NASCAR has announced the official formation of the NASCAR Teams Licensing Trust, an industry-operated organization composed of NASCAR and participating racing teams. The NASCAR Teams Licensing Trust will manage the intellectual property rights for the teams and NASCAR in categories including apparel, collectible 
die-casts, toys, and trackside retail, with more licensing categories to be added in the future. NASCAR and the teams will manage their own respective licensing rights in categories outside the Licensing Trust.
To kick off the new formation, the NASCAR Teams Licensing Trust has partnered in a joint venture with Lionel Electric Trains to make and sell NASCAR replica die-cast race cars. Both the Licensing Trust and Lionel will actively manage and develop the business.
Lionel plans to offer die-cast models representing all of the teams and the more than 30 NASCAR national series drivers who are participating in the Licensing Trust. Lionel will take over the category from Motorsports Authentics, which will instead focus on trackside retail and be the exclusive die-cast car retailer at NASCAR tracks around the country.
