Category: paint scheme grades

Paint Scheme Grades-May 30, 2026

By David G. Firestone

Ross Chastain #1 Busch Light Country Chevy Camaro-Not terrible, but a bit of a downgrade from the regular scheme. A-

Ryan Blaney #12 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang-Too over designed to be any good. F

AJ Allmendinger #16 Spire Academy powered by VensureHR Chevy Camaro-Good color scheme, and good design scheme will always. A

Chris Buescher #17 Castrol Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #6, same A grade.

Bubba Wallace #23 Hardee’s Throwback Toyota Camry-Unless something better comes along, this will win best throwback of the year, it’s that good! A

Austin Hill #33 BetMGM Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as #8, same A grade. (Note: Kyle Busch’s grades will be averaged at the end of the year, and Austin Hill will be graded as his own team.)

John Hunter Nemechek #42 Dollar Tree Patriotic Toyota Camry-It’s a good look, and a step up from last year. A

John Hunter Nemechek #42 Pye Barker Fire & Safety Chevy Camaro-Cleaning up the sides is a better look, however, the names over the logos and stripes gives the car a cluttered look. F

Erik Jones #43 Advent Health Patriotic Toyota Camry-The patriotic motif isn’t better, it isn’t worse, it’s still a B+

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 NOS Energy Chevy Camaro-Too ugly and over designed to get anything but an F.

Ryan Preece #60 Kroger/Celsius Ford Mustang-I like the new look, the black looks good, and this is a solid scheme. A

Chad Finchum #66 Garrison Homes Ford Mustang-I think the stripes are a bit over designed, but it’s still a solid scheme. A-

Corey Heim #67 Chief’s Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Michael McDowell #71 Garner Trucking Chevy Camaro-Not terrible, but a downgrade from last year. B

Shane van Gisbergen #97 Tootsies Orchid Lounge Chevy Camaro-This is the best that Tootsies Orchid Lounge has looked in years! A

Paint Scheme Grades-May 23, 2026

By David G. Firestone

Ross Chastain #1 Jockey x Folds of Honor Chevy Camaro-I’m not 100% sure what the design is meant to be, but it’s a great look! A

Austin Cindric #2 Menard’s/Duracel Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Austin Dillon #3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Patriotic Chevy Camaro-Not great, but much better than last year. B

Noah Gragson #4 Rush Truck Centers Patriotic Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same B+ grade. B+

Kyle Larson #5 HendrickCars.com Chevy Camaro-Good look, not over designed, this gets an A

Brad Keselowski #6 BuildSubmarines.com Patriotic Ford Mustang-Taking a great look, and making it better gets an A.

Daniel Suarez #7 Freeway Insurance Chevy Camaro-Cutting edge designs replacing curves does NOT work well. F

Kyle Busch #8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Patriotic Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Chase Elliott #9 NAPA Patriotic Chevy Camaro-Better look all around. A

Ty Dillon #10 Grizzly Nicotine Pouches Patriotic Chevy Camaro-A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A.

Ryan Blaney #12 BodyArmor Flash I.V. Ford Mustang-Patriotic with fade is a great look. A

AJ Allmendinger #16 Black’s Tire Chevy Camaro-The paint splatter motif is just awful. F

Chris Buescher #17 Body Guard Patriotic Ford Mustang-Normally, moving away from camo would work better, but this is so much worse. F

Chase Briscoe #19 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Off Road Patriotic Toyota Camry-The new scheme isn’t better, or worse, so it stays a B.

Christopher Bell #20 Interstate Batteries Patriotic Toyota Camry-As much as I hate camo…this is the best that Interstate Batteries has looked in a good long time. A

Joey Logano #22 Shell/Pennzoil Patriotic Ford Mustang-I like the look, not over done, and works very well. A

Bubba Wallace #23 Columbia Sportswear Patriotic Toyota Camry-Smooth look, great color scheme, earns an A.

Todd Gilliland #34 Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang-Taking a great scheme and making it better will always earn an A.

Zane Smith #38 Aaron’s Patriotic Ford Mustang-Great look, and it isn’t over done. A

Cole Custer #41 Sysco/Hickory Tavern Ford Mustang-Good color scheme, awful design scheme, this gets a C.

Tyler Reddick #45 Mobil 1/O’Reilly Auto Parts Patriotic Toyota Camry-Good color scheme, awful design scheme, this gets a C.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Three Finger Jack Chevy Camaro-Getting rid of the green on the rear would elevate this to an A, but with the green on the rear gives this a C.

Alex Bowman #48 Ally Financial Patriotic Chevy Camaro-Another instance where camo is a massive upgrade! A

Cody Ware #51 Evel Knievel Museum/World Supercross Chevy Camaro-The black on the rear looks odd, and takes an A scheme down to an A-.

Ryan Preece #60 Kroger/StōK Ford Mustang-Good look, good color scheme, not over done, this gets an A.

Timmy Hill #66 Pinnacle Mortgage Corporation Patriotic Ford Mustang-Camo is bad, blue and purple camo is awful. F

Corey Heim #67 Fleetio Toyota Camry-A terrible color scheme, and a terrible design scheme earns an F.

Michael McDowell #71 Modo Casino Patriotic Chevy Camaro-Not really an improvement from the other patriotic motif. F

Shane van Gisbergen #97 SuperFile Patriotic Chevy Camaro-This is the WORST camo design I have ever seen, and with the ground that covers, that says a lot! F

Paint Scheme Grades-May 16,2026

By David G. Firestone

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

William Byron #24 Axalta Chevy Camaro-I love the design, but there are some color combos that don’t translate well to flames, and orange and white is one of them. All in all, this gets a C.

Todd Gilliland #34 Long John Silver’s/Frank’s RedHot Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #4, same C grade.

Tyler Reddick #45 ACM Awards/Pinnacle Toyota Camry-A good color scheme and an awful design scheme will earn a C.

Alex Bowman #48 Ally Dragons Chevy Camaro-Not amazing, but the best that Ally has looked all year! A

Cody Ware #51 Museum of the Bible Chevy Camaro-A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A. The Museum of the Bible logo could be a little more original though.

Michael McDowell #71 RCA Chevy Camaro-It’s a great look, and it brings back some serious late 1990’s Hut Stricklin vibes! A

Carson Hocevar #77 MINER Chevy Camaro-This isn’t great, but compared with the other MINER scheme, this is a great improvement. C

Katherine Legge #78 e.l.f. Cosmetics Chevy Camaro-A slight downgrade from last year. A-

Shane van Gisbergen #97 Safety Culture Chevy Camaro-No yellow, still awful. F

Paint Scheme Grades-May 9, 2026

By David G. Firestone

Austin Cindric #2 Snap On Ford Mustang-The black and wrench look is amazing! This gets an A!

Noah Gragson #4 Long John Silver’s/Frank’s RedHot Ford Mustang-Just like their real-life counterparts, I like Long John Silver’s, and I like hot sauce, I just don’t think they work well together. This gets a C.

Brad Keselowski #6 Modelo Ford Mustang-A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A.

Kyle Busch #8 zone Jalepeño Lime Chevy Camaro-No real difference from zone, so this gets an A-

Ty Dillon #10 Campers Inn RV Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same B grade.

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

Chase Briscoe #19 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry-A bold look, color scheme is good, this gets an A.

Christopher Bell #20 Coofandy Menswear Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Bubba Wallace #23 Hardee’s Toyota Camry-The yellow Hardee’s scheme was good, the white scheme is better! A

Todd Gilliland #34 Farm Rich Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same C grade.

Cody Ware #51 Jacob Companies Chevy Camaro-I really don’t like the small stripes on the front, and the car is a tad over designed. Still, the color scheme is good, so this gets a B+.

Ryan Preece #60 Mohawk Northeast Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Josh Bilicki #66 Southern Tier Security Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same C grade.

Michael McDowell #71 Go Bowling Chevy Camaro-Replacing the bowling with generic designs is a massive downgrade. C-

Paint Scheme Grades-May 2, 2026

By David G. Firestone

Kyle Busch #8 Nicokick x zone Watermelon/Circle K Chevy Camaro-Red is a much better fit than green. A

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

Joey Logano #22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #2, same A grade.

Bubba Wallace #23 Chumba Casino Toyota Camry-I don’t know why, but I love these kinds of eye designs. A

William Byron #24 Valvoline Chevy Camaro-This scheme works well, I love the simplified look, and the lack of white is a bold choice works well. A

Joey Gase #44 National Fire Prevention Week Chevy Camaro-Flame motifs have been around for decades, and it’s pretty hard to mess one up. Did a child design this? It looks awful! F

Ty Gibbs #54 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Ryan Preece #60 Kroger/Ball Park Buns Ford MustangPatriotism and hamburgers are two things I can get behind! A

Chad Finchum #66 Cooper & Hunter Ford Mustang-I love the fade, but I hate the other designs here, so this gets a C.

Michael McDowell #71 Modo Casino Chevy Camaro-Too over designed to work well. F

Carson Hocevar #77 Spectrum Chevy Camaro-A very slight improvement from the last scheme. D-

Daniel Dye #78 Champion Container Corporation Chevy Camaro-Love the color scheme, hate the color scheme, it evens out to a C.

Paint Scheme Grades-April 25, 2026

By David G. Firestone

Ross Chastain #1 Jockey VentraCool Air Chevy Camaro– a bad look, black works better than white, and the designs work well. A

Austin Cindric #2 PPG Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Noah Gragson #4 Grillo’s Pickles/Pabst Blue Ribbon Ford Mustang-As much as I hate both products, I would like these two schemes separate. Together, they are meh. C

Denny Hamlin #11 King’s Hawaiian UBE Coconut Rolls Toyota Camry-My only complaint here is that the white flowers aren’t needed. Other than that, this is a solid A scheme.

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Scotts Ford Mustang-Dark green and yellow isn’t great, but it isn’t awful, so this gets a C.

Chris Buescher #17 Jack Links Non-Vegan Chevy Camaro-It’s no meat motif, but it’s so awesome, it gets an A.

Jesse Love #33 1-800-PACK-RAT Chevy Camaro-It’s a solid look, not over done, and I like it a lot. A

Riley Herbst #35 Beatbox Toyota Camry-ame scheme as last year, same F grade.

Cole Custer #41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Erik Jones #43 Doritos/Dollar Tree Toyota Camry-Bold look, great color scheme, great deign scheme, this gets an A.

Tyler Reddick #45 Rockstar Energy Toyota Camry-It’s a simple design, and a great color scheme, and it gets an A

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Chef Boyardee Ford Mustang-Taking a good look and making it better will always earn an A

Chad Finchum #66 Carter’s Royal Dispos-All/KNOX Hydration Ford Mustang-Same as Auto Direct USA, same A grade.

Michael McDowell #71 GUNK Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same B+ grade.

Paint Scheme Grades-April 18, 2026

By David G. Firestone

Ross Chastain #1 Busch Light Apple Chevy Camaro-Not bad, but a downgrade from last year. A-

Austin Dillon #3 Toys for Tots Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Kyle Busch #8 Nicokick x zone Cranberry Chevy Camaro-A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A.

Chris Buescher #17 Dillon’s/Gold Peak Tea Ford Mustang-I like the look, not over done, and the leaves work well. A

Bubba Wallace #23 Boys & Girls Club of America Toyota Camry-The color and design schemes are good, and work well together. A

Riley Herbst #35 Tree Top Toyota Camry-The black and white aren’t needed, and give the car a cluttered look. It’s not terrible, but not great. C

Tyler Reddick #45 SupplyHouse Toyota Camry-This look kind of looks like a Jordan Brand look, and would work as a sneaker design. It’s well done, and has great color scheme, and that earns an A.

Cody Ware #51 True Brand Chevy Camaro-Pinkwashing is an automatic. F

Ryan Preece #60 Kickstand Cocktails Ford Mustang-A fade is only good if it’s across the whole car, and pastel does NOT belong in NASCAR. F

Paint Scheme Grades-April 11, 2026

By David G. Firestone

Ross Chastain #1 Busch Light Fishing Chevy Camaro-Not a bad look at all. A

Austin Cindric #2 Menards/Tarkett Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Kyle Busch #8 Bank OZK Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same A- grade.

Ty Dillon #10 Ohio Logistics Chevy Camaro-A good look with a great color scheme will always earn an A.

Ryan Blaney #12 Discount Tire Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Chase Briscoe #19 Lance Snacks Toyota Camry-A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A.

Bubba Wallace #23 WWE/Chumba Casino Toyota Camry-I like the color scheme, but the design scheme is awful. It’s too over designed. This gets a C.

John Hunter Nemechek #42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry-Good color scheme, awful design scheme, this gets a C.

Tyler Reddick #45 Comparion Insurance Toyota Camry-I do kind of like this scheme, but the darkest blue isn’t really needed, and the car is kind of over designed. B

Cody Ware #51 Costa Oil Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Ryan Preece #60 Kroger/Muscle Milk Ford Mustang-When done well, a sky motif looks great. This is well done. A

Chad Finchum #66 Brian King Roofing Ford Mustang-My only complaint here is that the house motif could be moved back a bit. Otherwise, this is an A scheme.

Paint Scheme Grades-March 28, 2026

By David G. Firestone

Ross Chastain #1 Safety Culture Chevy Camaro-No real improvement from last year. F

Austin Cindric #2 Menard’s/Richmond Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Coatings Chevy Camaro-I like the look, it’s well done. A

Noah Gragson #4 Fuel by Franzia Ford Mustang-Pink and black is NOT a good color combo, and the design is awful. F

Daniel Suarez #7 Group 1001 Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Kyle Busch #8 FICO Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Ty Dillon #10 Black’s Tire Chevy Camaro-Reversing the color really doesn’t make that much of a difference, and that’s a good thing. A

Ryan Blaney #12 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang–No change. A

Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Chris Buescher #17 Kroger/Thomas’ High Protein Bagels Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Bubba Wallace #23 Hardee’s Toyota Camry-It’s not the Hardee’s schemes from long ago, but it’s a solid A nonetheless.

John Hunter Nemechek #42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Jack Links Non-Vegan Chevy Camaro-It’s no meat motif, but it’s so awesome, it gets an A.

Paint Scheme Grades-March 21, 2026

By David G. Firestone

Ross Chastain #1 Moose Fraternity Chevy Camaro-A slight downgrade from last year. A-

Austin Dillon #3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Long Beard XR Chevy Camaro-Too over designed, and while the color scheme is decent, it doesn’t save the scheme. F

Noah Gragson #4 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #34, same C grade.

Brad Keselowski #6 Solomon Plumbing Throwback Ford Mustang-I like the look, it’s very accurate, and I think this a good throwback. A

Daniel Suarez #7 NationsGuard Chevy Camaro-Not better, not worse, still a C.

Kyle Busch #8 BetMGM Chevy Camaro-This is too cluttered, too busy, and not even a good color scheme could save this from an F.

Denny Hamlin #11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same B+ grade.

Chris Buescher #17 Fifth Third Bank Throwback Ford Mustang-I like the look, the blue works well, and I think this a good throwback. A

Bubba Wallace #23 Columbia Sportswear Toyota Camry-Blue works better than gray and this scheme gets an A.

Todd Gilliland #34 Ruedbusch Development and Construction Throwback Ford Mustang-Admittedly, this scheme is over used, but this is a good interpretation of it. A

Riley Herbst #35 FRE Nicotine Pouches Toyota Camry-Decent color scheme, mediocre design scheme will earn a C.

Zane Smith #38 Mystik Lubricants Throwback Ford Mustang-I’m all for throwbacks, but I hated this in 2000, and I hate this now. This gets an F.

Erik Jones #43 Advent Health Toyota Camry-Petty Enterprise throwbacks usually are, and this is no exception. A

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Jack Links Non-Vegan Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Ty Gibbs #54 SiriusXM Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same C grade.

Ryan Preece #60 Kroger/Oscar Mayer/Heinz Throwback Ford Mustang-I like the look, it’s very accurate, and I think this a good throwback. A

Timmy Hill #66 Auto Direct USA Ford Mustang-A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A.

Carson Hocevar #77 Chili’s Marg Machine Throwback Chevy Camaro-You can’t go wrong with a Dale Earnhardt Sr. throwback. This is a great scheme, and it gets an A.

Shane van Gisbergen #97 WeatherTech Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.