Lionel Racing has confirmed the third wave of its 2026 NASCAR Authentics diecast line, and the lineup is a straightforward mix of current-season Cup and O'Reilly Auto Parts Series liveries rather than a throwback or victory-themed release. Six drivers get new 1:64 scale diecast, including a Liquid Color chase variant built around Rajah Caruth's HendrickCars.com car.
It is worth being precise about which Lionel sub-line this actually is. NASCAR Authentics and Winner's Circle are two distinct product lines from Lionel, each with its own separate wave numbering, and this release belongs to Authentics, currently on Wave 3.
Winner's Circle, by contrast, is Lionel's dedicated victory-lane commemorative line, built specifically around race-winning liveries, and it is currently on its own Wave 2. The two lines should not be confused just because both come from the same manufacturer in the same calendar year.
Here is what is actually in Authentics Wave 3, and how it compares to the Wave 1 release that came before it.
NASCAR Authentics is Lionel's mainline 1:64 scale diecast program, covering standard sponsor liveries as cars actually race that season. Winner's Circle is a separate line built entirely around commemorating specific race wins, complete with replicated victory lane damage and scuffs.
Because each line runs its own wave numbering independently, Authentics Wave 3 and Winner's Circle Wave 2 are simply two different products released around the same time, not two names for the same wave.
Wave 3 brings Brad Keselowski in BuildSubmarines.com colors, Chase Elliott in NAPA colors, Ross Chastain in Carolina Carports colors, Denny Hamlin in National Debt Relief colors, William Byron in Valvoline colors, and Rajah Caruth in HendrickCars.com colors. Caruth's HendrickCars.com car doubles as the wave's Liquid Color chase piece, a limited insert version of the same paint scheme.
This wave is notable as the first of the 2026 season to feature only diecast pulled from the current season's liveries rather than mixing in throwback paint schemes from earlier waves.
Every car in Wave 3 reflects a standard sponsor livery as it ran during the 2026 season, with no race-winning or victory-lane styling involved. That is an important distinction from Winner's Circle, whose entire identity is built around commemorating specific wins down to the replicated confetti and scuffs.
Collectors who specifically want race-winning liveries should look at Winner's Circle's own Wave 2 release rather than expecting that theme here.
Authentics Wave 1 leaned on six Darlington throwback liveries, giving that earlier wave a retro design theme across the board. Wave 3 drops the throwback angle entirely in favor of current-season sponsor colors, making the two waves feel noticeably different side by side.
That shift is worth knowing if you are deciding which wave to prioritize for a themed display, since Wave 1 and Wave 3 are not really interchangeable on visual style even though they are part of the same numbered sub-line.
Both Authentics and Winner's Circle stick to 1:64 scale, the same size most mainline Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars use. That shared scale makes NASCAR diecast easy to display alongside a broader diecast collection without a jarring size mismatch.
It also keeps individual cars affordable enough that collecting a full wave of five or six liveries stays realistic for most budgets, compared to larger 1:24 scale NASCAR diecast aimed at display-piece collectors.
Loose 1:64 diecast is easy to chip or scuff once it leaves its blister packaging, particularly around sharp body lines and mirrors. A dedicated diecast protector sized for 1:64 scale cars keeps a new Wave 3 car safe whether it stays in the package or gets displayed loose.
For a collector building out a full Wave 3 run, an acrylic modular case gives a clean way to display all six liveries together rather than leaving them scattered across a shelf.
No, NASCAR Authentics and Winner's Circle are separate Lionel sub-lines with separate wave numbering.
Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, and Rajah Caruth, whose car also doubles as the wave's Liquid Color chase piece.
No, Wave 3 features standard current-season sponsor liveries rather than throwbacks.
1:64 scale, the same size as most mainline Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars.
Lionel's separate Winner's Circle line, currently on its own Wave 2, is built specifically around race wins.
Six liveries and a chase piece give Wave 3 a solid, current-season snapshot of the 2026 NASCAR field without wandering into throwback or victory-lane territory. Lionel has already followed Wave 3 with Wave 4, so collectors catching up now have more than one current-season wave worth tracking down.
Whether you are keeping Wave 3 sealed or building a loose display, start with a dedicated 1:64 scale diecast protector before anything leaves its original packaging.
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