Highlights
- This set features the Hot Wheels Impala casting with premium features such as a striking red interior, grey RRS wheels and race inspired black trim with rivet detailing around the windows.
- Don Nicholson piloted a 409 powered Chevrolet to victory in the Stock Eliminator class at the inaugural 1961 NHRA Winternationals in Pomona.
TrackDiecast Collect-O-Meter Score: 63 out of 100 → Collector Worthy ⭐️⭐️⭐️- Nicholson earned his famous nickname as a master technician at a Chevrolet dealership, where he was one of the first to operate a chassis dynamometer.
Overview
Hot Wheels features automotive history with the Team Transport set number 87, featuring a meticulously detailed Hot Wheels Impala and a matching Horizon Hauler. This set displays the golden era of American drag racing.
’61 Hot Wheels Impala
The centerpiece of this set is the ’61 Impala, which wears the authentic livery of the legendary NHRA racer ‘Dyno Don Nicholson’. Notably, Nicholson piloted this vehicle to a historic victory at the 1961 Winternationals. The casting captures this legacy through precise tampos, including ‘Dyno Don Nicholson’, ‘Mr. Stock Elim’ and the numbers 61 – 62. Furthermore, the car features detailed headlights and taillights, checkered flags and various contingency sponsor logos such as Holley.
True to the premium nature of the Team Transport line, both vehicles feature metal on metal construction and Real Rider wheels. The Hot Wheels Impala, originally designed by Mike Nuttall, boasts a white body with a striking red interior and a ZAMAC base. It utilizes grey Real Riders Steelie wheels to maintain its period correct look.
Introduced in 2012, this casting has 14 variations as of 2026. Hot Wheels has released this casting in Mainlines, Multipacks, Mattel Indonesia Employee Exclusive 2-Packs and Premiums including Fast & Furious and Team Transport. Hot Wheels has released it twice in Team Transport series, first as part of set number 54 with ’72 Chevy Ramp Truck.
Horizon Hauler
The Horizon Hauler provides the perfect mechanical companion for the Impala. Mark Jones designed this generic flatbed truck, which first entered the Hot Wheels lineup in 2020. For set #87, it carries a matching white and grey livery, complete with the Dyno Don branding on the doors and rear panels. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the hauler features Smoke tinted windows for a sleek, modern finish and a sturdy metal base for a substantial, premium feel.
As of 2026, Horizon Hauler has 9 variations, 6 in Team Transports and 3 in various collector sets.
Key Details
Set Details
| Attributes | Details |
| Release Year | 2026 |
| Manufacturer | Mattel |
| Brand | Hot Wheels |
| Segment | Premium |
| Assortment | Car Culture |
| Series | Team Transport |
| Theme | Drag Racing |
| Mix Number | 01 |
| Set Number | 02 |
| Series Index | 87 |
| Scale | 1:64 |
| Wheels | Real Riders |
| Body Material | Metal |
| Base Material | Metal |
| Region | International |
| Country of Origin | Thailand |
Car Details
| Attribute | Details |
| Make | Chevrolet |
| Car Casting Name | 1961 Chevrolet Impala |
| Casting | Existing |
| Casting Designer | Mike Nuttall |
| Art Director | Steve Vandervate |
| Casting Release Year | 2012 |
| Casting Code | V5325 |
| Base Codes | U35A, U39A, U41A, U45A, U48A |
| Base Color | Silver |
| Body Color | Gloss White |
| Interior Color | Red |
| Window Color | Clear |
| Livery / Graphics | Dyno Don Nicholson, Mr. Stock Elim |
| Decals / Sponsors | Goodyear |
| Wheel Type | RR-S Real Riders Steelie |
| Real-world car exists? | Yes |
Transporter Details
| Attribute | Details |
| Make | Horizon Hauler |
| Transporter Casting Name | Horizon Hauler |
| Casting | Existing |
| Casting Designer | Mark Jones |
| Casting Release Year | 2020 |
| Casting Code | GJT39 |
| Base Codes | U35A, U39A, U41A, U45A, U48A |
| Base Color | Silver |
| Body Color | Gloss White |
| Interior Color | Green |
| Window Color | Clear |
| Livery / Graphics | Dyno Don Nicholson, Mr. Stock Elim |
| Decals / Sponsors | Goodyear |
| Wheel Type | RR-S Real Riders Steelie |
| Cab Style | Conventional Cab (Long Nose) |
| Trailer Type | Flatbed |
| Loading Mechanism | Slide-Out Ramp |
| Real-world transporter exists? | No |
TrackDiecast Collect-O-Meter Score
| Attribute | Score (1-5) | Reasoning |
| Car / Vehicle | 4 | The 1961 Chevrolet Impala is one of the most recognizable American cars of the early 1960s. ’61 Chevy Impala is a genuine American cultural and automotive icon. It is especially popular among classic American car enthusiasts, lowrider collectors, drag racing fans and Hot Wheels collectors. The set showcases the ‘Dyno Don Nicholson’ livery which was used on his Impala in 1962, a historically specific drag racing presentation. While iconic within American automotive culture, it does not have the same universal recognition among global collectors like Ferrari 250 GTO or Porsche 911. |
| Transporter / Hauler | 3 | The Horizon Hauler is an original Hot Wheels transporter introduced for the Team Transport series. It has become a familiar casting and has appeared in numerous premium releases. It is unlicensed flatbed hauler rather than a recreation of a historically significant transporter. It enjoys moderate collector popularity but lacks the prestige of the Fleet Flyer, Mercedes-Benz Renntransporter or Fiat Bartoletti. It is appreciated within the Team Transport collecting community for its open top display format, but it is not among the top-tier most popular haulers. Recognizable and liked, but not legendary. |
| Motorsport Heritage | 4 | The production 1961 Impala was primarily a full size passenger car. The Impala name has a long association with drag racing and NASCAR in the early 1960s. This particular Team Transport release is themed around Dyno Don Nicholson’s Chevrolet performance heritage rather than a documented transporter and race car pairing. The Horizon Hauler itself is fantasy casting. Therefore, the set has motorsport relevance but not the historical authenticity of Ferrari, Porsche or Mercedes factory transport combinations. Don Nicholson won back to back Winternationals titles in 1961 and ’62 in Stock Eliminator with a Chevrolet. In 1961, Nicholson won the Stock title at the first NHRA Winternationals at Pomona. He also won the Gatornationals, Springnationals and U.S. Nationals in five final round appearances in 1977 to claim the NHRA championship. During the 1960s and 1970s, Don Nicholson was well known to racing fans all over the world. He was a pioneer drag racer whose career spanned six decades. He became an icon in both funny cars and pro stock racing. Multiple championship wins, including the 1977 Winston title, represent notable success in a major professional motorsport series. |
| Display Appeal | 3 | The set includes the ’61 Chevy Impala and Horizon Hauler truck featuring authentic ‘Dyno Don Nicholson’ drag racing graphics. It features premium 1:64 scale construction, Real Riders rubber tires and heavy Metal/Metal body and chassis. The matching livery across both car and hauler creates thematic coherence. Horizon Hauler’s open top design gives a good display format. However, the ’61 Impala casting is making its second Team Transport appearance (Set #54 in 2023 was the first), so it carries no debut premium excitement. The drag racing colour palette and livery, while historically accurate, is less visually dramatic than the Rexy T-rex scheme, the Silver Arrows pairing or a vintage endurance racing livery. Solid and cohesive, but not exceptional. |
| Collector Demand | 3 | The Dyno Don Nicholson livery draws NHRA drag racing fans, classic American muscle collectors and vintage Chevrolet collectors. The set does not have the strong multi community pull that JDM, Porsche or Mercedes pairings generate. Drag racing is a strong but specialist collector subculture within the broader Team Transport community. There is no evidence that demand exceeds benchmark releases such as Ferrari 250 GTO & Fiat 642 RN2 Bartoletti or Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR & Mercedes-Benz Renntransporter sets. |
| Observed Scarcity | 3 | This set has single allocation in 2026 J Case i.e. there is single set per case. Secondary market shows no urgency. One allocation per case prevents it from being commonly stocked, but the moderate demand means it hasn’t become genuinely difficult to acquire either. It is moderately scarce. It might be harder to find than the double packed Supra in the same case, but not being desperately hunted. |
| Secondary Market Price | 2 | There is no consistent evidence that the market has applied meaningful appreciation pressure. The set doesn’t commands a premium above retail across major marketplaces and sells at market price. |
| Total | 22 |
Normalized Score: 22/35 * 100 = 63
Rating: Collector Worthy ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating Level:
- 90-100: Legendary ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- 80-89: Ultra Collectible ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- 70-79: Highly Collectible ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- 60-69: Collector Worthy ⭐️⭐️⭐️
- 50-59: Casual Collectible ⭐️⭐️
- Below 50: Less Desirable ⭐️
To get more details about how Score & Rating is calculated, check – TrackDiecast Collect-O-Meter Score Calculator.
Motorsport Heritage
This premium release features the ’61 Impala, a car that effectively launched the legendary career of Dyno Don Nicholson. During the inaugural 1961 NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Nicholson piloted his white Chevrolet to a historic victory in the Stock Eliminator class. Chevrolet’s introduction of the 409 V8 in 1961 provided the mechanical muscle that defined an era. This engine delivered a massive 409 lb-ft of torque, enabling Nicholson to outpace a field primarily dominated by Ford racers. Do watch below documentary: The Untold Story of Dyno Don Nicholson.
Nicholson had a crew member drive his car 500 miles the night before the 1961 Winternationals just to loosen the factory fresh suspension for better weight transfer. Nicholson’s victory did more than just win a trophy; it catalyzed the Factory Drag era. His success inspired future legends like Dale Armstrong, who eventually became a world renowned crew chief. This Team Transport set serves as an insightful tribute to a vehicle that changed the trajectory of American motorsport.
References
Dyno Don Nicholson’s 61 409 Impala