Month: December 2022

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 2022:

1-Team Penske #22 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:43 of 46

Number of Schemes:8

GPA:4.00

2-NY Racing #44 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:5

GPA:4.00

3-Joe Gibbs Racing #11 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:37 of 46

Number of Schemes:9

GPA:3.85

4-Hendrick Motorsports #9 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:7 of 46

Number of Schemes:8

GPA:3.75

5-Joe Gibbs Racing #18 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:6 of 46

Number of Schemes:14

GPA:3.71

6-MBM Motorsports #55 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:3 of 46

Number of Schemes:1

GPA:3.70

7-Team Penske #12 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:18 of 46

Number of Schemes:21

GPA:3.65

8-Team Hezenberg #27 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:4

GPA:3.50

9-Hendrick Motorsports #24 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:5 of 46

Number of Schemes:9

GPA:3.51

10-Joe Gibbs Racing #20 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:26 of 46

Number of Schemes:6

GPA:3.33

11-Rick Ware Racing #51 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:10 of 46

Number of Schemes:6

GPA:3.33

12-Hendrick Motorsports #5 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:16 of 46

Number of Schemes:3

GPA:3.33

13-Richard Childress Racing #33 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:1

GPA:3.30

14-Stewart-Haas Racing #41 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:38 of 46

Number of Schemes:14

GPA:3.02

15-Richard Childress Racing #3 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:14 of 46

Number of Schemes:1

GPA:3.30

16-Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing #6 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:36 of 46

Number of Schemes:16

GPA:3.15

17-Stewart-Haas Racing #14 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:1 of 46

Number of Schemes:9

GPA:3.15

18-Rick Ware Racing #15 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:28 of 46

Number of Schemes:27

GPA:3.09

19-Team Penske #2 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:21 of 46

Number of Schemes:16

GPA:3.04

20-Kaulig Racing #16 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:8 of 46

Number of Schemes:18

GPA:3.01

21-Richard Childress Racing #8 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:42 of 46

Number of Schemes:10

GPA:3.00

22-Wood Brothers #21 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:12 of 46

Number of Schemes:8

GPA:2.96

23-Stewart-Haas Racing #4 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:22 of 46

Number of Schemes:18

GPA:2.90

24-Hendrick Motorsports #48 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:27 of 46

Number of Schemes:7

GPA:2.86

25-Beard Motorsports #62 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:4 of 46

Number of Schemes:2

GPA:2.85

26-Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing #17 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:39 of 46

Number of Schemes:11

GPA:2.78

27-Front Row Motorsports #34 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:13 of 46

Number of Schemes:11

GPA:2.76

28-Joe Gibbs Racing #19 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:9 of 46

Number of Schemes:8

GPA:2.71

29-23XI Racing #45 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:14

GPA:2.70

30-JTG Daugherty Racing #47 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:44 of 46

Number of Schemes:25

GPA:2.66

31-23XI Racing #23 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:11 of 46

Number of Schemes:14

GPA:2.64

32-Stewart-Haas Racing #10 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:35 of 46

Number of Schemes:8

GPA:2.96

33-Richard Petty Motorsports #42 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:12

GPA:2.61

34-Kaulig Racing #31 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:3

GPA:2.57

35-Live Fast Motorsports #78 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:23 of 46

Number of Schemes:28

GPA:2.56

36-Spire Motorsports #77 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:32 of 46

Number of Schemes:14

GPA:2.30

37-Front Row Motorsports #38 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:25 of 46

Number of Schemes:17

GPA:2.25

38-Trackhouse Racing #1 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:1

GPA:2.21

39-Spire Motorsports #7 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:41 of 46

Number of Schemes:19

GPA:2.08

40-The Money Racing Team #50 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:2

GPA:2.00

41-MBM Motorsports #66 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:24 of 46

Number of Schemes:1

GPA:2.00

42-Richard Petty Motorsports #43 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:15 of 46

Number of Schemes:7

GPA:1.90

43-Trackhouse Racing #99 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:46 of 46

Number of Schemes:13

GPA:1.53

44-Team Hezenberg #26 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:0.00

GPA:1

45-Trackhouse Racing #91 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:1

GPA:0.0

With that, 2022 is over, and we will start back up next week, and next year!

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 #11 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:7 of 8

Number of Schemes:9

GPA:3.85

2-Joe Gibbs Racing #18 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:1 of 8

Number of Schemes:14

GPA:3.71

3-Team Hezenberg #27 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:4

GPA:3.50

4-Joe Gibbs Racing #20 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:6 of 8

Number of Schemes:6

GPA:3.33

5-Joe Gibbs Racing #19 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:2 of 8

Number of Schemes:8

GPA:2.71

6-23XI Racing #45 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:14

GPA:2.70

7-23XI Racing #23 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:3 of 8

Number of Schemes:14

GPA:2.64

8-Team Hezenberg #26 Toyota Camry

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:1

GPA:0.00

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-Wood Brothers #21 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:23 of 23

Number of Schemes:8

GPA:4.00

2-Rick Ware Racing #51 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:2 of 23

Number of Schemes:1

GPA:3.70

3-Team Penske #12 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:8 of 23

Number of Schemes:21

GPA:3.65

4-Rick Ware Racing #51 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:4 of 23

Number of Schemes:6

GPA:3.33

5-Stewart-Haas Racing #41 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:21 of 23

Number of Schemes:14

GPA:3.02

6-Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing #6 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:20 of 23

Number of Schemes:16

GPA:3.15

7-Stewart-Haas Racing #14 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:1 of 23

Number of Schemes:9

GPA:3.15

8-Rick Ware Racing #15 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:16 of 23

Number of Schemes:27

GPA:3.09

9-Team Penske #2 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:11 of 23

Number of Schemes:16

GPA:3.04

10-Wood Brothers #21 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:5 of 23

Number of Schemes:8

GPA:2.96

11-Stewart-Haas Racing #4 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:12 of 23

Number of Schemes:18

GPA:2.90

12-Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing #17 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:22 of 23

Number of Schemes:11

GPA:2.78

13-Front Row Motorsports #34 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:6 of 23

Number of Schemes:11

GPA:2.76

14-Stewart-Haas Racing #10 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:19 of 23

Number of Schemes:20

GPA:2.62

15-Live Fast Motorsports #78 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:13 of 23

Number of Schemes:28

GPA:2.56

16-Front Row Motorsports #38 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:15 of 23

Number of Schemes:17

GPA:2.25

17-MBM Motorsports #66 Ford Mustang

Rank Last Year:14 of 23

Number of Schemes:1

GPA:2.00

Next week, Toyota.

By David G. Firestone

Thanksgiving has passed, holiday music and decorations are abound, and the 2022 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-NY Racing #44 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:5

GPA:4.00

2-Hendrick Motorsports #9 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:3 of 21

Number of Schemes:8

GPA:3.75

3-Hendrick Motorsports #24 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:2 of 21

Number of Schemes:9

GPA:3.51

4-Hendrick Motorsports #5 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:8 of 21

Number of Schemes:3

GPA:3.33

5-Richard Childress Racing #33 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:1

GPA:3.3

6-Richard Childress Racing #3 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:6 of 21

Number of Schemes:14

GPA:3.24

7-Kaulig Racing #16 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:4 of 21

Number of Schemes:18

GPA:3.01

8-Richard Childress Racing #8 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:19 of 21

Number of Schemes:10

GPA:3.00

9-Hendrick Motorsports #48 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:10 of 21

Number of Schemes:7

GPA:2.86

10-Beard Motorsports #62 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:1 of 21

Number of Schemes:2

GPA:2.85

11-JTG Daugherty Racing #47 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:20 of 21

Number of Schemes:25

GPA:2.66

12-Richard Petty Motorsports #42 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:12

GPA:2.61

13-Kaulig Racing #31 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:3

GPA:2.57

14-Spire Motorsports #77 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:14 of 21

Number of Schemes:14

GPA:2.30

15-Trackhouse Racing #1 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:1

GPA:2.21

16-Spire Motorsports #7 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:18 of 21

Number of Schemes:19

GPA:2.08

17-The Money Racing Team #50 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:2

GPA:2.00

18-Richard Petty Motorsports #43 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:7 of 21

Number of Schemes:7

GPA:1.90

19-Trackhouse Racing #99 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:21 of 21

Number of Schemes:13

GPA:1.53

20-Trackhouse Racing #91 Chevy Camaro

Rank Last Year:N/A

Number of Schemes:1

GPA:0.0

Next week, Ford.

By David G. Firestone

Well, it’s that time again! We have the annual Paint Schemie Awards for the 2022 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:

Ross Chastain #1 Advent Health Chevy Camaro

Kyle Busch #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry

Harrison Burton #21 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang

Daniil Kyvat #26 Hezeberg Systems Toyota Camry

Todd Gilliland #38 Frontline Ford Mustang

Kurt Busch #45 Jordan Brand Toyota Camry

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Kroger/Nature Valley Chevy Camaro

BJ McLeod #78 Motorsport Games Ford Mustang

Kimi Räikkönen’s #91 Recogni/iLOQ Chevy Camaro

The 2022 Paint Schemie Award for Worst Regular Season Single Paint Scheme goes to:

Kimi Räikkönen’s #91 Recogni/iLOQ 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 2022 Paint Schemie Award for Worst Exhibition or Throwback Paint Scheme goes to…

Kevin Harvick #4 Rheem “Chasing a Cure” Throwback Ford Mustang

The next award of 2022 is the Paint Schemie for Worst Paint Scheme Set of 2022. This is based on the total GPA of the individual grades for paint schemes. The nominees are:

23XI Racing #23 Toyota Camry

Team Hezenberg #26 Toyota Camry

Front Row Motorsports #38 Ford Mustang

Richard Petty Motorsports #43 Chevy Camaro

23XI Racing #45 Toyota Camry

Live Fast Motorsports #78 Ford Mustang

Trackhouse Racing #91 Chevy Camaro

Trackhouse Racing #99 Chevy Camaro

The 2022 Paint Schemie Award for for Worst Paint Scheme Set goes to…

Trackhouse Racing #91 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 2022 Paint Schemie Award for for Best Regular Season Single Paint Scheme are:

Kevin Harvick #4 Gear Wrench Ford Mustang

Brad Keselowski #6 Castrol Ford Mustang

Aric Almirola #10 Ford BlueOval City Ford Mustang

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry

Daniel Hemric #16 South Point Hotel Casino & Spa Chevy Camaro

Kyle Busch #18 M&M’s Toyota Camry

Bubba Wallace #23 Wheaties Toyota Camry

Greg Biffle #44 Grambling State University Chevy Camaro

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Food 4 Less/Slim Jim Chevy Camaro

The 2022 Paint Schemie Award for for Best Regular Season Single Paint Scheme goes to…

Bubba Wallace #23 Wheaties 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 2022 winner for best throwback is:

Daniel Suarez #99 Coca Cola Throwback Chevy Camaro

The final award of 2022 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 #5 Chevy Camaro

Hendrick Motorsports #9 Chevy Camaro

Joe Gibbs Racing #11 Toyota Camry

Team Penske #12 Ford Mustang

Joe Gibbs Racing #18 Toyota Camry

Team Penske #22 Ford Mustang

Team Hezenberg #27 Toyota Camry

NY Racing #44 Chevy Camaro

MBM Motorsports #55 Ford Mustang

The 2022 Paint Schemie Award for for Best Paint Scheme Set goes to…

Team Penske #22 Ford Mustang

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