Last season, when NASCAR scheduled the Southern 500 into its traditional Labor Day weekend, NASCAR and Darlington Raceway decided to “turn back the clock.” The fans, the track, the teams, and even NBC got in on the fun and it was so successful that the same thing is taking place this year.
With almost every team having a throwback paint scheme this season, we came up with the 10 best that you will see this Sunday night.
10) #1 Jamie McMurray
Jamie McMurray and his “Mac Tonight” car is a take on Bill Elliott’s car from the 1997 season. A special paint scheme that was only used in night races, McMurray and McDonalds are bringing it back. This looked great under the lights 20 years ago and it’s going to look great Sunday night.
9) #18 Kyle Busch
One of Joe Gibbs’ first cars when he entered NASCAR in 1991 and also his first NASCAR win as an owner. This is the same looking car that Dale Jarrett had when he won the 1993 Daytona 500, beating Dale Earnhardt in what his father Ned called “The Dale and Dale Show.”
After struggling the past two races, Kyle Busch is going to want some of that magic Jarrett had. For a complete throwback, Busch should wear an NFL-themed drivers helmet like Jarrett used to do when he drove for Gibbs. In an ironic twist, Jarrett wore a Dallas Cowboys helmet when he won the Daytona 500. The longtime Redskins coach made sure to let Jarrett know to not show off that helmet in Victory Lane.
8) #6 Trevor Bayne
The Valvoline sponsor in NASCAR was synonymous with Mark Martin in the 1990s. In 1996 and 1997, Martin drove this paint scheme that just looked fast, even when it was standing still. Although the sponsor is different, Trevor Bayne is keeping the relative look and hoping that it magically gives him some extra speed.
7) #7 Regan Smith and #16 Greg Biffle
Two cars on Sunday night will have similar paint schemes and both will honor the same car. Regan Smith and Greg Biffle will both honor Alan Kulwicki when he drove the Hooters car to the 1992 Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) Championship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK4j907oeF4
Both cars are honoring Kulwicki in different ways. Smith and Tommy Baldwin Racing has the same number and has been run as an independent team similar to Kulwicki back in 1992. Biffle and Roush Fenway Racing have the Hooters sponsor and the Ford manufacturer. Both look great and make for fitting tributes.
6) #4 Kevin Harvick
Busch is back in NASCAR with Kevin Harvick and they decided to go with a rather infamous paint scheme. This is the paint scheme Cale Yarborough had in the 1979 Daytona 500 where he crashed into Donnie Allison going for the lead on the last lap in one of the most famous races in NASCAR history.
This won’t be the only paint scheme that was also in that race, but that’s for a bit later.
5) #14 Tony Stewart
Bobby Allison raced the classic No. 12 Coca-Cola car from 1970-1974, winning the Southern 500 in 1971 and 1972. Coca-Cola was one of the first mainstream, non-racing related sponsors in NASCAR and helped signal a gradual shift to a new era of NASCAR.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy2NT_d_F4g
In his final season in NASCAR, Tony Stewart is bringing this paint scheme back, looking for some of that winning magic bestowed on Allison 45 years ago.
4) #13 Casey Mears
To many, this paint scheme would be an homage of Talladega Nights. Ricky Bobby’s father drove a 60’s Chevelle with the same black and brown paint scheme.
In fact, both previous versions were modeled after legendary mechanic Smokey Yunick’s cars from the early days in NASCAR. Yunick would try to find every way to get an advantage out of his cars and usually to great success, culminating in winning the 1961 and 1962 Daytona 500.
3) #43 Aric Almirola
Except for maybe Dale Earnhardt’s black Goodwrench No. 3, Richard Petty’s STP No. 43 is one of the most recognizable paint schemes in NASCAR history. For this year, Petty is bringing back STP and emulating his win in the 1979 Daytona 500 after Petty passed the crashing Yarborough and Allison.
2) #88 Jeff Gordon
Ah, the “Gray Ghost.” The intimidating paint scheme driven by Buddy Baker from 1978-1980. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was supposed to drive this car but due to concussions, Jeff Gordon will be driving instead. The “Gray Ghost” paint scheme was of special significance to Dale Jr. He mentioned on Twitter that it was his all-time favorite paint scheme
1) #21 Ryan Blaney
The Wood Brothers and tradition go together like peanut butter and jelly. One of the first NASCAR teams, dating back to the early 1950’s, the Wood Brothers would be sure to have a great time for an event like this. For this year, the Wood Brothers are remembering their most memorable victory, David Pearson’s win in the 1976 Daytona 500. 40 years ago, Pearson and Richard Petty crashed as they were racing to the finish line in the Daytona 500 and Pearson won by a few yards as Petty’s car stalled right before the finish line.
