Month: June 2019

Paint Scheme Grades-June 29, 2019

By David G. Firestone

Landon Cassill #00 Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Chevy Camaro-Black and pink is a bold color choice, and the overall look is really good. I can’t say anything bad about this scheme, so I won’t. A

Chase Elliott #9 NAPA Throwback Chevy Camaro-You could put all of Bill Elliott’s pre-1999 schemes in a hat, pick one out at random, and be guaranteed to pick a great scheme. 1981 was a great scheme, and this faithful throwback is an amazing representation. I love this scheme! A

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Throwback Toyota Camry-Darrell’s 1990’s Parts America scheme was a great scheme. It looked amazing, and still holds up today! This is a great throwback scheme, and I can’t give this less than an A!

Ricky Stenhouse #17 Fastenal Throwback Ford MustangDarrell’s 1990’s Parts America scheme was a great scheme. It looked amazing, and still holds up today! This is a great throwback scheme, and I can’t give this less than an A!

Corey LaJoie #32 Morton Group/GMN Ford Mustang-Matte black with sponsor logos is always a good look, and I can’t say anything bad about this scheme. A

Matt Tifft #36 Acquire Investments/Bounce Innovation Hub/Unshackled Ventures Ford Mustang-Good color scheme, but way too over designed. If toned down, this scheme would be better. C

Chris Buescher #37 Hellmann’s Chevy Camaro-Good color scheme, but way too over designed. If toned down, this scheme would be better. D

David Ragan #38 Thanks DW Ford Mustang-Darrell’s chrome scheme was a bold look that would look just as awesome today. While I think that metallic silver isn’t chrome, I do love this look, and I think this scheme is great. A

David Ragan #38 Compressor World Mustang-Great color scheme, but the car is a tad over designed. I think that the designs on the side are a bit too much. It’s still a good scheme, so I’ll give it a B.

Kyle Larson #42 Clover Chevy Camaro-It’s a simple look, and a good one. Black and green are an underrated color combination, and the design works very well. A

J.J. Yeley #51 Jacob Companies Chevy Camaro-This toned down Jacob Companies scheme works very well, and the car looks great. A

Cody Ware #52 SBC Contractors Chevy Camaro-The American flag motif works very well, and the car as a whole looks amazing. I also like that they took a picture of a real flag and used that. This is a great looking scheme. A

Joey Gase #66 Cocopah Speedway/IMCA Winter Nationals Toyota Camry-Metallic silver is a great color for race cars, and this is no exception. I also love the mountain and flag motifs as well. This is a great scheme. A

Justin Haley, #77 Formula One Imports Chevy Camaro-Matte black with sponsor logos is always a good look, and I can’t say anything bad about this scheme. A

Alex Bowman #88 Valvoline Patriotic Chevy Camaro-It’s a minimalist design, white as the base color, and patriotic materials have been added. This is a great look, and I can’t complain about this! A

Matt DiBenedetto #95 Procore Thanks DW Throwback Toyota Camry-Faithful 1970’s schemes always look awesome, and this is no exception. This is an amazing look, and I love everything about this scheme! A

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Another Look at Driver Suit Blog Favorite TJ Zizzo

By David G. Firestone

TJ Zizzo is the driver, he’s based in Lincolnshire Illinois, I’m based in Evanston, I’ve purchased a number of items from him.

One of the things that I got was a visor. When I purchased it back in 2014, I’d been wanting to get an NHRA visor from some time, and I got one that had the modification I’ve been seeing. The visor shows some light use. I asked TJ why he had this modification, and he said that he wants to focus on the task at hand. He said that drag racing drivers can notice things, birds, scoreboards, women in the crowd, etc in the car in the moments leading up to the race, and this modification helps the driver by giving him tunnel vision. Tunnel vision is seen by the majority of people as a bad thing, but in something like drag racing, where intense focus for a brief period of time is a mandate, tunnel vision is a good thing. Top fuel dragsters have 10,000 horsepower and can go from 0 to 325 mph in less than 3 seconds. When you are behind the wheel of a car with that much power, you need to focus on the race as much as possible. TJ wears this style of visor because, the less he can see out of the helmet, the more he can focus on the race. TJ even said that this visor is much less covered than his current version, which looks something like this…In 2014, at the U.S. Nationals, TJ suffered a major engine explosion. He still has the blower drive seen flying in the video. I was amazed how heavy it was. He has one shelf in his new shop that has the pieces of the engine, and the damage suffered, from a fan’s stand point. The manifold that blew was made of solid magnesium and was heavy duty. The crankshaft in question was not only broken, but was slightly bent near the break. I wound up getting one of the rear tires from that race. Rear tires from top fuel dragsters are 3 feet tall by 17 inches wide. I’m planning on getting a glass to and making a coffee table at some point. The level of wear on the tires is amazing, with large patches of damage from the explosion. TJ also signed it and personalized it to me! I also got a front tire, which is 22 inches tall, by 3 inches wide. I’m not sure when it was raced, but it does show wear and it has ZIZZO written on the tread. To give an idea the size difference between the two, here are the two of them together in my office…One of my big gets was a TJ Zizzo Peak parachute. Zizzo ran two of these chutes on the back of his dragster from 2010 to 2013., and this example is 12 feet by 12 feet. It shows a decent amount of wear, with stains and holes. There is a hole in the center that allows the chute to be deployed, and there is an inventory tag placed here as well. On the cables connecting the chute to the car, there is some extra protection. This is necessary because on top fuel dragsters, the engine is very close to the parachute attachment, and in the event of a fire, the chute will still be able to function. TJ’s example shows some wear on the silver layer. One thing that a lot of non drag racing fans don’t realize is that many drivers pack their own chutes. Race car drivers are control freaks, and so this makes sense. The logic a few drivers use is that if I mess it up, I don’t have anyone to blame for it except myself.

The pilot chute is attached here as well. Pilot chutes are universally used to deploy parachutes. When the cords are pulled, and the chute is released, the pilot chute deploys, which catches air and pulls the primary chute behind it. The chutes are strapped to a bar at the back of the car, the straps pre-covered in Nomex to prevent fire damage, then packed into a bag, before the race. I’ve discussed the importance of spark plugs, and their prevalence in the auto racing memorabilia market before, so I won’t go into that again. I will show one of TJ Zizzo’s race-used spark plugs, which he managed to autograph. Given the size of the plug, that isn’t easy to sign.Ok, so I need to explain what is going to happen in July. As usual, I’m going on vacation for the month of July. I’m going to do things differently this year. I’m going to cut my Friday Features from four to two. The Tracker and the Grades will be updated in August. Monday Videos and Throwback Thursday will be unaffected.

Throwback Thursday-1996 McDonalds/Dynomax Pontiac Firebird

1996 McDonalds/Dynomax Pontiac Firebird

Jim Yates and Joe Gibbs from Alexandria, Virginia teamed up to field this 1996 Firebird. This McDonald’s design was only used from 1995 to 1996. It is one of the few paint schemes that looks good no matter what kind of race car it is used on. The car is all red, except on the front where there is a white design that makes an M, with the Golden Arches on top of that. This is a great scheme that earns an A.

Paint Scheme Tracker-June 26, 2019

By David G. Firestone

STAR COM RACING #00

Landon Cassill #00 StarCom Fiber Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, Yellow, white, black and silver with numerous stripes and designs on sides. D+

Landon Cassill #00 Permatex Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, orange and blue with white diagonal stripes on sides. A-

Landon Cassill #00 StarCom Fiber Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, Yellow, white, black and silver, design has been toned down D+

Landon Cassill #00 Manscaped Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with white and silver stripes on bottom. A

Landon Cassill #00 Iron Mountain Data Centers Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, white with blue stripes. A

Landon Cassill #00 CGS Imaging Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, white with blue and red stripes. A

Landon Cassill #00 USFRA Chevy Camaro–No change. B+

Landon Cassill #00 Jacob White Construction Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, yellow, with black, white, and silver stripes on sides. C

Landon Cassill #00 Superior Essex Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019 black with white, and red designs on side. B+

Landon Cassill #00 Home Town Lenders Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with white curve stripes. A

Landon Cassill #00 Kodra Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, black with Kodra logos on sides and hood. A

Landon Cassill #00 Elongator Tailgates Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with yellow stripes. A-

Landon Cassill #00 StarCom Fiber Patriotic Chevy Camaro–No change. B-

Landon Cassill #00 Madison Group Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black, with white and silver designs on sides. B

Landon Cassill #00 Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with pink stripes on sides. A

CHIP GANASSI RACING #1

Kurt Busch #1 Monster Energy Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Kurt Busch #1 ComSurv Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black, with green logos across car. A

Kurt Busch #1 Gear Wrench Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, black with orange curve up sides. A

Kurt Busch #1 Star Nursery Throwback Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2019, based on Kurt’s 1999 Star Nursery scheme. A-

Kurt Busch #1 Global Poker Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, same as Monster, but with Global Poker on sides and hood. A

Kurt Busch #1 Gearwrench/Monster Energy Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, yellow and orange designs on front, fade to black rear. C

Kurt Busch #1 Advent Health Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, green, blue, pink, and silver with cutting edge design on sides. F

TEAM PENSKE #2

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite Ford Mustang–No change. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang–No Change. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Auto Trader Ford Mustang–No change. C

Brad Keselowski #2 Alliance Truck Parts Ford Mustang–No Change. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Wurth Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, white front, red center, black rear, with design in middle. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Reese/Drawtite Ford Mustang–No change. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Snap On Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, black with red and white hood design. C

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite Patriotic Ford Mustang–No change. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Wabash National/Supreme Ford Mustang–No change. A

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #3

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, black with red, white, and silver wave pattern. B+

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Gold Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, gold with black and red stripe on bottom. A

Austin Dillon #3 AAA Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Austin Dillon #3 American Ethanol Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, black has been removed entierly, white roof, light and dark green waves across sides. A

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Silastic Silicone Elastomers Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Killz Coatings Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, same as Dow. B+

Austin Dillon #3 Symbicort Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, same as #31. C-

Austin Dillon #3 Realtree Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, camo front, black curve with green designs, and black on rear. F

Austin Dillon #3 American Ethanol Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, based on Richard Childress’ black and gold throwback. A

Austin Dillon #3 Coke Zero Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with white and red designs on sides. A-

Austin Dillon #3 DOW Salutes Veterans Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, based on Dale Earnhardt’s 1996 Olympic scheme. A

STEWART-HAAS RACING #4

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Ford Mustang–No change. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Jimmy Johns Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2018, similar to 2018 scheme, but with added stripes on sides. A-

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, black with gray flames. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, green sides, white hood and roof, curve designs on sides. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Light Ford Mustang–No change. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Beer Car 2 Can Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, black carbon fiber motif. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1/O’Reilly Auto Parts Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, same as Mobil 1, but with O’Reilly Auto Parts on side. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Plaid Ford Mustang–No change. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Millennial Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, gray with black stripe, and various millennial designs on sides. F

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Light Fathers Day Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, same as Busch, but with Father’s Day contest on sides. A-

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #6

Ryan Newman #6 Oscar Meyer Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, orange with hot dog motif across whole car. A

Ryan Newman #6 Wyndham Rewards Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, clouds have been removed, stripes have been expanded. B+

Ryan Newman #6 Performance Plus Motor Oil Ford Mustang–No change. B-

Ryan Newman #6 Acorns Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, green with pink door numbers sublimated designs, and white logos. C-

Ryan Newman #6 Oscar Mayer Bacon Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, same as Oscar Meyer, but with bacon instead of hot dogs. A

Ryan Newman #6 Roush Performance/Acorns Ford Mustang–No change. A

Ryan Newman #6 Oscar Meyer Patriotic Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, Patriotic elements added. B+

Ryan Newman #6 Oscar Meyer Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, orange with various design across whole car. B+

Ryan Newman #6 Mazola Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, white front, green middle, yellow rear. A

Ryan Newman #6 Oscar Meyer Patriotic Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, same as Oscar Meyer, but with patriotic elements added. C

Ryan Newman #6 Oscar Meyer/Velveeta Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, based on Mark Martin’s 1990’s Valvoline Ford Thunderbird. B+

Ryan Newman #6 Coca Cola Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, red front, patriotic Coke bottle motif on sides, white rear. A

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #8

Daniel Hemric #8 Bass Pro Shops/CAT Gold Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, same as #3 gold. A

Daniel Hemric #8 Liberty National Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, much more toned down. A

Daniel Hemric #8 Caterpillar Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, yellow front, fades to honeycomb on black rear. A

Daniel Hemric #8 ALSCO Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, white with light green on sides and hood. B+

Daniel Hemric #8 Red Kap Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, red, with black and white curved stripes. B+

Daniel Hemric #8 Cessna Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white with black and silver cutting edge on sides. B+

Daniel Hemric #8 Okuma Chevy Camaro–No change. D+

Daniel Hemric #8 CAT Next Generation Mini Excavators Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, gold with mini-excavator design on sides. C+

Daniel Hemric #8 Bass Pro Shops Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with orange and white cutting edge designs. C-

Daniel Hemric #8 Bulwark FR/Wayne Workwear Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with white and blue curves up sides. B-

Daniel Hemric #8 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, white with black and orange designs on sides. D

Daniel Hemric #8 Caterpillar Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, based on a 1920’s Caterpillar design. A

Daniel Hemric #8 Poppy Bank Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, orange front, white and black designs on sides. C

Daniel Hemric #8 Kalahari Resorts Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, white front, water motif, blue rear. B+

Daniel Hemric #8 Chevy Accessories Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, same basic scheme, straight lines turned into curves. A

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #9

Chase Elliott #9 NAPA Chevy Camaro–No change. B+

Chase Elliott #9 Mountain Dew Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Chase Elliott #9 Hooters Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, sides have been cleaned up a bit. B

Chase Elliott #9 Kelly Blue Book Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, blue and white with designs on sides. B-

Chase Elliott #9 Mountain Dew/Team Rubicon Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, camo has replaced black in some sports. B+

Chase Elliott #9 Mountain Dew/Little Ceaser’s Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, based on 2018 Little Ceaser’s design. A

Chase Elliott #9 NAPA Brakes Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, black with gold and white and black stripes. B+

Chase Elliott #9 NAPA Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, based on Bill Elliott’s 1981 Mell-Gear Ford Thunderbird. A

STEWART-HAAS RACING #10

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Foods Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, slash patterns have been expanded. A

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Prime Fresh Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, white front and top, green and yellow rear. B+

Aric Almirola #10 Farmer John Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, same as Smithfield, but blue has replaced black. A

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield/Shazam Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, Shazam motif across whole car. B-

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Get Grilling America Ford Mustang-No change. A

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Patriotic Ford Mustang–No change. D

Aric Almirola #10 Valley Tech Academy Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, white front, fades to dark blue rear, red stripe on sides. B-

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, based on Tony Stewart’s 2002 Home Depot Championship Pontiac. A

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield/Meijer Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019 Smithfield black and white front, blue Meijer rear. C

JOE GIBBS RACING #11

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2019, white with orange and blue designs on sides. B+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2019, same as FedEx Express B+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2019, same as FedEx Express B+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Office Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2019, same as FedEx Express B+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Throwback Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2019, based on Darrell Waltrip’s Parts America scheme. A

TEAM PENSKE #12

Ryan Blaney #12 PPG Ford Mustang–No change. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Knauf Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, blue on hood and front, yellow sides. B+

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Peak Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, blue on hood and front, yellow sides. B+

Ryan Blaney #12 Money Lion Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, green and white Penske template. C

Ryan Blaney #12 Body Armor Ford Mustang–No change. B+

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Pennzoil Ford Mustang–No change. B-

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Libman Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, green hood, yellow sides, green stripe across bottom. B

Ryan Blaney #12 Menards/Cardell Cabinetry Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, 2019 Menard’s template with Cardell on hood. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Duracel Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, 2019 Menard’s template with black. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Body Armor Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, yellow stripes replace black stripes. A-

Ryan Blaney #12 Dent Wizard Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, purple and white Penske template. F

Ryan Blaney #12 Menards/Wrangler Riggs Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, red, with black and white stripes. A

GERMAIN RACING #13

Ty Dillon #13 Twisted Tea Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Ty Dillon #13 Geico Chevy Camaro–No change. F

Ty Dillon #13 Geico Military Chevy Camaro–No change. F

Ty Dillon #13 Twisted Tea Patriotic Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, yellow, with patriotic motif across bottom. A

STEWART-HAAS RACING #14

Clint Bowyer #14 Peak Ford Mustang–New sponsor for 2019, black, and blue with curve elements. C

Clint Bowyer #14 Blue Def Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2018, same as 2019 Peak, but white replaces black. C

Clint Bowyer #14 Rush’s Truck Stops Ford Mustang–No change. A

Clint Bowyer #14 Mobil 1 Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2019, black with red flames. A

Clint Bowyer #14 DeKalb Ford Mustang Fusion–No change. A

Clint Bowyer #14 Haas CNC Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, black with red stripes. A

Clint Bowyer #14 CSU One Cure Ford Mustang–No change. A

Clint Bowyer #14 IT Savvy Ford Mustang–No Change. A

Clint Bowyer #14 Mobil 1/Rush Truck Stops Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, black with red flames, Mobil 1 on hood, and Rush Truck Stops on rear. A

Clint Bowyer #14 Haas Automation Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, black with red stripes. A

Clint Bowyer #14 Toco Warranty Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, white, red, orange, blue and black with designs on sides. B-

Clint Bowyer #14 Rush’s Truck Stops/Haas Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, same as Rush’s but with Haas on sides. A

Clint Bowyer #14 Haas Automation/IT Savvy Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, Haas front, IT Savvy rear. B

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #15

Ross Chastain #15 Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Ross Chastain #15 Rim Ryderz Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, same as #27. A-

Ross Chastain #15 Fit Strong Chevy Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, black with blue stripes on side. A-

Ross Chastain #15 So Cal Chevy Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Ross Chastain #15 Low T Center Chevy Camaro–No change. F

Ross Chastain #15 VIP Racing Experience Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black. A

Ross Chastain #15 Cross Country Adjusting Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, white with blue designs on top. A

Garrett Smithley #15 Victory Lane Quick Oil Change/Kendall Oil Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black, with gray and red curves on sides. A

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #17

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fifth-Third Bank Ford Mustang–No change. B-

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fastenal Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, black added to sides, along with hourglass design. B-

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Little Hug Fruit Barrels Ford Mustang–No change. F

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Sunny D Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, side designs changed. F

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fastenal Patriotic Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2019, much more toned down. A

Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. #17 NOS Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, blue with orange rear, and diagonal stripe on sides. A

Ricky Stenhouse #17 Fastenal Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, based on Darrell Waltrip’s Parts America scheme. A

JOE GIBBS RACING #18

Kyle Busch #18 M&M’s Toyota Camry–No change. A

Kyle Busch #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry–No change. F

Kyle Busch #18 M&M’s Chocolate Bar Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, chocolate bar motif across whole car. B-

Kyle Busch #18 Skittles Patriotic Toyota Camry–No change. A

Kyle Busch #18 Snickers Creamy Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, brown with nougat motif across car. A

Kyle Busch #18 Pedigree Toyota Camry–No change. A

Kyle Busch #18 M&M’s Red Nose Day Toyota Camry–No change. A

Kyle Busch #18 M&M’s Hazelnut Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, teal replaces yellow. A

JOE GIBBS RACING #19

Martin Truex Jr. #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry–No change. C-

Martin Truex Jr. #19 Auto Owner’s Insurance Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2019, blue front with cutting edge designs fade to black. B+

Martin Truex Jr. #19 Sirius XM Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2019, black with blue and white designs on sides. B-

Martin Truex Jr. #19 Bass Pro Shops Patriotic Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2019, patriotic motif replaces black. A

Martin Truex Jr. #19 Bass Pro Shops Throwback Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2019, based on Martin’s 2004 Xfinity Series car. A

JOE GIBBS RACING #20

Erik Jones #20 Craftsman Toyota Camry–No change. A

Erik Jones #20 DeWalt Toyota Camry–No change. A

Erik Jones #20 SportClips Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2019, same as 2018, but with smartphone added on side. C

Erik Jones #20 Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota Camry–No Change. A

Erik Jones #20 Craftsman Toyota Camry–No change. A

Erik Jones #20 Craftsman “Racing for a Miracle” Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, designed by four members of the Niswonger Children’s Hospital. A

Erik Jones #20 Stanley Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, yellow with black and gray designs. C

Erik Jones #20 Reser’s Main St. Bistro Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2019, same as Reser’s. A

Erik Jones #20 Craftsman/SportsClips Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2019, Craftsman scheme with SportClips logos. A

WOOD BROTHERS RACING #21

Paul Menard #21 Motorcraft Ford Mustang–No change. A

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Moen Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, new Menard’s template with purple front and stripe. B+

Paul Menard #21 Quaker State Ford Mustang–No Change. B-

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Sylvania Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, new Menard’s template with black front and stripe. A

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Maytag Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, new Menard’s template with dark blue. A

Ryan Blaney #21 Motorcraft Quick Lane Ford Mustang–No change. A

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, new Menard’s template with Dutch Boy on the hood. C

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Knauf Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, same as #12. B+

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Nibco Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, new Menard’s template with light blue. A

TEAM PENSKE #22

Joey Logano #22 Pennzoil Ford Mustang–No change. A

Joey Logano #22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang–No change. D

Joey Logano #22 Auto Trader Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019 toned down design. D+

Joey Logano #22 Pennzoil Ford Mustang–No change. A

Joey Logano #22 Money Lion Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, same as #22. C

Joey Logano #22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, white replaces red on front, red replaces yellow on sides. A

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #24

William Byron #24 Axalta Chevy Camaro–No change. A

William Byron #24 UniFirst Chevy Camaro–No change. B-.

William Byron #24 Liberty University Chevy Camaro–No change. A

William Byron #24 Hertz Chevy Camaro–No change. A

William Byron #24 Liberty University Patriotic Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, patriotic lettering replaces white lettering, patriotic stripes replace flames. A

William Byron #24 Hendrick Autoguard Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, black replaces silver on posts and roof, silver replaces black on bottom. A

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #27

Casey Mears #27 Rim Ryderz Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with orange and yellow stripes. A-

Reed Sorenson #27 Solomon Plumbing Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, black with red and white curves on sides. A-

Reed Sorenson #27 Harrah’s Casino Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Reed Sorenson #27 VIP Racing Experience Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, same as #15. A

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #31

Tyler Reddick #31 Symbicort Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, more yellow, less blue, new side designs. C-

Tyler Reddick #31 Tame the Beast Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black chevrons on top, red bottom, Bigfoot motif on front. B+

GO FAS RACING #32

Corey Lajoie #32 Keen Parts/Corvette Parts Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, black with red and silver stripes on sides. B-

Corey LaJoie #32 Schluter Systems Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, orange with black designs. A

Corey LaJoie #32 Old Spice Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, LaJoie’s face and hair across whole car. F

Corey LaJoie #32 Prospr Parts Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, black, fade to red, with black stripes near door number. A

Corey LaJoie #32 The Hartford Group Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, gold with logos. A

Corey LaJoie #32 Dude Wipes Ford Mustang–No change. A

Corey LaJoie #32 Schluter Systems Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, black with logos. A

Corey LaJoie #32 Freedom Hard Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, white with red stripes. A

Corey LaJoie #32 Visone RV/Wildcat Adventures Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, all black. A

Corey LaJoie #32 Harvest Investments Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, yellow, with Big Bird on hood. A

Corey LaJoie #32 Morton Group/GMN Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, black with logos. A

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #34

Michael McDowell #34 Love’s Truck Stops Ford Mustang–No change. A

Michael McDowell #34 Fr8 Auctions Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, gray front, carbon fiber and red across sides. B+

Michael McDowell #34 Dockside Logistics Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, black with red designs on sides. B+

Michael McDowell #34 A&W Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, creamy foam motif on front, wooden barrel motif on side to back. A

Michael McDowell #34 Love’s Truck Stops Patriotic Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, camouflage motif across car. F

Michael McDowell #34 Melling Engine Parts/Dockside Logistics Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, same as Dockside, but with Melling on hood. B+

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #36

Matt Tifft #36 Speedco Ford Mustang–No change. A

Matt Tift #36 Surface Sunscreen Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, gray with face designs on bottom. B+

Matt Tift #36 The Pete Store Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, white with red curves up sides. B-

Matt Tift #36 Surface Suncreen/Tunity Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, black with red and gray designs on sides. B+

Matt Tifft #36 Out West Express Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, blue with red stripe. A

Matt Tift #36 Surface Suncreen/Tunity Patriotic Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, patriotic motif across car. A

Matt Tift #36 Surface Sunscreen Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, black front, white rear. A

Matt Tifft #36 Acquire Investments/Bounce Innovation Hub/Unshackled Ventures Ford Mustang-New sponsors for 2019, blue with white with cutting edge designs on sides. C

JTG DAUGHERTY RACING #37

Chris Buescher #37 Kleenex Wet Wipes Chevy Camaro–No change. B+

Chris Buescher #37 Scott Comfort Plus Chevy Camaro–No change. C-

Chris Buescher #37 Natural Light Naturdays Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, beige, fade to yellow to beige. F

Chris Buescher #37 Kroger Flavor Fill Up Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black, green, and red with tire mark motif. D-

Chris Buescher #37 Kroger Speed Up Your Cleanup Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, white with blue and stripes. A

Chris Buescher #37 Bush’s Best Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Chris Buescher #37 Tide Pods Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, orange with blue designs, Tide motif on rear, polka dots on sides. F

Chris Buescher #37 Degree Chevy Camaro–No change. B-

Chris Buescher #37 Kroger-Your Personal Pit Stop Chevy Camaro-Black and red with designs on sides. B+

Chris Buescher #37 Kroger Thrill of the Grill Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, black with flame motif. A

Chris Buescher #37 Hellmann’s Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, blue, silver, white, and black, with cutting edge designs on sides. D

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #38

David Ragan #38 Select Blinds Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, blue with white and purple designs on sides. B

David Ragan #38 Citgard Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, red sides, white front, some stripes across sides. B+

David Ragan #38 Fireade Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, black with yellow and green designs on sides. C-

David Ragan #38 MDS Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, white with blue and orange designs. B+

David Ragan #38 MDS Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, white and blue with orange designs. B+

David Ragan #38 Mystik Lubricants Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, black front, white rear, designs on sides. B+

David Ragan #38 Shriners Hospitals for Children Ford Mustang–No change. A

David Ragan #38 Select Blinds Patriotic Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, patriotic flame motif across car. F

David Ragan #38 Exploria Resorts Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, black and gray with cutting edge designs across car. F

David Ragan #38 Thanks DW Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, based on Darrell Waltrip’s chrome scheme from 1997. A

David Ragan #38 Compressor World Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, black hood and roof, blue sides, designs on sides. B

CHIP GANASSI RACING #40

Jamie McMurray #40 McDonald’s/Cessna Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, toned down version of 2018 scheme. A

Jamie McMurray #40 Advent Health Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, green, blue, pink, and silver with cutting edge design on sides. F

Jamie McMurray #40 McDonald’s/Cessna Chevy Camaro–No change. A

STEWART-HAAS RACING #41

Daniel Suarez #41 Haas Automotion Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, red front, black camo rear. F

Daniel Suarrez #41 Aaris Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, orange top, black bottom, white stripe between the two. A

Daniel Suarez #41 Arris Ruckus Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, black bottom, white top, orange stripe between. A

Daniel Suarez #41 Orange Vanilla Coca Cola Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, orange, with cream curve, and red Coca Cola motif on sides. A

Daniel Suarez #41 Haas Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2019, based on Tony Stewart’s 2005 Home Depot Championship Chevy. A

CHIP GANASSI RACING #42

Kyle Larson #42 Credit One Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, redesign of the 2018 scheme. A

Kyle Larson #42 McDonald’s Team Classic Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, red with over sized McDonald’s logos across car. A

Kyle Larson #42 Advent Health Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, green, blue, pink, and silver with cutting edge design on sides. F

Kyle Larson #42 Clover Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, green front, black rear, silver line in between. A

RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS #43

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Air Force Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Plan B Sales Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019,dark blue, Petty blue, silver, and white with designs on sides. F

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Aftershokz Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black front, Petty blue rear. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 McDonald’s Team Bacon Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, white with over sized McDonald’s logos, red hood, and red square over car numbers. B+

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Transportation Impact Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 World Wide Technology Chevy Camaro–No change. C

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Blue-Emu Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, blue with white top. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Orange Vanilla Coca Cola Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, same as #41. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Victory Junction Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, white front and blue rear with green on bottom, and designs on sides. A-

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Air Force Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, based on an A-10 Warthog design. A

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #46

Joey Gase #46 Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2019, black, with red stripe on bottom. A

Joey Gase #46 Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2019, same as #66 NV Donor. B-

JTG DAUGHERTY RACING #47

Ryan Preece #47 Kroger Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, patriotic motif across whole car. A

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #48

Jimmie Johnson #48 Ally Financial Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with blue designs on wheel well. A

Jimmie Johnson #48 Ally Financial Patriotic Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, camo across car with white letters. F

RICK WARE RACING #51

BJ McCleod #51 Jacob Companies Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, blue with silver and white designs across car. B

Cody Ware #51 Jacob Companies Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, black with logos. A

Cody Ware #51 Jacob Companies P-40 Warhawk Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, based on a Flying Tigers P-40 Warhawk. A

J.J. Yeley #51 Jacob Companies Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, blue sides, red roof. A

RICK WARE RACING #52

Cody Ware #52 Winn-Dixie Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2019, red front, black middle, red rear. A

BJ McLeod #52 Trick Shot Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, green top, black and gold marker design over red. F

BJ McLeod #52 MTEL-ONE Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, same as Jacob Companies, but with orange added. B

Jeb Burton #52 Muzzy Bowfishing Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with orange and white designs on sides. F

Bayley Currey #52 Belmont Classic Cars Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with designs on sides. A

Bayley Currey #52 Steakhouse Elite Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, bottom stripe removed, camo pattern removed. A

Stanton Barrett #52 HUSKI Chocolate Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019 red with white stripes. A

BJ McLeod #52 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, black. A

Bayley Currey #52 Rick Ware Racing SR-71 Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2019, based on an SR-71 Blackbird. A

J.J. Yeley #52 Steakhouse Elite/Weis Markets Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, black with red stripes and white rear. A

Josh Bilicki #52 Mariott Companies Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, black with logos on sides. A

Cody Ware #52 SBC Contractors Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, American flag motif across car. A

RICK WARE RACING #53

B.J. McLeod #53 Enlisted Nine Flight Company Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, airplane motif across car. A

BEARD MOTORSPORTS #62

Brendan Gaughan #62 Beard Oil/South Point Chevy Camaro–No change. A

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #66

Joey Gase #66 AgriSupply Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2019, light blue with blue, yellow, white, and black curved stripe on sides. C

Joey Gase #66 www.NVDonor.org Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, black with yellow and blue waves across sides. B-

Timmy Hill #66 American Valor Foundation/CrashClaimsR.Us Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, same as NV Donor. B-

Timmy Hill #66 Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2019, blue. A

Joey Gase #66 Sam Bass Tribute Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, tribute to Sam Bass across whole car. C

Joey Gase #66 Cocopah Speedway/IMCA Winter Nationals Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, silver with mountains anc checkered flag motif. A

TOMMY BALDWIN RACING #71

Ryan Truex #71 Accell Construction Chevy Camaro–No change. A

SPIRE MOTORSPORTS #77

Garrett Smithley #77 HeroBox, Harrell’s and Precision Turf Chevy Camaro-New sponsors for 2019, black with red and white curves up sides of car. A

Reed Sorenson #77 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, plain black. A

Quin Houff #77 Rim Ryderz Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, same as #15/27. A-

Garrett Smithley #77 CDF Firefighters Benevolent Foundation Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with sponsor logos. A

D.J. Kennington #77 Go-Part Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, white with orange and blue arrow motif on side. B+

Garrett Smithley #77 Trophy Tractor Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with logos on sides and hood. A

Quin Houff #77 FALCI Adaptive Motorsports Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black, with logos on sides. A

Justin Haley #77 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevy Camaro-No change. A

Quin Houff #77 Oil Fire Rye Whiskey Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black top, white bottom, red stripe across center. A

Quin Houff #77 NASCAR Mobile App Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019 black with NASCAR design elements on side. A

Justin Haley, #77 Formula One Imports Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, black with logos. A

XCI RACING #81

Jeffrey Earnhardt #81 iK9/Xtreme Concepts Toyota Camry–New sponsor for 2019, black with sublimated stars. A

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #88

Alex Bowman #88 LLumar Window Film Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, white front and top, orange and red rear, wave pattern in between. C

Alex Bowman #88 Valvoline Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Alex Bowman #88 Nationwide Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, blue hood and roof, white side, blue stripe across bottom. A

Alex Bowman #88 Nationwide Pet Insurance Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, white front, blue rear, diagonal separation. A

Alex Bowman #88 Nationwide Pitch To Win Big Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2019, same as Nationwide Pet Insurance. A

Alex Bowman #88 Nationwide Patriotic Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, dark blue with sublimated patriotic motif. C

Alex Bowman #88 Axalta Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2019, based on Tim Richmond’s Folgers scheme. A

Alex Bowman #88 Valvoline Patriotic Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2019, white with patriotic elements on sides. A

LEAVINE FAMILY RACING #95

Matt DiBenedetto #95 Procore Chevy Toyota Camry–No change. F

Matt DiBenedetto #95 Dumont Jets Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2019, some slight changes from 2018. B-

Matt DiBenedetto #95 Procore Chevy Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2019, black with orange and white accents, and motherboard motif across car. B+

Matt DiBenedetto #95 Toyota Express Maintenance Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, white front, black rear, red diagonal stripes on sides. C

Matt DiBenedetto #95 NASCAR Pro Heat/LFR Pro League Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, black with sunbeam designs on sides. A

Matt DiBenedetto #95 Thank You Toyota Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, white front, black rear, red diagonal stripes on sides. C

Matt DiBenedetto #95 FDNY Foundation Chevy Camaro-No change. A

Matt DiBenedetto #95 Digital Momentum-Hubspot Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, blue with green and white design on sides. B

Matt DiBenedetto #95 Anest Iwata Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2019, blue fades to black across car. A

 

Matt DiBenedetto #95 Procore Thanks DW Throwback Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2019, based on Darrell Waltrip’s 1974 Terminal Transport car. A

GAUNT BROS RACING #96

Parker Kligerman #96 Toyota: Proud Sponsor of Team USA Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, white front, red and blue rear, starts added.

Parker Kligerman #96 Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota Camry–No change. A

Parker Kligerman #96 TRD 40th Anniversary Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, black, with white hood, red roof, and white and red designs on sides. B

OBAIKA RACING #97

Tanner Berryhill #97 II:WAVE Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2019, black with white logos. A

Some Manor Mariussa Stuff This Week

By David G. Firestone

Virgin Racing was founded as Manor Racing, and carried a Virgin sponsorship in 2010. In 2011, Marussia Motors, a Russian sports car company bought a stake in the team, and the team was re-branded as Marussia Virgin Racing. With the new team came the inclusion of the Marussia logo into the team. Their run as a team was unimpressive one, with neither driver scoring points.

The team became Marussia F1 from 2012 to 2014, when the team shut down due to financial issues. In 2015, the team was re-branded to “Manor Marussia F1 Team.” After 2015, Marussia ceased to exist, and ceased their F1 team, and the team was re-branded to Manor Racing. It lasted until 2016, when Haas F1 took their spot. The team’s asserts were auctioned off, including this Sparco size 9.5 left driver boot. The boot shows decent use, with a large stain on the toe. Pictures from 2015 show Alexander Rossi wearing an identical pair of shoes to these. On the outside of the tongue, there is the FIA certification.The inside of the tongue features a care tag, but no size tag.This circa 2011 interview backdrop is a portable one, specifically made for team members or special guests to stand in front of while giving an interview. It’s almost 4 feet wide, and well over 6 feet tall. It consists of a cloth container with the backdrop inside. It’s in great condition. It’s almost 4 feet wide, and well over 6 feet tall. It consists of a cloth container with the backdrop inside. The backdrop has a balance leg, and the cloth part rolls up. A collapsible pole holds it up.

Next week, we revisit a Driver Suit Blog favorite.

Throwback Thursday-1994 Bob Glidden Ford Probe

1994 Bob Glidden Ford Probe

Whiteland, Indiana’s Bob Glidden makes one last appearance on Throwback Thursday driving this Ford Quality Car sponsored Probe. I like the shade of blue used on the overall car, as well as the various shades of blue on the sides. The red stripe on the bottom looks a little out of place. I also think that the scheme would be improved with the addition of the stripes to the front of the car. The front of the car looks odd, when compared to the rest of the car. I’m going to give this a B+

Paint Scheme Grades-June 15, 2019

By David G. Firestone

Austin Dillon #3 DOW Salutes Veterans Chevy Camaro-Dale’s Olympic scheme was a great scheme. This somewhat faithful replica looks really good, and I can’t really say anything bad. A

Ryan Newman #6 Coca Cola Ford Mustang-Another great patriotic look. This is a good design, it isn’t over designed, and the car looks great. A

Daniel Hemric #8 Chevy Accessories Chevy Camaro-Changing the angles to curves is a good look. The car looked great last year, and it looks great this year. A

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield/Meijer Ford Mustang-Another example of a scheme that has two good elements that combine to be a mediocre design. The blue Meijer would work, as does Smithfield. Together, this isn’t a great look, I’ll give it a C.

Ryan Blaney #12 Menards/Wrangler Riggs Ford Mustang-Red as a base color is a good look, and the 2018 Menard’s template works very well. This gets a well-earned A.

Ty Dillon #13 Twisted Tea Patriotic Chevy Camaro-The bottom motif works well, it’s simple yet well done. A

Clint Bowyer #14 Haas Automation/IT Savvy Ford Mustang-This is a decent scheme, but this would work so much better with a black-to-orange fade. Still, it’s decet, so I’ll give it a B.

Garrett Smithley #15 Victory Lane Quick Oil Change/Kendall Oil Chevy Camaro-The red and white curves look really good on the black background. The car as a whole looks great. A

Erik Jones #20 Craftsman/SportsClips Toyota Camry-Same scheme as Craftsman, same A grade.

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Nibco Ford Mustang-This works well, I’m beginning to come around on the new template. This is a good look. A

Corey LaJoie #32 Harvest Investments Ford Mustang-I don’t know for sure if Big Bird has his own shade of yellow. I hope he does, because this is a great shade of yellow. Add in that the car has a smooth look, and you have an A.

Michael McDowell #34 Melling Engine Parts/Dockside Logistics Ford Mustang-Same scheme as Dockside Logistics, same B+ grade.

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Air Force Chevy Camaro-I love everything about this design! The A-10 is one of my favorite Air Force planes. This look is a great look. A

Josh Bilicki #52 Mariott Companies Chevy Camaro-It’s a smooth look, with a great color scheme, and that will always earn an A

Alex Bowman #88 Axalta Throwback Chevy Camaro-The Tim Richmond Folgers scheme was a great scheme, and it’s nice that Axalta is doing a faithful throwback. This is a great look. A

Let’s Look At Undershirts Part 2-Michael Waltrip

By David G. Firestone

While he is a Triple Threat in NASCAR, with 16 wins across all three of NASCAR’s top series, Michael Waltrip tends to be remembered for all the wrong reasons. He won the 2001 Daytona 500, which is known as “Black Sunday” due to the death of Dale Earnhardt. He is remembered for his wreck at the 1990 Budweiser 250. He is also remembered for his team’s shenanigans during the 2013 Federated Auto Parts 400. Kind of an odd set of things to be remembered for a driver who won two Daytona 500s.

From 2001 to 2005, Michael Waltrip raced for Dale Earnhardt Inc. as a full time driver. During that time, he won all four of his Cup series races, three at Daytona, including the 2001 and 2003 Daytona 500, and the 2002 Pepsi 400, and the 2003 EA Sports 500 at Talladega. He also scored a combined 20 top 5’s, and 40 top 10’s. During his tenure with DEI, he wore this Sparco undershirt. The shirt shows a little bit of use, and has been signed by Waltrip on the back.The neck has a SPARCO patch embroidered. WALTRIP is written in Sharpie beneath this, and the FIA certification is below that.The front of the shirt shows a few very light stains.The hems are standard hems. The shoulders don’t show any wear. The sleeves show some light stains. The back of the shirt has some light stains.The back of the neck is unadorned. The Sparco warranty label is below the neck with “15” written in Sharpie. Aside from some very light, and impossible to photograph stains, Waltrip has signed the back torso. There is a picture of him autographing the back.

I tried my best to get pics of the stains, but none of them came out. They are subtle, and you need to look carefully to see them. This is a problem with cream-colored Nomex.

Next week, is a Formula 1 race-used shoe.