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Everything You Need to Know About Round 2’s Lionel Acquisition

Photo by Lionel Brands Group

Kauy Ostlien

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Royal T Grafix

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What’s Happening?

Round 2 has officially closed on its purchase of Lionel LLC, including its Lionel Racing brand. Here’s everything you need to know about the sale and what’s to come of the new Lionel Brands Group.

In late February, there were many rumors making the rounds that Round 2, known for producing brands like Johnny Lightning and Racing Champions, was looking to acquire Lionel and its line of brands.

On February 20, Lionel disclosed to the Daily Downforce that Round 2 did intend to purchase the company, though the transaction was still incomplete.

Per a Wednesday morning press release, the acquisition is officially completed, with Round 2 closing the deal for Lionel on March 2, and merging into the newly named Lionel Brands Group. This means that the combined force of Round 2 and Lionel has created a portfolio including in-house and licensed brands like:

  • Round 2
  • Lionel
  • Lionel Racing
  • Auto World
  • American Muscle
  • MPC
  • Polar Lights
  • The Lindberg Line
  • Hawk
  • Johnny Lightning
  • Racing Champions Mint
  • AMT
  • Mini Metals
  • Big Country Toys

While Lionel Brands Group is its own entity, it is a subsidiary of Praesidian Capital, a private equity firm based in Larchmont, New York.

As of press time, there seems to be no plans to make major overhauls to anything related to the brands, beyond the new name.

In February, regarding their then-pending acquisition by Round 2, Lionel told the Daily Downforce, “In the near term, it remains business as usual. Our priority is maintaining continuity and supporting the programs already underway.”

Specifically for NASCAR fans, while it is worth noting that the Racing Champions (a former staple of the NASCAR diecast landscape) and NASCAR licenses are under the same banner, things are going on as planned, as Lionel Racing recently announced the first 2026 Wave of NASCAR Authentics diecast.

For now, the brand’s new website has yet to have any hints towards future plans, though the site promises that there is more to come.

Let us know your thoughts on this! Join the discussion on Discord or X, and remember to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for more updates. 

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Cleetus McFarland’s First NASCAR Diecast is Officially Available for Pre-Order

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Lionel has officially opened pre-orders for Garrett Mitchell’s (better known as Cleetus McFarland) first-ever NASCAR diecast.

  • This announcement comes as part of his upcoming debut in NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series next month. While the sponsor, Tommy’s Express Car Wash, and car number, No. 33, are known, there has yet to be an official render of his paint scheme released to the public.
  • Lionel Racing is offering two diecast options for Mitchell: the first option is the 1:64 scale diecast at $11.75, and the second is a 1:24 scale diecast at $70.00. As of press time, it appears the car will not receive any other options, such as Special Finishes like Color Chrome or Galaxy Colored.
  • Mitchell announced his first NASCAR OAP Series race on Wednesday afternoon, signing a two-year, three-race-per-year deal with RCR. This is a major step for the YouTube star turned NASCAR driver, who made his ARCA debut last season.
  • Due to his popularity both in and out of NASCAR, Mitchell’s diecast may be one of the most anticipated in recent memory. Many race fans are already giving bold predictions for the large order quantity this car will receive by the time it reaches production.

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

BRISTOL, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 11: Garrett Mitchell, also known as Cleetus McFarland, driver of the #30 Kenetik Ford waits on the grid prior to the ARCA Menards Series Bush's Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 11, 2025 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

UPDATE: Cleetus McFarland Will Race in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series This Year

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

YouTube star-turned-NASCAR driver Garrett Mitchell, best known by his online persona Cleetus McFarland, has signed a part-time deal to race with Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for the next two seasons.

UPDATE 3:00 PM EST: Per RCR Mitchell will make his debut at Rockingham Speedway on April 4.

  • Mitchell announced his signing with RCR in a Wednesday afternoon post on his Facebook. The 30-year-old says that RCR reached out, offering to make him “a better driver and give you an opportunity to grow in this sport.”
  • The Floridaian will drive the team’s part-time No. 33 on a part-time basis over the next two seasons. Mitchell claims in his post that the deal is three races a year, but hints it could be more, saying “3 races a year right now.”
  • Mitchell, who made his NASCAR debut last season with a four-race schedule in the ARCA Menards Series, has brought a legion of fans to NASCAR in his few starts. So far, Mitchell has made five career starts in the ARCA Menards Series and one in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
  • That start in the Truck Series, at Daytona earlier this season, was a spark of controversy, as, after crashing in his test for approval, Mitchell crashed himself early on in the race. While he has his supporters, including many in the garage area, this move up the NASCAR ladder will likely see some pushback from fans across the board.
  • As of press time, Mitchell has yet to announce his first race of this part-time schedule with RCR.

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. 

AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 16: Pato O'Ward of Mexico and Arrow McLaren IndyCar team looks on in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 16, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Pato O’Ward Backtracks on Comments About NASCAR Double Header

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

NTT IndyCar Series fan favorite driver Pato O’Ward jokingly backtracked on his comments in which he said he was “sick and tired” of IndyCar being treated like a “support race” on joint NASCAR weekends, in a recent social media post.

This past weekend, ahead of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series joint race weekend with the NTT IndyCar Series at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward told reporters that while he likes the joint race weekends, he does not like IndyCar being treated as a support race.

“I think it’s a good thing. I’m sick and tired of IndyCar being like the support race.” – Pato O’Ward

This was, of course, in reference to the upcoming joint weekend at Phoenix Raceway in which the NTT IndyCar Series opens action on Saturday before the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race that night, and the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday afternoon.

These comments, nonetheless, have sparked a debate over IndyCar’s stature within the fabric of North American Motorsports. Many have called out O’Ward for his comments, while others agree that IndyCar should always be held to the same bar as NASCAR on a race weekend.

Wednesday morning, in reaction to the rating report from this past weekend, in which NASCAR scored 3.9 million viewers for the Cup Series race at COTA, and IndyCar scored 1.4 million viewers at St. Petersburg, O’Ward somewhat jokingly backtracked on his passionate take.

In a post to social media, O’Ward joked, “I stand corrected, I’m so happy to be here with NASCAR this weekend.”

Questions Left Unanswered

Of course, this debate is far from over, as this weekend is an interesting reflection on the state of motorsports in the United States.

A point made by many on both sides of this debate is that while the Cup Series gets its own raceday, the IndyCar Series is sharing Saturday with the OAP Series, even opening for NASCAR’s second-highest national series that afternoon.

This weekend is not the first time the two series have shared a race day, doing so at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in 2020. But, even that weekend, the IndyCar Series, at their home track, raced before the then Xfinity Series.

Nonetheless, it’s hard to evenly split attention in a weekend where the three most popular American oval racing series are all competing at one track.

For one, FOX Sports has done a solid job of promoting both series as equals ahead of this weekend, with the brand promoting it as the “Desert Double,” highlighting the IndyCar Series as an equal to the Cup Series.

All things aside, if this weekend is a success, who’s to say that the two series don’t grow their relationship in the future, sharing some tracks that many IndyCar fans have longed to see return to the series calendar.

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