is interesting to most of the Chase Elliott fans I've heard from. The livery looks good, but feels just a tad incomplete around the nose. Maybe it will grow on me, but it's so far, just second best this year to the former UniFirst scheme.

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

We get three new O.A.P.S. cars each from JRM, each wearing a special livery designed By Sam Bass to pay homage to the late Dale Earnhardt. Dale never drove the car, but the design was saved, and will not be used. Carolina Carports will support Connor Zilisch, Justin Allgaier, and Ross Chastain in 2026. This could be a really cool lineup of 1/64s should anyone be interested in ordering all three. I'd say your chances of getting a raced version are good as well.

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...

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?

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.

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.

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.