Month: March 2020

Fun Collecting Autographs

By David G. Firestone

Getting autographs in person, be it at races, conventions, or other signings is fun. I’ve been doing it for over 30 years. I’ve met a lot of athletes in this fashion. For some, autographs are a hobby, for others, they are a business. I personally love collecting autographs.

It’s not uncommon for people to bring items to sports events to sign. Fans bring baseballs to batting practice to get autographs. I’ve done this myself on several occasions. I’ve also brought items to car shows and conventions to get signed. A few years ago, I brought this motorcycle helmet to the NHRA Route 66 Nationals. It was signed by Robby Gordon when I bought it, I still have it and it’s in great condition.The left side is signed by Clay Millican,Tony Schumacher, Tommy Johnson Jr, and Ron Capps. There are no signatures on the front.The right side is signed by Terry McMillian.There are no signatures on the back.It was signed by Robby Gordon when I bought it, and his signature is on the back of the top. At the front of the top is the signature of Shirley Muldowney. The inside of the helmet doesn’t show wear. Ok…with that out of the way, let’s move on to…

TAILGATING TIME!

If you want a delicious, filling recipe that will always go with watching racing, you’d be hard pressed to find a better one than…

Lasagna

8 Servings

Instructions:

1 large finely chopped onions

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 lb ground beef

Black pepper

Oregano

1 28 ounce can Italian-style tomatoes

6 ounces salt-free ketchup

1/3 cup water

1 1/4 lb ricotta cheese

1 8 ounce package lasagna noodles, cooked according to directions

1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, sliced.

1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Instructions:

1-Cook onion and garlic in oil until soft and yellow.

2-Add meat and continue cooking until meat is thoroughly browned

3-Add seasonings, tomatoes, ketchup, and water, and simmer until thickened, about 2 hours.

4-Arrange 1/3 of the cooked noodles in a 13 by 9 1/2 inch baking pan.

5-Top with 1/3 each, mozzarella, ricotta, and meat sauce.

6-Repeat procedure twice.

7-Sprinkle Romano or Parmesan over top layer.

8-Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, cut into squares, and serve.

We’ll stay with the helmet theme for next week.

Paint Scheme Tracker-March 25, 2020

By David G. Firestone

STARCOM RACING #00

Quin Houff #00 Jacob Construction Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2020, White with red stripes, and red and blue curve. A-

Quin Houff #00 Victory Weekend Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, black with red and white stripes. A-

Quin Houff #00 Ashurst American Honey Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, yellow with black and white cutting edge designs. F

Quin Houff #00 Permatex Chevy Camaro–No change. A-

Quin Houff #00 UNITS Moving and Portable Storage Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, slightly different design on sides. A

CHIP GANASSI RACING #1

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

Kurt Busch #1 Gear Wrench Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, black with green and white cutting edge designs on sides. B

TEAM PENSKE #2

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

Brad Keselowski #2 Autotrader Ford Mustang–No change. C

Brad Keselowski #2 Pirtek Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, dark purple with yellow Penske template. F

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

Brad Keselowski #2 Wabash National Ford Mustang–No Change. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Wurth Ford Mustang–No Change. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Dent Wizard Ford Mustang–New sponsor for 2020, same as 20 #12. F

Brad Keselowski #2 Money Lion Ford Mustang–No change. C

Brad Keselowski #2 PPG Ford Mustang–No change. A

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #3

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Chevy Camaro–No Change. B+

Austin Dillon #3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Off Road Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, black top, green stripe around number, silver bottom. A

Austin Dillon #3 Symbicort Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, more side designs have been added. F

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Killz Coatings Chevy Camaro–No change. B+

STEWART HAAS RACING #4

Kevin Harvick #4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang–No change. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang–No change. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, silver replaces black on hood and roof. A

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

Kevin Harvick #4 Jimmy Johns Ford Mustang–No change. A-

Kevin Harvick #4 #PIT4BUSCH Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, silver with blue and white flames. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Hunt Brothers Pizza/Fields Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, white with a series of green and grass motif. F

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #6

Ryan Newman #6 Oscar Meyer Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2020, green with white and bacon motif. A

Ryan Newman #6 Castrol Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, white, green, red, and black with zig-zag designs. C

Ryan Newman #6 Oscar Meyer Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, black with red and yellow bottles and splatter motif. F

Ryan Newman #6 Koch Industries Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, white front, black middle, blue rear. A

Ross Chastain #6 Wyndham Rewards Ford Mustang–No change. B+

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #8

Tyler Reddick #8 Caterpillar Chevy Camaro–No Change. A

Tyler Reddick #8 Tame the Beast Chevy Camaro–No change. B+

Tyler Reddick #8 I Am Second Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, black shattered front, red and blue mid to rear, white stripe between. F

Tyler Reddick #8 Caterpillar MinExpo 2020 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, yellow sides, paint motif, and black roof. A

Tyler Reddick #8 Roland Chevy Camaro–No change. F

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #9

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

Chase Elliott #9 Mountain Dew Zero Sugar Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, black with green Camaro stripes and green stripes on sides. A

Chase Elliott #9 UniFirst Chevy Camaro–No change. B-.

Chase Elliott #9 Hooters Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, black with orange numbers and stripes. A

Chase Elliott #9 Kelly Blue Book Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, blue replaces white, gold replaces blue. C+

STEWART HAAS RACING #10

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Foods Ford Mustang–No change. A

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Pure Farmland Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, white with green and blue stripes. A-

Aric Almirola #10 Eckrich Ford Mustang–No change. A

JOE GIBBS RACING #11

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry–No Change. B+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry–No change. B+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Office Toyota Camry–No change. B+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry–No change. B+

TEAM PENSKE #12

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Jack Links Beef Jerky Ford Mustang–New sponsor for 2020, same as 2020 #21. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, reverse color scheme of Shell/Pennzoil. D

Ryan Blaney #12 Dex Imaging Ford Mustang–No change. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Body Armor Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2020, the designs on sides have been cleaned up. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Peak Ford Mustang–No change. B+

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

Ryan Blaney #12 Body Armor Kobe Tribute Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, yellow fade to blue with snake skin motif. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Tarkett Ford Mustang–No change. A

GERMAIN RACING #13

Ty Dillon #13 Geico Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, design has been cleaned up a bit. D

STEWART HAAS RACING #14

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

Clint Bowyer #14 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang–No change. A

Clint Bowyer #14 Blue Def Ford Mustang–No change. C

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #15

Brennan Poole #15 Spartan Mosquito Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, White with yellow and blue Camaro stripes. B+

Brennan Poole #15 GOETTL Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, teal top, white stripe, green bottom. A

Brennan Poole #15 CHOC Children’s Hospital Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, white, yellow, and blue with child designs on sides and stripes. A-

KAULIG RACING #16

Justin Haley #16 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevy Camaro–No change. A

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #17

Chris Buescher #17 SunnyD Ford Mustang–No change. F

Chris Buescher #17 Fastenal Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2020, side stripes have been toned down. B+

JOE GIBBS RACING #18

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

Kyle Busch #18 Skittles Dips Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2020, white has been added. B+

Kyle Busch #18 Snickers White Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2020, white with red and blue stripes. B

Kyle Busch #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2020, light green with lightning motif across car. F

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

Kyle Busch #18 SportClips Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2020, same as #20. C-

JOE GIBBS RACING #

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

Martin Truex Jr. # Auto Owner’s Insurance Toyota Camry–No change. B+

Martin Truex Jr. #19 Sirius XM Toyota Camry–No change. B-

Martin Truex, Jr. #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2020, side cleaned up, more orange added. B

JOE GIBBS RACING #20

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

Erik Jones #20 Stanley Toyota Camry–No change. C

Erik Jones #20 SportClips Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2020, smartphone motif has been removed. C-

Erik Jones #20 Irwin Tools Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2020, blue with yellow and black stripes. C

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

Erik Jones #20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2020, same as #18. F

WOOD BROTHERS RACING #21

Matt DiBenedetto #21 Menards/Maytag Ford Mustang–No change. A

Matt DiBenedetto #21 Motorcraft Ford Mustang–No change. A

Matt DiBenedetto #21 Quaker State Ford Mustang–No change. B-

TEAM PENSKE #22

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

Joey Logano #22 AAA Insurance Ford Mustang–No change. D

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

Joey Logano #22 AAA Southern California Ford Mustang–No change. D

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #24

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

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

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

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

William Byron #24 Axalta Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, Axalta Sea Glass replaces dark blue. C

William Byron #24 Axalta Kobe Tribute Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, Lakers blue front, with curves up sides, and Lakers yellow on roof. A

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #27

Reed Sorenson #27 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, blue. A

GO FAS RACING #32

Corey LaJoie #32 Pala Casino Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, red fade to black. A

Corey LaJoie #32 Schluter Systems Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2020, orange waffle design remains but black and red flames have been added. B+

Corey LaJoie #32 RagingBull.com Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, blue front, checkered flag motif side, white rear. A

Corey LaJoie #32 MotorTrend Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, black with red slash paint motif. C-

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #34

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

RICK WARE RACING #36

David Ragan #36 Select Blinds Ford Mustang–No change. B

JTG DAUGHERTY RACING #37

Ryan Preece #37 Cottonelle Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, blue, white, yellow with a series of stripes and designs on sides and front. C

Ryan Preece #37 Natural Light Seltzer Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, white with pink, yellow, and red fruit motif across car. F

Chris Buescher #37 Velveeta Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, cheese motif extends to rear. A

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #38

John Hunter Nemechek #38 Speedy Cash Ford Mustang–No change. A

John Hunter Nemechek #38 Citgard Ford Mustang–No change. B+

John Hunter Nemechek #38 Fire Alarm Services Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, white with designs on sides, and stripes on hood. A

John Hunter Nemechek #38 Berry’s Bullets Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, white with gray stripes and a black stripe on rear. A

John Hunter Nemechek #38 MDS Ford Mustang–No change. B+

John Hunter Nemechek #38 Mystik Lubricants Ford Mustang–No change. B+

STEWART HAAS RACING #41

Cole Custer #41 Haas Automotion Ford Mustang–No change. F

Cole Custer #41 Production Alliance Group Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, black with white and red designs on sides. B

CHIP GANASSI RACING #42

Kyle Larson #42 Credit One Chevy Camaro–No Change. A

Kyle Larson #42 Advent Health Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2020, green, blue, pink, and silver with cutting edge design on sides. F

Kyle Larson #42 McDonald’s Chevy Camaro–No change. B

RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS #43

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

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

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Coca Cola Energy Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, black with a series of tiny red stripes on sides. F

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Victory Junction Ford Mustang–No change. A-

JTG DAUGHERTY RACING #47

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Kroger Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, blue, with a white stripe and white designs on rear. A

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #48

Jimmie Johnson #48 Ally Financial Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, black with cutting edge designs on sides. A

MBM MOTORSPORTS #49

Chad Finchum #49 Garrison Homes/Toyota Knoxville Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2020, blue and white with curves on sides. B+

RICK WARE RACING #51

Joey Gase #51 Page Construction/ASC Agri Services Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, gray with a series of designs on sides. F

Garrett Smithley #51 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, white. A

BJ McCleod #51 Jacob Companies Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, red, blue and silver curve up sides. A

RICK WARE RACING #52

BJ McLeod #52 Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, white sides, black hood and roof, curves on sides. B+

BJ McLeod #52 Christensen Arms Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, carbon fiber motif with red roof. A

JJ Yeley #52 Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, black. A

JJ Yeley #52 Window World Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, white with black roof, and red and black curve. A

JJ Yeley #52 Jacob Companies Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, black. A

RICK WARE RACING #53

Joey Gase #53 Nevada Donor Network Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2020, black with a series of designs on sides. F

Joey Gase #53 One Legacy Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, black with a series of designs on sides. F

RICK WARE RACING #54

JJ Yeley #54 Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, black. A

BEARD MOTORSPORTS #62

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

MBM MOTORSPORTS #66

Timmy Hill #66 RoofClaim.com Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2020, green front, brown sides, white rear. F

Timmy Hill #66 Manscaped/Lasvegas.net Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2020, black front, red stripe, white rear. A-

Timmy Hill #66 Pit Boss Grills Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2020, white fade to flames to black on sides. A

SPIRE MOTORSPORTS #77

Ross Chastain #77 Advent Health Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, same as #42. F

Reed Sorenson #77 Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2020, black. A

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #88

Alex Bowman #88 Cincinnati, Inc. Chevy Camaro–No Change. A

Alex Bowman #88 LLumar Window Film Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, vertical rectangle design. A

Alex Bowman #88 Axalta Throwback Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Alex Bowman #88 Adam’s Polishes/Chevy Group Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, black with orange and gold stripe. A

Alex Bowman #88 NOCO/Group Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, same as Adam’s Polishes but with NOCO on hood. A

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

LEAVINE FAMILY RACING #95

Christopher Bell #95 Rheem Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2020, red, white, and black with stripes. B+

Christopher Bell #95 Procore Chevy Toyota Camry–No change. F

GAUNT BROTHERS RACING #96

Daniel Suarez #96 Toyota Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2020, black with red and white curves on sides. B-

Daniel Suarez #96 Commscope Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2020, black with yellow and blue. A

Paint Scheme Grades-March 21, 2020

By David G. Firestone

Editor’s Note, due to the cancellation of the NASCAR season through May, I will do the Paint Scheme Tracker every week, and the Paint Scheme Grades every other week. This will last until the racing season resumes, or until I run out of new schemes. DGF

Quin Houff #00 UNITS Moving and Portable Storage Chevy Camaro-Love the color scheme, the design scheme is good, so I’ll give this an A.

Kevin Harvick #4 Hunt Brothers Pizza/Fields Ford Mustang-This scheme is way too over designed, and I can’t get behind it. The color scheme also clashes with the design scheme. This gets an F.

Tyler Reddick #8 Roland Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Aric Almirola #10 Eckrich Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Same Suit, Different Stories Part 2

By David G. Firestone

It’s amazing how many used firesuits are on the market in this day in age. Every one of them tells a story. Some are worn by professional racing champions. Some are worn by weekend warriors. Interestingly, some people who acquire these suits to sell don’t know the true back story behind the suit itself. This week, I will discuss a suit almost identical to last week’s, but with a different back story that is very believable.

While BMW is considered a luxury car brand, they are involved in Australian GT, DTM, IMSA, GT Racing, and FIA Formula E. They have a decent amount of success in the sport, and are a fixture at sports car races around the world. Since they are fielding their own teams, the need for drivers is there. So, like many teams, they field new talent from racing schools such as Skip Barber.

John “Skip” Barber III is a former F1 and SCCA driver.While we won 3 SCCA National Championships in a row, his F1 and IndyCar careers were not stellar. After his racing career ended, he taught four students to race in 1975. 45 years later, Skip Barber Racing Schools owns 130 cars and operates at over 30 tracks over North America. Given the need for racing talent, and the number of different series that BMW races for, it doesn’t seem too far fetched that BMW would work with Skip Barber. That partnership resulted in this single-layer OMP firesuit in decent condition.The collar has a Velcro strap, and an OMP patch on the strap.The cowl has a small flag tag marked 50 sewn into it.The right chest features a BMW logo sewn into it.The left chest is unadorned.The front torso features a black stripe over a red stripe.The suit has an unadorned white belt.The legs are unadorned, and have standard cuffs.The shoulders have black over red stripes. The sleeves have OMP patches sewn into the upper area, but are otherwise unadorned. The back is unadorned.The back of the neck has the warranty label sewn into it.The back torso is unadorned.Next week, I’ll discuss an autographed racing helmet.

Paint Scheme Tracker-March 18, 2020

By David G. Firestone

STARCOM RACING #00

Quin Houff #00 Jacob Construction Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2020, White with red stripes, and red and blue curve. A-

Quin Houff #00 Victory Weekend Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, black with red and white stripes. A-

Quin Houff #00 Ashurst American Honey Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, yellow with black and white cutting edge designs. F

Quin Houff #00 Permatex Chevy Camaro–No change. A-

Quin Houff #00 UNITS Moving and Portable Storage Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, slightly different design on sides. A

CHIP GANASSI RACING #1

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

Kurt Busch #1 Gear Wrench Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, black with green and white cutting edge designs on sides. B

TEAM PENSKE #2

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

Brad Keselowski #2 Autotrader Ford Mustang–No change. C

Brad Keselowski #2 Pirtek Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, dark purple with yellow Penske template. F

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

Brad Keselowski #2 Wabash National Ford Mustang–No Change. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Wurth Ford Mustang–No Change. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Dent Wizard Ford Mustang–New sponsor for 2020, same as 20 #12. F

Brad Keselowski #2 Money Lion Ford Mustang–No change. C

Brad Keselowski #2 PPG Ford Mustang–No change. A

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #3

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Chevy Camaro–No Change. B+

Austin Dillon #3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Off Road Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, black top, green stripe around number, silver bottom. A

Austin Dillon #3 Symbicort Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, more side designs have been added. F

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Killz Coatings Chevy Camaro–No change. B+

STEWART HAAS RACING #4

Kevin Harvick #4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang–No change. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang–No change. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, silver replaces black on hood and roof. A

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

Kevin Harvick #4 Jimmy Johns Ford Mustang–No change. A-

Kevin Harvick #4 #PIT4BUSCH Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, silver with blue and white flames. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Hunt Brothers Pizza/Fields Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, white with a series of green and grass motif. F

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #6

Ryan Newman #6 Oscar Meyer Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2020, green with white and bacon motif. A

Ryan Newman #6 Castrol Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2019, white, green, red, and black with zig-zag designs. C

Ryan Newman #6 Oscar Meyer Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, black with red and yellow bottles and splatter motif. F

Ryan Newman #6 Koch Industries Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, white front, black middle, blue rear. A

Ross Chastain #6 Wyndham Rewards Ford Mustang–No change. B+

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #8

Tyler Reddick #8 Caterpillar Chevy Camaro–No Change. A

Tyler Reddick #8 Tame the Beast Chevy Camaro–No change. B+

Tyler Reddick #8 I Am Second Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, black shattered front, red and blue mid to rear, white stripe between. F

Tyler Reddick #8 Caterpillar MinExpo 2020 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, yellow sides, paint motif, and black roof. A

Tyler Reddick #8 Roland Chevy Camaro–No change. F

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #9

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

Chase Elliott #9 Mountain Dew Zero Sugar Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, black with green Camaro stripes and green stripes on sides. A

Chase Elliott #9 UniFirst Chevy Camaro–No change. B-.

Chase Elliott #9 Hooters Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, black with orange numbers and stripes. A

Chase Elliott #9 Kelly Blue Book Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, blue replaces white, gold replaces blue. C+

STEWART HAAS RACING #10

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Foods Ford Mustang–No change. A

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Pure Farmland Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, white with green and blue stripes. A-

Aric Almirola #10 Eckrich Ford Mustang–No change. A

JOE GIBBS RACING #11

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry–No Change. B+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry–No change. B+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Office Toyota Camry–No change. B+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry–No change. B+

TEAM PENSKE #12

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Jack Links Beef Jerky Ford Mustang–New sponsor for 2020, same as 2020 #21. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, reverse color scheme of Shell/Pennzoil. D

Ryan Blaney #12 Dex Imaging Ford Mustang–No change. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Body Armor Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2020, the designs on sides have been cleaned up. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Peak Ford Mustang–No change. B+

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

Ryan Blaney #12 Body Armor Kobe Tribute Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, yellow fade to blue with snake skin motif. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Tarkett Ford Mustang–No change. A

GERMAIN RACING #13

Ty Dillon #13 Geico Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, design has been cleaned up a bit. D

STEWART HAAS RACING #14

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

Clint Bowyer #14 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang–No change. A

Clint Bowyer #14 Blue Def Ford Mustang–No change. C

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #15

Brennan Poole #15 Spartan Mosquito Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, White with yellow and blue Camaro stripes. B+

Brennan Poole #15 GOETTL Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, teal top, white stripe, green bottom. A

Brennan Poole #15 CHOC Children’s Hospital Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, white, yellow, and blue with child designs on sides and stripes. A-

KAULIG RACING #16

Justin Haley #16 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevy Camaro–No change. A

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #17

Chris Buescher #17 SunnyD Ford Mustang–No change. F

Chris Buescher #17 Fastenal Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2020, side stripes have been toned down. B+

JOE GIBBS RACING #18

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

Kyle Busch #18 Skittles Dips Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2020, white has been added. B+

Kyle Busch #18 Snickers White Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2020, white with red and blue stripes. B

Kyle Busch #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2020, light green with lightning motif across car. F

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

Kyle Busch #18 SportClips Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2020, same as #20. C-

JOE GIBBS RACING #

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

Martin Truex Jr. # Auto Owner’s Insurance Toyota Camry–No change. B+

Martin Truex Jr. #19 Sirius XM Toyota Camry–No change. B-

Martin Truex, Jr. #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2020, side cleaned up, more orange added. B

JOE GIBBS RACING #20

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

Erik Jones #20 Stanley Toyota Camry–No change. C

Erik Jones #20 SportClips Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2020, smartphone motif has been removed. C-

Erik Jones #20 Irwin Tools Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2020, blue with yellow and black stripes. C

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

Erik Jones #20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2020, same as #18. F

WOOD BROTHERS RACING #21

Matt DiBenedetto #21 Menards/Maytag Ford Mustang–No change. A

Matt DiBenedetto #21 Motorcraft Ford Mustang–No change. A

Matt DiBenedetto #21 Quaker State Ford Mustang–No change. B-

TEAM PENSKE #22

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

Joey Logano #22 AAA Insurance Ford Mustang–No change. D

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

Joey Logano #22 AAA Southern California Ford Mustang–No change. D

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #24

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

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

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

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

William Byron #24 Axalta Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, Axalta Sea Glass replaces dark blue. C

William Byron #24 Axalta Kobe Tribute Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, Lakers blue front, with curves up sides, and Lakers yellow on roof. A

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #27

Reed Sorenson #27 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, blue. A

GO FAS RACING #32

Corey LaJoie #32 Pala Casino Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, red fade to black. A

Corey LaJoie #32 Schluter Systems Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2020, orange waffle design remains but black and red flames have been added. B+

Corey LaJoie #32 RagingBull.com Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, blue front, checkered flag motif side, white rear. A

Corey LaJoie #32 MotorTrend Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, black with red slash paint motif. C-

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #34

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

RICK WARE RACING #36

David Ragan #36 Select Blinds Ford Mustang–No change. B

JTG DAUGHERTY RACING #37

Ryan Preece #37 Cottonelle Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, blue, white, yellow with a series of stripes and designs on sides and front. C

Ryan Preece #37 Natural Light Seltzer Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, white with pink, yellow, and red fruit motif across car. F

Chris Buescher #37 Velveeta Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, cheese motif extends to rear. A

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #38

John Hunter Nemechek #38 Speedy Cash Ford Mustang–No change. A

John Hunter Nemechek #38 Citgard Ford Mustang–No change. B+

John Hunter Nemechek #38 Fire Alarm Services Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, white with designs on sides, and stripes on hood. A

John Hunter Nemechek #38 Berry’s Bullets Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, white with gray stripes and a black stripe on rear. A

John Hunter Nemechek #38 MDS Ford Mustang–No change. B+

John Hunter Nemechek #38 Mystik Lubricants Ford Mustang–No change. B+

STEWART HAAS RACING #41

Cole Custer #41 Haas Automotion Ford Mustang–No change. F

Cole Custer #41 Production Alliance Group Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, black with white and red designs on sides. B

CHIP GANASSI RACING #42

Kyle Larson #42 Credit One Chevy Camaro–No Change. A

Kyle Larson #42 Advent Health Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2020, green, blue, pink, and silver with cutting edge design on sides. F

Kyle Larson #42 McDonald’s Chevy Camaro–No change. B

RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS #43

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

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

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Coca Cola Energy Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, black with a series of tiny red stripes on sides. F

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Victory Junction Ford Mustang–No change. A-

JTG DAUGHERTY RACING #47

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Kroger Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, blue, with a white stripe and white designs on rear. A

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #48

Jimmie Johnson #48 Ally Financial Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, black with cutting edge designs on sides. A

MBM MOTORSPORTS #49

Chad Finchum #49 Garrison Homes/Toyota Knoxville Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2020, blue and white with curves on sides. B+

RICK WARE RACING #51

Joey Gase #51 Page Construction/ASC Agri Services Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, gray with a series of designs on sides. F

Garrett Smithley #51 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2020, white. A

BJ McCleod #51 Jacob Companies Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, red, blue and silver curve up sides. A

RICK WARE RACING #52

BJ McLeod #52 Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, white sides, black hood and roof, curves on sides. B+

BJ McLeod #52 Christensen Arms Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, carbon fiber motif with red roof. A

JJ Yeley #52 Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, black. A

JJ Yeley #52 Window World Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, white with black roof, and red and black curve. A

JJ Yeley #52 Jacob Companies Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, black. A

RICK WARE RACING #53

Joey Gase #53 Nevada Donor Network Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2020, black with a series of designs on sides. F

Joey Gase #53 One Legacy Ford Mustang-New sponsor for 2020, black with a series of designs on sides. F

RICK WARE RACING #54

JJ Yeley #54 Ford Mustang-New scheme for 2020, black. A

BEARD MOTORSPORTS #62

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

MBM MOTORSPORTS #66

Timmy Hill #66 RoofClaim.com Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2020, green front, brown sides, white rear. F

Timmy Hill #66 Manscaped/Lasvegas.net Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2020, black front, red stripe, white rear. A-

Timmy Hill #66 Pit Boss Grills Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2020, white fade to flames to black on sides. A

SPIRE MOTORSPORTS #77

Ross Chastain #77 Advent Health Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, same as #42. F

Reed Sorenson #77 Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2020, black. A

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #88

Alex Bowman #88 Cincinnati, Inc. Chevy Camaro–No Change. A

Alex Bowman #88 LLumar Window Film Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2020, vertical rectangle design. A

Alex Bowman #88 Axalta Throwback Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Alex Bowman #88 Adam’s Polishes/Chevy Group Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, black with orange and gold stripe. A

Alex Bowman #88 NOCO/Group Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2020, same as Adam’s Polishes but with NOCO on hood. A

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

LEAVINE FAMILY RACING #95

Christopher Bell #95 Rheem Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2020, red, white, and black with stripes. B+

Christopher Bell #95 Procore Chevy Toyota Camry–No change. F

GAUNT BROTHERS RACING #96

Daniel Suarez #96 Toyota Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2020, black with red and white curves on sides. B-

Daniel Suarez #96 Commscope Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2020, black with yellow and blue. A

Paint Scheme Grades-March 14, 2020

By David G. Firestone

Quin Houff #00 Permatex Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same A- grade.

Quin Houff #00 Ashurst American Honey Chevy Camaro-An over designed mess with a mediocre color scheme will always earn an F

Tyler Reddick #8 Caterpillar MinExpo 2020 Chevy Camaro-I like this, it’s bold, not over done, and has a great color scheme. A

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same B+ grade.

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Tarkett Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Kyle Busch #18 Pedigree Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Kyle Busch #18 SportClips Toyota Camry-Same scheme as #20, same C- grade.

Erik Jones #20 Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Erik Jones #20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry-Same scheme as #18, same F grade.

Corey LaJoie #32 MotorTrend Ford Mustang-I love the color scheme here, but the car is over designed. I think toning down the red would work better. Still, it isn’t horrible so I’ll give it a C-.

Chris Buescher #37 Velveeta Chevy Camaro-Like many great recipes, adding the extra cheese really didn’t hurt. This looks good, so I’ll give it an A.

John Hunter Nemechek #38 MDS Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same B+ grade.

John Hunter Nemechek #38 Mystik Lubricants Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same B+ grade.

BJ McCleod #51 Jacob Companies Chevy Camaro-This new look is much cleaner, but is still bold, and has a great color scheme. A

JJ Yeley #52 Window World Chevy Camaro-This is a great look, and I can’t say anything bad about it. A

JJ Yeley #52 Jacob Companies Ford Mustang-A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A.

Joey Gase #53 One Legacy Ford Mustang-I think that this is over designed, and the color scheme doesn’t help. This doesn’t look good, and gets an F.

Timmy Hill #66 Pit Boss Grills Toyota Camry-This is a great look, and I can’t say anything bad about it. A

Daniel Suarez #96 Commscope Toyota Camry–A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A.

Same Suit, Different Stories Part 1

By David G. Firestone

It’s amazing how many used firesuits are on the market in this day in age. Every one of them tells a story. Some are worn by professional racing champions. Some are worn by weekend warriors. Interestingly, some people who acquire these suits to sell don’t know the true back story behind the suit itself. This is evident that in the next couple weeks, I’m going to discuss two identical suits with different back stories from the sellers.

One of America’s most well-known sports car races in America is the 12 Hours of Sebring. Located in Sebring, Florida, it was opened on the defunct Hendricks Army Airfield in 1950. The race lasts 12 hours, has several different classes racing, and has had many well-known race winners including Juan Manuel Fangio, Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti, A. J. Foyt, Bobby Rahal, Arie Luyendyk, Scott Sharp, Wayne Taylor, and Scott Pruett.

While BMW is considered a luxury car brand, they are involved in Australian GT, DTM, IMSA, GT Racing, and FIA Formula E. They have won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1975, and 1999. At some point in the 1980’s, one of their teams came outfitted in this cream colored single-layer OMP suit. The suit shows some wear, and while I can’t match it 100%, there is an undated photo showing three crew members wearing this same suit design. The collar has a Velcro strap, and an OMP patch on the strap.The cowl has a small unreadable flag tag sewn into it.The right chest features a BMW logo sewn into it.The left chest features GOODYEAR, JEB’S HELMETS, and SKF BEARINGS sewn onto them.The front torso features a black stripe over a red stripe. There is some damage to the red stripe. The suit has an unadorned white belt.The legs are unadorned, and have standard cuffs.The shoulders have black over red stripes. The sleeves have OMP patches sewn into the upper area, but are otherwise unadorned. The back is unadorned.The back of the neck has the warranty label sewn in an off-center manner. The back torso is unadorned.Next week, I’ll discuss an almost identical suit with a different, yet believable back story.