auto racing

The Vest Project Part 17-Revisiting A Team I’ve Already Covered.

By David G. Firestone

Ok, I get that last week’s Friday Feature was a long read. I had been wanting to do something like that for a while. Now that the coins are done, let’s pick up the vest project where we left off. Two years ago, I “finished” the vest project with a Serta vest from BAM Racing. Since then, I have acquired a few more vests, including this one from BAM racing. Since it’s pretty much the same vest, albeit with some minor differences, I’m just going to use the article I did for the Serta vest, update with the changes.

This vest is from The Sprint Cup Series, and is the only vest I’ve come across from the Cup Series. It was from BAM Racing in 2006. BAM stands for Beth Ann Morgenthau, the owner of the team. Their racing team started in 2001 racing Fords part time. In 2002, they switched to Dodge, which they raced until they folded in 2008. Their driver lineup included Ken Schrader, 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope, and former Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday. Though they had 3 top 10’s with Schrader over the course of three seasons, 2003, 2004, and 2005, they never scored a top 5, or a win.

2006 would be a forgettable year for BAM Racing. Though they tried to start 33 races out of the 36 race season, they failed to qualify for 8 of them, and the ones that they did qualify for, they failed to even score a top 10. During some of those 24 races, a crew member wore this Simpson vest.  Issued to a crew member named R Benton, the vest shows light use.The collar has no logos on it.The old Simpson warranty label is sewn into the cowl, along with an identification tag stating that the vest is issued to R Benton. The right chest features a NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES logo, a SIMPSON logo, and a GOODYEAR logo present.The left chest features a Dodge logo and an SEM logo.The front torso has a BAM RACING logo embroidered in white and yellow in the blue background material.The bottom hems don’t feature comfort straps. The shoulder epaulets feature Simpson logos, but are otherwise unadorned. The vest has standard arm holes. The back of the vest doesn’t show any real wear.The back of the neck is unadorned, but just below the neck, there is WWW.BAM49RACING.COM embroidered into it.The back torso features a SERTA logo above a BAM RACING logo.The vest project will go on, and I do plan on doing more vests in the coming months. I just hated doing vest after vest after vest. I do learn from these vests, and I do enjoy collecting them.

Next week, a pit crew suit from an established Cup team, made by a company I have never heard of.

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Throwback Thursday-1973 #22 Porsche 910

Raymond Touroul and Jean-Pierre Rouget 1973 #22 Porsche 910

The Porsche 910 is a very streamlined car with a very good look. The car not having a tail does look odd. The color scheme is decent, but the yellow could be much darker, which would work well with the black stripe across the bottom. It’s a decent look, but it could be better, so I’ll give it a C+

Paint Scheme Tracker-June 20, 2018

By David G Firestone

STAR COM RACING #00

Jeffery Earnhardt #00 VRX Racing Simulators Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white with silver and blue cutting edge designs. C

Landon Cassill #00 USFRA.ORG/Starcom Fiber Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, blue with red and silver designs, and red roof. B+

Landon Cassill #00 TW Cable/Superior Essex Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with TW Cable on hood, and Superior Essex on sides. A

Landon Cassill #00 Sparks Energy Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, yellow front, fades to black sides and lightning motif on rear. C+

Landon Cassill #00 Star Com Fiber Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, paint splatter motif on sides has been added. C-

Landon Cassill #00 RNH Electric Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white with green roof, and green and black on sides. C

Landon Cassill #00 Dari-O Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, red with green and white stripes on sides. B+

Landon Cassill #00 TW Cable Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, blue with white and silver stripes on sides. B+

CHIP GANASSI RACING #1

Jamie McMurray #1 GearWrench Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, black with green stripes and roof. A

Jamie McMurray #1 Cessna Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, black with blue waves on sides. A

Jamie McMurray #1 DC Solar Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, dark blue and white with diagonal stripes. B-

Jamie McMurray #1 McDonald’s/Cessna Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, red and black replaces blue. A

Jamie McMurray #1 McDonald’s Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, red with yellow and black stripe, and yellow design on rear quarter panel bottom. A-

Jamie McMurray #1 Cessna/DC Solar Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, same as McDonald’s, but with black, white, and gray. A

Jamie McMurray #1 Clover Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white front, blue fade with circuit designs across sides. C-

Jamie McMurray #1 McDonald’s Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, same as #42 McDonald’s. B+

Jamie McMurray #1 Cessna/Textron Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, same as Cessna, but with Textron Off Road on sides. A

Jamie McMurray #1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with patriotic motif on sides. B+

TEAM PENSKE #2

Brad Keselowski #2 Wurth Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, white and red Penske template. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Discount Tire Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, white with black outline. A

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

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

Brad Keselowski #2 Auto Trader Ford Fusion–No Change. D-

Brad Keselowski #2 Discount Tire Bruce Halle Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, same as discount tire but with Bruce Halle tribute on hood. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Reese/Drawtite Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, Penske Template with blue and black. A

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Genuine Draft Throwback Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, based on Rusty Wallace’s 1990 MGD Pontiac Grand Prix. A

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

Brad Keselowski #2 Snap-On Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, red with black roof, black stripes on bottom, and black stripe on rear. A

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #3

Austin Dillon#3 Dow Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, black fade to red to black across whole car. A

Austin Dillon #3 AAA Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, all red, with white stripe pattern on sides. A

Austin Dillon #3 American Ethanol Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, green front, black rear, white and black waves on sides. C-

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Silastic Silicone Elastomers Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white with liquid motif on front, and yellow field motif on rear. A

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Killz Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, same as Dow but with Killz logo on sides. B+

Austin Dillon #3 Symbicort Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white with blue and yellow designs across car. C-

Austin Dillon #3 Realtree Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, yellow and blue tye dye on hood, Realtree camouflage on sides, yellow and black curves separating the two. F

Austin Dillon #3 Scooper Cat Litter Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white, light blue, and light yellow with polka dot motif. F

Austin Dillon #3 Coca-Cola Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, red with American Flag motif on sides. A

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Salutes Veterans Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, silver with patriotic motif on sides. A

STEWART-HAAS RACING #4

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

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

Kevin Harvick #4 Jimmy Johns Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, black and white reversed. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Plaid Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, dark blue plaid all over car, gold rear. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1/Busch Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, Mobil 1 front, Busch rear quarter panel. B+

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Throwback Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, based on mid 1990’s can design. A

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

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #6

Trevor Bayne #6 Advocare Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, black with grey, silver and blue stripes. A

Trevor Bayne #6 Performance Plus Motor Oil Ford Fusion–No change. B-

Trevor Bayne #6 Advocare 25th Anniversary Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, same as regular, but with 25th Anniversary logo on hood. A

Trevor Bayne #6 Ford EcoBoost Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, black replaces red, more toned down, with white rear. B+

Matt Kenseth #6 Wyndham Rewards Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, light blue with white sides and cloud motif. A

Matt Kenseth #6 Wyndham Rewards Patriotic Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, blue front, patriotic stripe motif in center, white rear. C-

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #7

Danica Patrick #7 GoDaddy/Warriors By Danica Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2018, green with white stripes and black rear. A-

DJ Kennington #7 APC Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white with red and blue cutting edge design on sides and hood. B-

NY RACING TEAM #7

JJ Yeley #7 Steakhouse Elite Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black camo front, gold stripes, white rear. B-

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #8

Daniel Hemric #8 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, green with black stripes and black hood. C+

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #9

Chase Elliott #9 NAPA Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2017, blue with white designs on sides. B+

Chase Elliott #9 Hooters Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, orange back and white front, with Y design across sides. B-

Chase Elliott #9 Sun Energy Chevy Camaro–No change. F

Chase Elliott #9 Kelly Blue Book Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, blue with white diagonal side and cutting edge design. C

Chase Elliott #9 Mountain Dew Chevy SS–New scheme for 2018, green with small black stripes on bottom. A

Chase Elliott #9 Mountain Dew Baja Bast Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, same as Mountain Dew, but silver replaces gold. A

Chase Elliott #9 NAPA Patriotic Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, NAPA blue with red and white shooting star motif. C

Chase Elliott #9 Little Caesars Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, white with orange stripes on hood, roof, and bottom. A

STEWART-HAAS RACING #10

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Foods Ford Fusion–New sponsor for 2018, black and white with slash patterns on sides. A

Aric Almirola #10 Mobil 1 Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, silver replaces green. A

Aric Almirola #10 Go Bowling Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, similar to 2017 Stenhouse scheme, wood has replaced red on sides, and design has been toned down. A-

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Prime Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, vertical fade from blue to black. A

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield/Waffle House Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, black front, yellow stripe, white, black and patriotic geometric designs on sides. F

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Patriotic Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, black front, patriotic motif on sides. D-

JOE GIBBS RACING #11

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry–No change. B-

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Freight 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-

TEAM PENSKE #12

Ryan Blaney #12 Duracel/Menard’s Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2017, yellow with narrow stripes. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Dex Imaging Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, Penske template, white front, red rear. A

Ryan Blaney #12 PPG Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, blue front, white rear, horizontal paint drip motif across car. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Peak/Menard’s Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, new Menard’s template with Peak on hood. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Pennzoil Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, yellow with silver and white wave design on sides. B-

Ryan Blaney #12 Carlisle Tools Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, Penske template with gold and white. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Body Armor Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018. white roof and hood, red sides with sublimated triangles with a black stripe near front wheel. B+

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Libman Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, new Menard’s template with Libman on hood. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Richmond Water Heaters Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, new Menard’s template, with Richmond Water Heaters on hood. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Fleetwood RV Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, same as Red Cross, but with Fleetwood RV on sides. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Duracel Throwback Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, based on Dave Blaney’s 2003 Jasper Engines Ford. A-

Ryan Blaney #12 Hawk Performance/Carlisle Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, same as Fleetwood RV, but with Hawk Performance on sides, and Carlisle on sides. A

GERMAIN RACING #13

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

Ty Dillon #13 Geico Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, similar scheme to 2017, but some cutting edge designs replace stripe on sides. C

Ty Dillon #13 Geico Millitary Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, similar scheme t0 2017, but with some changes to the front. F

STEWART-HAAS RACING #14

Clint Bowyer #14 Rush’s Truck Stops Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, yellow front, red stripe, black rear. A

Clint Bowyer #14 Haas CNC Ford Fusion–No change. A

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

Clint Bowyer #14 CSU One Cure Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, side stripes are cleaner. A

Clint Bowyer #14 Haas Demo Days Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, same as Hass, but with Haas Demo Days on hood. A

Clint Bowyer #14 Wix Filters Ford Fusion–New sponsor for 2018, black with sublimated Wix filters logos, with a series of bright yellow stripes on sides. F

Clint Bowyer #14 Ford NASCAR Hall of Fans Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, black, with  white hood and roof, and a series of blue, silver, and white designs on sides. C-

Clint Bowyer #14 Mobil 1/Stewart-Haas Racing Fan Club Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, black with white, and blue designs on sides. C

Clint Bowyer #14 Busch Light Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, same as #4. A

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #15

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

Ross Chastain #15 Championship Machinery Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, blue, white, and yellow brush stroke motif across car. C-

Ross Chastain #15 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, black, with white and blue letters. A

Ross Chastain #15 Eat Florida Watermelon Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, red with watermelon motif on sides. A

Justin Marks #15 Sufferfest Beer Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white, green, and black, with diagonal stripes. A

Ross Chastain #15 Caddy’s Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, beach motif across whole car. A

Ross Chastain #15 Internetwork Engineering Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with white lettering. A

Ross Chastain #15 Flight Path International Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, black with white numbers and logos. A

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #17

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fastenal Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, blue with white and black diagonal stripes across sides. A

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

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Ford Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, black front, with red and black stripes across sides. F

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Sunny D Ford Fusion–No change. F

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

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fastenal Patriotic Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, blue with stars and stripes motif on sides. B-

JOE GIBBS RACING #18

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

Kyle Busch #18 Snickers Almond Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2018, red, white and blue with large stripes on sides. F

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

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

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

Kyle Busch #18 M&M’s Flavor Vote Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, same as M&M’s, but with the choices that can be voted for on quarter panel. A

Kyle Busch #18 Pedigree Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2018, same as 2017, but with an adoptive golden retriever on side. A

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

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

JOE GIBBS RACING #19

Daniel Suarez #19 Stanley Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2017, yellow with a series of gray and black cutting edge designs on sides. D-

Daniel Suarez #19 Arris Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2018, orange replaces silver on quarter panel. A

Daniel Suarez #19 Peak Toyota Camry–No change. A

Daniel Suarez #19 Arris Ruckus Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2018, solid orange with white and black numbers and letters. A

Daniel Suarez #19 Coca Cola Toyota Camry–New sponsor for 2018, red with white Coca Cola stripe across sides. A

Daniel Suarez #19 Stanley Tools Racing For Miracles Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, black and yellow cow motif with tape measure on sides. B-

JOE GIBBS RACING #20

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

Erik Jones #20 Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2018, black with red bottom. A

Erik Jones #20 Circle K Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2018, slightly different design, with shorter stripes, and logo adjustments. A

Erik Jones #20 SportClips Toyota Camry–New sponsor for 2018, same as 2017 #11. C-

Erik Jones #20 Sirius/XM Toyota Camry–No change. B+

Erik Jones #20 XYO Network Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2018, dark blue with geometric designs on sides, and light blue stripe on bottom. A

Erik Jones #20 Circle K Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, black replaces white, stripe given steeper angle. B+

WOOD BROTHER RACING #21

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

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, same as #12. A

Paul Menard #21 OmniCraft Auto Parts Ford Fusion–No change. A

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Dutch Boy Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, new Menard’s template with Dutch Boy on the hood. A

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/FVP Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, new Menard’s template with FVP. A

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

Paul Menard #21 Quaker State Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, greed with gold and white curve design on sides. B-

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Atlas Designer Shingles Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, same as Menard’s, but with Atlas Designer Shingles on hood. A

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Knauf Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, new Penske template with Knauf colors. A

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Jack Links Beef Jerky Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, new Menard’s template with Jack Links Beef Jerky on hood. A

TEAM PENSKE #22

Joey Logano #22 AAA Ford Fusion–No change. D

Joey Logano #22 Auto Trader Ford Fusion–No Change. D-

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

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

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

Joey Logano #22 Shell/Pennzoil/Autotrader Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, same as Shell/Pennzoil, but with Autotrader on sides. D

BK RACING #23

Gray Gaulding #23 EarthWater Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2018, white replaces black, complex gray, orange, and blue designs on sides. F

Gray Gaulding #23 Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, white with red and black numbers. A

Gray Gaulding #23 Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, black sides, white hood and roof. A

Gray Gaulding #23 Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2018, white with red and green designs on sides. C-

Gray Gaulding #23 Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, white with a number of red and white designs on sides. F

Gray Gaulding #23 Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, black with patriotic element son sides. F

Gray Gaulding #23 Redwing Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, black with red and white designs on front. D-

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #24

William Byron #24 Axalta Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2017, blue with flame motif across whole car. A

William Byron #24 Liberty University Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2017, blue with red flames on front. A

William Byron #24 Liberty University Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, white letters replace red ones. A

William Byron #24 Axalta Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, same as Jeff Gordon’s Rainbow scheme. A

William Byron #24 Hertz Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, yellow front top, and rear bottom, black front bottom, and rear top, curve between them. B+

William Byron #24 UniFirst Chevy Camaro– New scheme for 2018, lighter green used, more designs on sides. B-

William Byron #24 Liberty University Patriotic Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, patriotic lettering replaces white lettering. A

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #31

Ryan Newman #31 Granger Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Ryan Newman #31 Caterpillar Chevy Camaro–No change. B-

Ryan Newman #31 Liberty National Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, green front, rear and roof, blue sides. F

Ryan Newman #31 Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, red top, yellow stripes, black bottom. C-

Ryan Newman #31 Chevy Accessories Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, white with metal designs on sides. A

Ryan Newman #31 eBay Motors Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white front, fade to blue, wave designs on sides. A

Ryan Newman #31 Liberty National Patriotic Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, American flag motif with green numbers. A-

Ryan Newman #31 Childress Vineyard Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, black, with curve on sides, and sublimated building design on sides. A

Ryan Newman #31 CAT/Granger Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018 green front, black rear, diagonal stripe in between. A

Ryan Newman #31 Liberty National Patriotic Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, patriotic elements on front and rear, white middle. A

Ryan Newman #31 Kalahari Resorts Chevy SS–No change. C-

Ryan Newman #31 Okuma Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, some slight redesgins on sides. D+

GO FAS RACING #32

Matt DiBenedetto #32 Keen Parts/Corvette Parts Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2017, red, with slight wave formation across sides. A

Matt DiBenedetto #32 The Hurricane Heist Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, dark blue thunderstorm motif. A

Matt DiBenedetto #32 Can Am/Wholey Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, slight design change, with Wholey logo on quarter panel. F

Matt DiBenedetto #32 Crowdfunded Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, white with a series on logos on the sides. A

Matt DiBenedetto #32 Plan B Sales Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, white with pink outlines and fan names across car. F

Matt DiBenedetto #32 Superior Logistics Ford Fusion–New sponsor for 2018, white with red and blue diagonal stripes on sides. A

Matt DiBenedetto #32 Keen Parts/Corvette Parts Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, based on Jeff Burton’s 2000 Exide scheme. A

Matt DiBenedetto #32 Zynga Poker Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, red front, poker chip motif on wheel well, black rear. A

Matt DiBenedetto #32 Cosmo Motors Ford Fusion–No change. B-

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #34

Michael McDowell #34 Love’s Truck Stops/Speedco Ford Fusion–No change. A

Michael McDowell #34 K-Love Ford Fusion–No change. A

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

Michael McDoewll #34 K-Love Ford Fusion–No change. A

Michael McDowell #34 A&W Ford Fusion–No change. A

Michael McDowell #34 Love’s Truck Stops/Roller Bites Ford Fusion–No change. A

Michael McDowell #34 Dockside Logistics Ford Fusion–No change. A

Michael McDowell #34 Dockside Logistics Patriotic Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, patriotic lettering on hood. A

Michael McDowell #34 Dockside Logistics Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2018, same as previous scheme, but with new Dockside Logistics logo on sides and hood. A

JTG DAUGHERTY RACING #37

Chris Buescher #37 Kleenex Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, blue with silver and white cutting edge designs. C

Chris Buescher #37 Louisiana Hot Sauce Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with red and yellow fire design on sides. A

Chris Buescher #37 Natural Light Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, red cutting edge designs have been added. B-

Chris Buescher #37 Scott Towels Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, red sides with stripes, white front and rear. B+

Chris Buescher #37 Healthy Choice Power Bowls Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with sublimated leaf designs across car. A

Chris Buescher #37 Bush’s Best Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, red with white designs on sides. A

Chris Buescher #37 Degree Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, red, white, and blue with a series of shapes of the sides. B-

Chris Buescher #37 Kroger Checklist Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, same as #47. B-

Chris Buescher #37 Breyers Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, red designed bottom, black roof. B-

Chris Buescher #37 Clorox Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, red, white, and blue with cutting edge designs on sides. B-

Chris Buescher #37 Cottonelle Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, cotton motif on top, green stripe across side, blue bottom. C-

Chris Buescher #37 Scott Comfort Plus Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, white with multi-colored designs on sides. C-

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #38

David Ragan #38 Shriner’s Children’s Hospital Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, blue with black and white stripe, and red bottom. A

David Ragan #38 FR8 Auctions Ford Fusion–No change. F

David Ragan #38 MDS Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018 all white with MDS logos on sides and hood. A

David Ragan #38 1000 Bulbs Ford Fusion–No change. D+

David Ragan #38 MDS Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, white roof, blue and orange stripe across bottom. A

David Ragan #38 The Pete Store Ford Fusion–No change. A

David Ragan #38 Bad Boy Mowers Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, black replaces white. F

STEWART-HAAS RACING #41

Kurt Busch #41 State Water Heaters Ford Fusion-No change. B+

Kurt Busch #41 Monster Ford Fusion–No Change. A

Kurt Busch #41 Haas/Monster Ford Fusion–No Change. A

Kurt Busch #41 Haas Automation Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, red fade to black. A

Kurt Busch #41 Mobil 1/Haas CNC Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, same as Mobil 1, with silver, and Haas CNC on sides. A

Kurt Busch #41 Haas Throwback Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2018, based on Kurt’s sharpie scheme from 2003. A

CHIP GANASSI RACING #42

Kyle Larson #42 Credit One Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, blue with white and lighter blue stripes. A

Kyle Larson #42 DC Solar Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, same design as #1, but with colors reversed. B-

Kyle Larson #42 DC Solar Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, blue and white with sunburst motif on sides. D-

Kyle Larson #42 McDonald’s Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, similar to #1 but black replaces yellow on quarter panel. B+

Kyle Larson #42 First Data Clover Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, blue with green on sides. C

Kyle Larson #42 DC Solar Patriotic Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, similar to their Clash scheme, but with more red elements. D+

RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS #43

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Click N Close Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2017, dark blue with Click N Close. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Air Force Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, same as 2017, but with black stripe across bottom. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 STP Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, red sides, blue hood and roof, with some silver designs on borders. A-

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 NASCAR Racing Experience Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, blue sides, white hood and roof. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white front, blue rear. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Farmer John Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018 red front and hood, dark blue rear. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Food Lion Feeds Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, blue sides, white hood and roof, yellow stripes on sides. A-

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Petty’s Garage Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2018, based on Petty’s STP schemes. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 World Wide Technology Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, dark blue front, light blue front wheel to rear, red stripe and accents. C

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Eckrich Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, green with yellow stripe. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Kroger Red, White & Barbecue Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, red and blue front, blue middle, red and white rear. F

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Weis Markets Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, red with white stripes on sides, and hood. A

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Meijer Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, blue sides, white hood. red stripes on front. A

JTG DAUGHERTY RACING #47

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, white with blue and red stripes on sides. B-

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #48

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s Pro Services Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, black with gray outlines. A

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s Patriotic Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, white front, red, white and blue shooting star motif on sides. A

RICK WARE RACING #51

Justin Marks #51 Keens Buildings Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with orange, gray, and white designs on sides. D+

Justin Marks #51 Harry’s Razors Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, blue, orange, and white sunbeam design. C+

Cole Custer #51 Haas CNC Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, same as #14, but white replaces black. A

Harrison Rhodes #51 Davis Roofing Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white with red and black vertical stripes. A

Timmy Hill #51 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, red with stripes on hood and roof. A

Timmy Hill #51 Bubba Burger Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, black with fire motif on sides. A

Harrison Rhodes #51 Custom Aircraft Cabinets Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, orange with white designs on sides. D+

Harrison Rhodes #51 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, plain black with white and red numbers. A

Harrison Rhodes #51 Industrial Construction Experts Inc. Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with white stripes across hood and roof, yellow and blue lettering, and designs on sides. B-

Timmy Hill #51 Keen Buildings/Race to Erase Opioids Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, same as Keen Buildings, but with Race to Erase Opioids on sides. D+

Cody Ware #51 Keen Buildings Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, all black with Keen Building logos on sides. A

BJ McLeod #51 Prefund Capital Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with white hood and white logos. A

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #55

Joey Gase #55 Nevada Donor Network Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with orange and blue designs on sides. A-

Reed Sorenson #55 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, same as Nevada Donor Network, but without logos. A-

JJ Yeley #55 Adirondack Tree Surgeons/Overdose Awareness Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, green with forest motif on sides, black hood. D-

Reed Sorenson #55 VIP Racing Experience Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Reed Sorenson #55 TCL Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, all black with TCL logos on sides, and hood. A

Reed Sorenson #55 Harrah’s Casino Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with white logos on sides. A

Jeffery Earnhardt #55 Black Rifle Coffee Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with memorial on hood, and patriotic scheme on sides. A-

BEARD MOTORSPORTS #62

Brendan Gaughan #62 Beard Oil/South Point Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white front, yellow curve, black rear. A

MBM MOTORSPORTS #66

Mark Thompson #66 Phoenix Air Ford Fusion–No change. A

Chad Finchum #66 Smithbilt Homes Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, blue bottom, black top, white diagonal stripe in between. B

Timmy Hill #66 Crash Claims R Us Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, black with white logo on sides. A

Timmy Hill #66 Sentinel One Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with blue and gray designs on sides. A-

Timmy Hill #66 Crash Claims R Us Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, black with blue designs on front. A-

TRI STAR MOTORSPORTS #72

Corey LaJoie #72 Schluter Systems Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, black replaces all white designs. C-

Mark Smith #72 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, black with red and white stripe across bottom. A

Cole Whitt #72 So Cal Chevy Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, same as last year, but with gold stripe across bottom. A

Mark Smith #72 Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, black with white stripe across bottom. A

Cole Whitt #72 Rinnai Chevy SS–No change. B+

Cole Whitt #72 1950 Clothing Company Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black, with 1950 Clothing Company logo on hood. A

Corey LaJoie #72 Schluter Systems Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, much more red has been added. F

Corey LaJoie #72 MyFreedomSmokes.com Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, olive green with white military designs on sides. A

Cole Whitt #72 Zomongo Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, black front, green rear, Zomongo logos on sides and hood. F

FURNITURE ROW RACING #78

Martin Truex Jr. #78 Bass Pro Shops/5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2018 black with orange designs on sides. C-

Martin Truex Jr. #78 5-Hour Energy/Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2018 black with red designs on sides. C-

Martin Truex Jr. #78 Auto Owner’s Insurance Toyota Camry–No change. A

Martin Truex Jr. #78 Auto Owner’s Insurance Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, large A logo replaces smaller logo on hood. A

Martin Truex Jr. #78 5-Hour Energy Toyota Patriotic Camry-New scheme for 2018, patriotic motif replaces green designs. A

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #88

Alex Bowman #88 Nationwide Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2017, blue with white designs on sides. B+

Alex Bowman #88 Axalta Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, black with blue,red,white,and yellow cutting edge designs across sides. F

Alex Bowman #88 Llumar Window Film Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, white with red and green designs on sides. B+

Alex Bowman #88 Nationwide Patriotic Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, white sides with stars, blue hood and roof. A

RICKY BENTON RACING #92

David Gilliland #92 Carquest/Black’s Tire Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, white with black and blue wave on sides, black roof. C-

Timothy Peters #92 Advance Auto Parts Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2018, red with black roof, and Ricky Benton Racing design on sides. B+

LEAVINE FAMILY RACING #95

Kasey Kahne #95 Procore Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, black, white, and orange with cutting edge designs across whole car. F

Kasey Kahne #95 Procore Chevy Camaro-New scheme for 2018, same as earlier scheme, white and black reversed. F

Kasey Kahne #95 Procore/Habitat for Humanity Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, same as Procore, but with Habitat for Humanity on sides and hood. F

Kasey Kahne #95 WRL Contractors Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, blue is the primary color, with lighter blue patches on sides. B+

Kasey Kahne #95 Procore Safety Qualified Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, black with darker black designs. A

Kasey Kahne #95 Ollies Bargain Outlet Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, yellow with red and black accents. A

Kasey Kahne #95 TWD Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2018, dark blue with white and grey geometric designs on sides. F

Kasey Kahne #95 Drumont Jets Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2018, based on Kasey’s 2008 Budweiser scheme. A

Kasey Kahne #95 Throne Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, green with design on rear. A

Kasey Kahne #95 FDNY Foundation Chevy Camaro–No change. A

Kasey Kahne #95 Chevy Accessories Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, gray with white and gold designs on sides. F

GAUNT BROS RACING #96

DJ Kennington #96 Lordco Toyota Camry–No change. C-

DJ Kennington #96 Northern Provincial Pipelines LTD Toyota Camry–No change. A

DJ Kennington #96 Gordon Brothers Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, blue wave pattern on sides, and blue roof, white on sides. B-

DJ Kennington #96 Humbolt Broncos Tribute Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, red roof and stripe on sides. white stripe across side, Humboldt Broncos logo on hood, Gaunt Brothers Racing on sides. A

DJ Kennington #96 Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2018, same as Humboldt Broncos, but with Gaunt Brothers Racing on hood. A

STAR COM RACING #99

Derrike Cope #99 Star Com Fiber Chevy Camaro-New team for 2018, black with spray paint motif, yellow to white fade on rear. C-

Garrett Smithley #99 Victory Lane Oil Change Chevy Camaro-New sponsor for 2018, red and white with checkered flag motif on sides. A

My Thoughts On Series Sponsorship…Yet Again!

By David G. Firestone

I hate to rehash an old topic on My Thoughts On, but given some recent news, I have no choice. I’m going to talk series sponsorships again. Monster Energy has decided to pull out of NASCAR’s Cup Series after 2019. There was an article today concerning the situation. According to Sports Business Insider, of the potential candidates, The Coca Cola Company is the top candidate for the Cup Series sponsorship, but which of their brands would sponsor the series remains to be seen.

While NASCAR has prospects for their Cup Series title, IndyCar is not as lucky. I’ve been talking about this for months, and we are no closer to finding a series sponsor now than they were then. Their $25 million price tag, coupled with low television ratings, and low attendance has made it clear that finding a series sponsorship will be impossible. IndyCar needs to figure out that they aren’t a box office draw, nor are they a television draw. $15 Million would have been a much more realistic figure, given how bad TV ratings really are.

I was thinking about this, and I had a question: Let’s say that Formula One decided for some reason, it needed a series sponsorship. How much would the series sponsorship cost for the sponsor in questions? F1’s tire supplier Pirelli is rumored to have spent as much as $110,000,000 in both technical and sponsorship costs. I imagine given how popular F1 is worldwide, that the cost could be around that much, given that television broadcasts can generate as many as 50,000,000 people worldwide.

Series sponsorships aren’t a minor issue, because the revenue generated by these sponsorships, the sanctioning bodies get not only financial help, but exposure and promotion as well. Since two of the most well-known racing series don’t have a deal locked up, it’s clear that the racing boom really is dead, and now racing sanctioning bodies need a more realistic budget.

Paint Scheme Grades-June 16, 2018

By David G. Firestone

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Salutes Veterans Chevy Camaro-The silver works very well, and the patriotic motif is not over done, and looks quite good. This is a great scheme. A

DJ Kennington #7 APC Chevy Camaro-Decent color scheme, but the cutting edge design is over done.  If it was toned down, it would be much better.  Still, it’s not horrible, so I’ll give it a B-.

Ross Chastain #15 Flight Path International Chevy Camaro-It’s a smooth look with a great color scheme, and that will always earn an A.

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Jack Links Beef Jerky Ford Fusion-Another instance of the Menard’s template working well.  This is the best template I’ve seen in a long time. A

Gray Gaulding #23 Redwing Toyota Camry-The only good thing I can say about this is that the color scheme isn’t bad, which is generous, since this is an ugly, over designed mess of a scheme.  D-

Ryan Newman #31 Okuma Chevy Camaro-This is another example of a “new” scheme that is simply rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.  It’s a slight change from last year’s scheme that neither adds or subtracts from it.  As such, this scheme earns the same D+ grade it earned last year.

Michael McDowell #34 Dockside Logistics Ford Fusion-Same scheme as the old Dockside Logistics, same A grade.

Chris Buescher #37 Scott Comfort Plus Chevy Camaro-It’s over designed, but it sort of works.  The color scheme works well too.  After taking everything into consideration, I give this scheme a C-.

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 Meijer Ford Fusion-This is a great scheme.  It’s simple, smooth, bold, and has a great color scheme. I can’t say anything bad about my scheme.  A

Cole Whitt #72 Zomongo Chevy Camaro– The green is bad, the design is just as bad, and the blue logos look horrifically out of place on the green and black background. F

Kasey Kahne #95 Chevy Accessories Chevy Camaro-If Kasey spent more time working on his driving skills as he does working on the design of his cars, he would have more wins than Richard Petty.  This is an over designed mess, with a bad color scheme.  Nothing about this scheme works at all. F

Garrett Smithley #99 Victory Lane Oil Change Chevy Camaro-Red and white works well as a color scheme, the design scheme works well, and the checkered flag motif works well too.  All in all, it’s worth an A.

An Artifact From One Of The World’s Most Popular Sports

By David G. Firestone

Having grown up in the United States, we never watched Cricket, we watched baseball. Cricket is one of the world’s most popular sports. Its origins can be traced back to the late 1500’s. Like association football, cricket has their own World Cup. Using Wikipedia, I am going to provide an overview of the rules:

During normal play, thirteen players and two umpires are on the field. Two of the players are batsmen and the rest are all eleven members of the fielding team. The other nine players in the batting team are off the field in the pavilion. In the photo, the two batsmen have taken position at each end of the pitch. One of the two umpires is stationed behind the wicket at the bowler’s end of the pitch. The bowler is bowling the ball from his end of the pitch to the batsman at the other end who is called the “striker”. The other batsman at the bowling end is called the “non-striker”. The wicket-keeper, who is a specialist, is positioned behind the striker’s wicket and behind him stands one of the fielders in a position called “first slip”. While the bowler and the first slip are wearing conventional kit only, the two

batsmen and the wicket-keeper are wearing protective gear including safety helmets, padded gloves and leg guards.

While the umpire stands at the bowler’s end of the pitch, his colleague stands in the outfield, usually in or near the fielding position called “square leg”, so that he is in line with the popping crease at the striker’s end of the pitch. The bowling crease is the one on which the wicket is located between the return creases. The bowler intends to hit the wicket with the ball or, at least, to prevent the striker from scoring runs. The striker intends, by using his bat, to defend his wicket and, if possible, to hit the ball away from the pitch in order to score runs.

Some players are skilled in both batting and bowling so are termed all-rounders. Bowlers are also classified according to their style, generally as fast bowlers, medium pace seam bowlers or, spinners. Batsmen are classified according to whether they are right-handed or left-handed.

Of the eleven fielders, three are in shot in the image above. The other eight are elsewhere on the field, their positions determined on a tactical basis by the captain or the bowler. Fielders often change position between deliveries, again as directed by the captain or bowler.

If a fielder is injured or becomes ill during a match, a substitute is allowed to field instead of him, but the substitute cannot bowl or act as a captain. The substitute leaves the field when the injured player is fit to return. The Laws of Cricket were updated in 2017 to allow substitutes to act as wicket-keepers, a situation that first occurred when Mumbai Indians’ wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan was injured in a match on 18 April 2018.

A bowler reaches his delivery stride by means of a “run-up” and an over is deemed to have begun when the bowler starts his run up for the first delivery of that over, the ball then being “in play”. Fast bowlers, needing momentum, take a lengthy run up while bowlers with a slow delivery take no more than a couple of steps before bowling. The fastest bowlers can deliver the ball at a speed of over 90 mph and they sometimes rely on sheer speed to try and defeat the batsman, who is forced to react very quickly. Other fast bowlers rely on a mixture of speed and guile by making the ball seam or swing (i.e. curve) in flight. This type of delivery can deceive a batsman into miscuing his shot, for example so that the ball just touches the edge of the bat and can then be “caught behind” by the wicket-keeper or a slip fielder. At the other end of the bowling scale is the spin bowler who bowls at a relatively slow pace and relies entirely on guile to deceive the batsman. A spinner will often “buy his wicket” by “tossing one up” (in a slower, steeper parabolic path) to lure the batsman into making a poor shot. The batsman has to be very wary of such deliveries as they are often “flighted” or spun so that the ball will not behave quite as he expects and he could be “trapped” into getting himself out. In between the pacemen and the spinners are the medium paced seamers who rely on persistent accuracy to try and contain the rate of scoring and wear down the batsman’s concentration.

There are ten ways in which a batsman can be dismissed: five relatively common and five extremely rare. The common forms of dismissal are bowled, caught, leg before wicket (lbw), run out and stumped. Rare methods are hit wicket, hit the ball twice, obstructing the field, handled the ball and timed out. The Laws state that the fielding team, usually the bowler in practice, must appeal for a dismissal before the umpire can give his decision. If the batsman is out, the umpire raises a forefinger and says “Out!”; otherwise, he will shake his head and say “Not out”. There is, effectively, an eleventh method of dismissal, retired out, which is not an on-field dismissal as such but rather a retrospective one for which no fielder is credited.

Batsmen take turns to bat via a batting order which is decided beforehand by the team captain and presented to the umpires, though the order remains flexible, when the captain officially nominates the team. Substitute batsmen are not allowed.

A skilled batsman can use a wide array of “shots” or “strokes” in both defensive and attacking mode. The idea is to hit the ball to best effect with the flat surface of the bat’s blade. If the ball touches the side of the bat it is called an “edge”. The batsman does not have to play a shot and can allow the ball to go through to the wicketkeeper. Equally, he does not have to attempt a run when he hits the ball with his bat. Batsmen do not always seek to hit the ball as hard as possible, and a good player can score runs just by making a deft stroke with a turn of the wrists or by simply “blocking” the ball but directing it away from fielders so that he has time to take a run. A wide variety of shots are played, the batsman’s repertoire including strokes named according to the style of swing and the direction aimed: e.g., “cut”, “drive”, “hook”, “pull”.

The batsman on strike (i.e. the “striker”) must prevent the ball hitting the wicket, and try to score runs by hitting the ball with his bat so that he and his partner have time to run from one end of the pitch to the other before the fielding side can return the ball. To register a run, both runners must touch the ground behind the crease with either their bats or their bodies (the batsmen carry their bats as they run). Each completed run increments the score of both the team and the striker.

One form of cricket is Twenty20 cricket, aka Twenty-20, and abbreviated to T20. In a Twenty20 game the two teams have a single innings each, which is restricted to a maximum of 20 overs. The England and Wales Cricket Board created Twenty20 in 2002, and it has grown in popularity, spawning its own World Cup, like the ones played in 2009. I have a couple of match-used coins from the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup, including this one, from the South Africa vs. Pakistan semi-final, where Pakistan won with 149/4 over South Africa’s 142/5.  The coin, slightly larger than an American quarter, is in great condition.

The specially made coin is not sold as a replica, and comes in a customized box, with an International Cricket Council logo. The box is about 4 inches square. The coin itself is slightly larger than an American quarter, though much smaller than an NFL toss coin. The heads and tails are marked. The heads side features a 2009 ICC Twenty20 logo, with England 2009. The tails section features an ICC logo, with a 100th anniversary commemoration. The coin comes with an ICC COA.I also have a second coin, from a Group B competition between England and the Netherlands. This was one of the early matches, where The Netherlands won 163/6 over England’s 162/5. The coin is identical, no serial numbers are on these coins, and the only difference is the COA. Next week, I resume the vest project.