Month: December 2021

By David G. Firestone

Well, all the votes have been counted, and the final Paint Scheme Leaderboard is complete. Without further ado, the final post of 2020:

1-Stewart-Haas Racing# 14 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 21 of 46

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 4.00

2-Rick Ware Racing #28 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 4.00

3-B.J. McLeod Motorsports #55 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 4.00

4-Beard Motorsports #62 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 1 of 46

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 4.00

5-Hendrick Motorsports #24 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 7 of 46

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 3.79

6-Joe Gibbs Racing #18 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: 18 of 46

Number of Schemes:

GPA: 3.65

7-Hendrick Motorsports #9 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 39 of 46

Number of Schemes: 7

GPA: 3.61

8-Kaulig Racing #16 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 2 of 46

Number of Schemes: 5

GPA: 3.60

9-Joe Gibbs Racing #19 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: 34 of 46

Number of Schemes: 11

GPA: 3.55

10-Rick Ware Racing #51 Chevy Camaro/Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 29 of 46

Number of Schemes: 4

GPA: 3.50

11-23XI Racing #23 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 19

GPA: 3.49

12-Wood Brothers #21 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 10 of 46

Number of Schemes: 17

GPA: 3.41

13-Front Row Motorsports #34 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 45 of 46

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 3.33

14-Richard Childress Racing #3 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 23 of 46

Number of Schemes: 18

GPA: 3.31

15-Richard Petty Motorsports #43 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 17 of 46

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 3.31

16-Hendrick Motorsports #5 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 39 of 46

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 3.29

17-Rick Ware Racing #52 Chevy Camaro/Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 5 of 46

Number of Schemes: 24

GPA: 3.28

18-Team Penske #12 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 9 of 46

Number of Schemes: 18

GPA: 3.13

19-MBM Motorsports #13 Ford Mustang/Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 6

GPA: 3.00

20-Front Row Motorsports #36 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 27 of 46

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 3.00

21-Team Penske #2 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 24 of 46

Number of Schemes: 16

GPA: 2.98

22-Stewart-Haas Racing# 4 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 14 of 46

Number of Schemes: 19

GPA: 2.92

23-Live Fast Motorsports #78 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 15 of 46

Number of Schemes: 22

GPA: 2.90

24-MBM Motorsports #66 Ford Mustang/Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: 40 of 46

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 2.88

25-Front Row Motorsports #38 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 19 of 46

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 2.85

26-Joe Gibbs Racing #20 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: 32 of 46

Number of Schemes: 11

GPA: 2.82

27-Hendrick Motorsports #48 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 35 of 46

Number of Schemes: 5

GPA: 2.80

28-Rick Ware Racing #15 Chevy Camaro/Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 6 of 46

Number of Schemes: 26

GPA: 2.73

29-Rick Ware Racing #53 Chevy Camaro/Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 16 of 46

Number of Schemes: 25

GPA: 2.71

30-Team Penske #33 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 3

GPA: 2.70

31-JTG Daugherty Racing #37 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 38 of 46

Number of Schemes: 27

GPA: 2.69

32-Spire Motorsports #77 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 25 of 46

Number of Schemes: 21

GPA: 2.68

33-StarCom Racing #00 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 31 of 46

Number of Schemes: 19

GPA: 2.68

34-Chip Ganassi Racing #42 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 26 of 46

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 2.67

35-Stewart-Haas Racing #10 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 22 of 46

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 2.62

36-Roush Fenway Racing #6 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 36 of 46

Number of Schemes: 22

GPA: 2.56

37-Joe Gibbs Racing #11 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: 11 of 46

Number of Schemes: 11

GPA: 2.51

38-Stewart-Haas Racing #41 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 46 of 46

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 2.50

39-Roush Fenway Racing #17 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 44 of 46

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 2.49

40-Chip Ganassi Racing #1 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 13 of 46

Number of Schemes: 6

GPA: 2.28

41-Spire Motorsports #7 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 20 of 46

Number of Schemes: 15

GPA: 2.18

42-Richard Childress Racing #8 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 41 of 46

Number of Schemes: 24

GPA: 2.14

43-Team Penske #22 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 43 of 46

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 2.04

44-JTG Daugherty Racing #47 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 12 of 46

Number of Schemes: 25

GPA: 1.77

45-Gaunt Brothers Racing #96 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: 28 of 46

Number of Schemes: 7

GPA: 1.53

46-Trackhouse Racing #99 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 10

GPA: 1.26

Next Year, Driver Suit Blog Radio takes over, AND Wheel Reviews returns!

By David G. Firestone

The 2021 Paint Scheme Leaderboard rolls on, this week, it’s the Toyota teams time to shine!

1-Joe Gibbs Racing #18 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: 3 of 8

Number of Schemes: 15

GPA: 3.65

2-Joe Gibbs Racing #19 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:6 of 8

Number of Schemes: 11

GPA: 3.55

3-23XI Racing #23 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 19

GPA: 3.49

4-MBM Motorsports #13 Ford Mustang/Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 6

GPA: 3.00

5-MBM Motorsports #66 Ford Mustang/Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: 8 of 8

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 2.88

6-Joe Gibbs Racing #20 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: 5 of 8

Number of Schemes: 11

GPA: 2.82

7-Joe Gibbs Racing #11 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: 2 of 8

Number of Schemes: 11

GPA: 2.51

8-Gaunt Brothers Racing #96 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: 4 of 8

Number of Schemes: 7

GPA: 1.53

Next week, the Grand Finale!

By David G. Firestone

This week, the 2021 Paint Scheme Leaderboard shifts focus to the blue oval. Ford’s rankings are up for this week.

1-Stewart-Haas Racing# 14 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: of 14 of 18

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 4.00

2-Rick Ware Racing #28 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 4.00

3-B.J. McLeod Motorsports #55 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA:

4-Rick Ware Racing #51 Chevy Camaro/Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 12 of 18

Number of Schemes: 4

GPA: 3.50

5-Wood Brothers #21 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 4 of 18

Number of Schemes: 17

GPA: 3.41

6-Front Row Motorsports #34 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 17 of 18

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 3.33

7-Rick Ware Racing #52 Chevy Camaro/Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 2 of 18

Number of Schemes: 24

GPA: 3.28

8-Team Penske #12 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 3 of 18

Number of Schemes: 18

GPA: 3.13

9-MBM Motorsports #13 Ford Mustang/Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 6

GPA: 3.00

10-Front Row Motorsports #36 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 11 of 18

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 3.00

11-Team Penske #2 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 10 of 18

Number of Schemes: 16

GPA: 2.98

12-Stewart-Haas Racing# 4 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 5 of 18

Number of Schemes: 19

GPA: 2.92

13-Live Fast Motorsports #78 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 22

GPA: 2.90

14-MBM Motorsports #66 Ford Mustang/Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 2.88

15-Front Row Motorsports #38 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 7 of 18

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 2.85

16-Rick Ware Racing #15 Chevy Camaro/Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 26

GPA: 2.73

17-Rick Ware Racing #53 Chevy Camaro/Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 6 of 18

Number of Schemes: 25

GPA: 2.71

18-Team Penske #33 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 3

GPA: 2.70

19-Stewart-Haas Racing# 10 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 9 of 18

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 2.62

20-Roush Fenway Racing #6 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 14 of 18

Number of Schemes: 22

GPA: 2.56

21-Stewart-Haas Racing #41 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 9 of 18

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 2.50

22-Roush Fenway Racing #17 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 16 of 18

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 2.49

23-Team Penske #22 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 15 of 18

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 2.04

Next week, the Toyota Leaderboard

By David G. Firestone

Thanksgiving has passed, holiday music and decorations are abound, and the 2021 Paint Scheme Leaderboard is here! Here’s how the process works. I will rank all of the Cup Series teams by their paint scheme GPA. I will rank them by manufacturer, then all of them in one final list. There is no committee this year, as Zoe chose to skip the proceedings. Here is the Chevy list:

1-Beard Motorsports #62 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 1 of 23

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 4.00

2-Hendrick Motorsports #24 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 5 of 23

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 3.79

3-Hendrick Motorsports #9 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 21 of 23

Number of Schemes: 7

GPA: 3.61

4-Kaulig Racing #16 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: of 23

Number of Schemes: 5

GPA: 3.60

5-Rick Ware Racing #51 Chevy Camaro/Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: of 23

Number of Schemes: 4

GPA: 3.50

6-Richard Childress Racing #3 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 13 of 23

Number of Schemes: 18

GPA: 3.31

7-Richard Petty Motorsports #43 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 11 of 23

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 3.31

8-Hendrick Motorsports #5 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 3.29

9-Rick Ware Racing #52 Chevy Camaro/Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 3 of 23

Number of Schemes: 24

GPA: 3.28

10-Hendrick Motorsports #48 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 3 of 23

Number of Schemes: 5

GPA: 2.80

11-Rick Ware Racing #15 Chevy Camaro/Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 26

GPA: 2.73

12-Rick Ware Racing #53 Chevy Camaro/Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year: 10 of 23

Number of Schemes: 25

GPA: 2.71

13-JTG Daugherty Racing #37 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 20 of 23

Number of Schemes: 27

GPA: 2.69

14-Spire Motorsports #77 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 14 of 23

Number of Schemes: 21

GPA: 2.68

15-StarCom Racing #00 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 18 of 23

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 2.68

16-Chip Ganassi Racing #42 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 15 of 23

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 2.67

17-Chip Ganassi Racing #1 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 8 of 23

Number of Schemes: 6

GPA: 2.28

18-Spire Motorsports #7 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 12 of 23

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 2.18

19-Richard Childress Racing #8 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 22 of 23

Number of Schemes: 24

GPA: 2.14

20-JTG Daugherty Racing #47 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: 7 of 23

Number of Schemes: 25

GPA: 1.77

21-Trackhouse Racing #99 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 10

GPA: 1.26

Next week, the Ford Leaderboard.

By David G. Firestone

Well, it’s that time again! We have the annual Paint Schemie Awards for the 2021 season. As per the usual, every year, I pick the best and worst paint schemes and award them the Paint Schemie. This was done using the Driver Suit Blog executive committee for paint scheme analysis and consists of me and Driver Suit Blog assistant, my cat Zoe, and uses the following standards:

*Color Scheme:How the colors look, and how they work with each other.

*Overall Design:How good the design itself looks, is there too much, or not enough.

*Primary Sponsor Logos: How the primary sponsor logos look on the car

*Originality: How original is the scheme.

All of the above can work for or against a scheme, and all will be taken into consideration.

Let’s get the bad Paint Scheme Awards out of the way…

First, the Paint Schemie Award for Worst Regular Season Single Paint Scheme.

The nominees are:

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Military Degree Equivalency Chevy Camaro

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Light #Hunt4Busch Ford Mustang

Corey LaJoie #7 Built Bar Chevy Camaro

Kyle Busch #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry

Christopher Bell #20 DEWALT Salute First Responders Toyota Camry

Ryan Preece #37 Natural Light Vodka Chevy Camaro

Anthony Alfredo #38 Bence Motor Sales Ford Mustang

BJ McLeod #78 Traxion.gg/Motorsport Games Ford Mustang

Ty Dillon #96 Bass Pro Shops/Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota Camry

The 2021 Paint Schemie Award for Worst Regular Season Single Paint Scheme goes to:

Ryan Preece #37 Natural Light Vodka Chevy Camaro

The next Paint Schemie Award is for Exhibition or Throwback Paint Schemes. This category is a little different, as the Schemie will go to the best and worst throwback. For this category, all exhibition race and throwback paint schemes qualify automatically.

The 2021 Paint Schemie Award for Worst Exhibition or Throwback Paint Scheme goes to…

Austin Cindric #33 Pirtek Ford Mustang

The next award of 2021 is the Paint Schemie for Worst Paint Scheme Set of 2021. This is based on the total GPA of the individual grades for paint schemes. The nominees are:

Richard Childress Racing #8 Chevy Camaro

Joe Gibbs Racing #11 Toyota Camry

Roush Fenway Racing #17 Ford Mustang

Joe Gibbs Racing #20 Toyota Camry

Team Penske #22 Ford Mustang

Stewart-Haas Racing #41 Ford Mustang

JTG Daugherty Racing #47 Chevy Camaro

Gaunt Brothers Racing #96 Toyota Camry

Trackhouse Racing #99 Chevy Camaro

The 2021 Paint Schemie Award for for Worst Paint Scheme Set goes to…

Trackhouse Racing #99 Chevy Camaro

Now after talking about the bad, we discuss the good. Here are the winners in the best category…

First, the Paint Schemie Award for Best Regular Season Single Paint Scheme.

The nominees for the 2021 Paint Schemie Award for for Best Regular Season Single Paint Scheme are:

Quin Houff #00 Mount-N-Lock Chevy Camaro

Kurt Busch #1 Monster Energy Chevy Camaro

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang

Chase Briscoe #14 Ford Performance Racing School Ford Mustang

Kyle Busch #18 M&M’s Toyota Camry

Christopher Bell #20 Stanley Toyota Camry

Matt DiBenedetto #21 Motorcraft Ford Mustang

Parker Kligerman #96 Fast Checkout Toyota Camry

Daniel Suarez #99 Good Sam/Autism Awareness Chevy Camaro

The 2021 Paint Schemie Award for for Best Regular Season Single Paint Scheme goes to…

Kyle Busch #18 M&M’s Toyota Camry

The next category is Paint Schemie Award is for Best Exhibition or Throwback Paint Schemes, and it should come as no surprise that the competition was strong this year.

The 2021 winner for best throwback is:

Joey Gase #28 Register Me Ford Mustang

The final award of 2021 is the Paint Schemie for Best Paint Scheme Set. Like the Worst Set, this is based on the total GPA of the individual grades for paint schemes. The nominees are:

Hendrick Motorsports #9 Chevy Camaro

Stewart-Haas Racing# 14 Ford Mustang

Joe Gibbs Racing #18 Toyota Camry

Joe Gibbs Racing #19 Toyota Camry

23XI Racing #23 Toyota Camry

Hendrick Motorsports #24 Chevy Camaro

Rick Ware Racing #28 Ford Mustang

B.J. McLeod Motorsports #55 Ford Mustang

Beard Motorsports #62 Chevy Camaro

The 2021 Paint Schemie Award for for Best Paint Scheme Set goes to…

Stewart-Haas Racing# 14 Ford Mustang

That’s it for the Schemies, next week, the Paint Scheme Leaderboard begins with Chevy!