UPDATE October 8, 2019 at 12:30 PM ET:
Lionel NASCAR has updated their users based on what an employee of their team told a fan who was inquiring about a 1:64 scale diecast of Todd Gilliland’s Martinsville win truck.
The update in the Lionel NASCAR Members Forum states:
“We would like to clarify the comments made above in regards to the “Team not supporting the program,” as they are inaccurate. The team did provide us the green light to produce whatever scale die-cast we thought would sell in the marketplace. Lionel Racing determined to offer the 1:24-scale only based on the lateness in the season and challenges of replication of race wins at the 1:64-scale. This was our company’s decision and not directed by the team.”
A very anticipated die cast that has been announced by Lionel NASCAR is Todd Gilliland’s 1:24 scale first NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports win truck from Martinsville.
However, when a fan reached out to Lionel to inquire if a 1:64 scale of the truck would be produced, the die cast creator had an interesting answer for the fan, who’s Twitter handle is @RacingFireman.
@nascar_opinion. Lionel Racing just broke the news we all knew. @DrunkBrianF. @jeff_gluck pic.twitter.com/qm3zfCNIII
— The Racing Fireman (@RacingFireman) November 7, 2019
In the message back, Lionel tells the fan that the damage to the No. 4 truck will be too difficult to produce with decals.
They could have stopped there, and that would have been sufficient enough. But the Lionel employee continued by saying the team (KBM), “is not really supporting this program since [Gilliland] is out of the truck next year.”
Although it has been rumored by many — including Corey LaJoie on his Sunday Money Podcast in recent weeks — this is the first time someone who produces merchandise has seemingly confirmed that Gilliland will not return to KBM next season.
