Category: paint scheme grades

Paint Scheme Grades-August 19, 2023

By David G. Firestone

Austin Dillon #3 Cowboy Channel Chevy Camaro-I love a good fade, and with the great color scheme, this gets an A.

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang-I like the wing design, and the great color scheme will always earn an A.

Brad Keselowski #6 Socios.com Ford Mustang-This would work much better with a different color scheme, but with this scheme, it gets a C.

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

AJ Allmendinger #16 Dynagro Seed Chevy Camaro-Great design with bad color scheme will always earn a C.

Todd Gilliland #38 Chicago Pneumatic Compressors Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Ryan Preece #41 Purdue University Ford Mustang-Getting rid of some of the designs near the number would work much better, but this is still good, so this get an A-

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Kroger/Frosted Flakes Chevy Camaro-It’s a good look, not over designed, and this gets an A.

Kamui Kobayashi #67 Toyota Genuine Parts Toyota Camry-The cutting edge design isn’t over done, and it has a great color scheme. A

Paint Scheme Grades-August 12, 2023

By David G. Firestone

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Mobility Science Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same A- grade.

Kyle Busch #8 Kwik Trip/Kwik Star Chevy Camaro–Good color scheme, good design scheme, good look. A

J.J. Yeley #15 Grill Blazers Ford Mustang-I like the grill motif, and the color scheme is good. A

Harrison Burton #21 Motorcraft/Ford Senior Master Technicians Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Michael McDowell #34 Martin Transportation Systems Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Tyler Reddick #45 Rocket League Toyota Camry-Too many colors and too many design schemes will always earn an F.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Kroger/Minute Rice Chevy Camaro-I like the new look, not too cluttered, and the color scheme is good. A

Alex Bowman #48 Ally/Detroit Pistons Chevy Camaro-I like the look, and the city motif works well. A

B.J. McLeod #78 South Dakota/FreedomWorksHere.com Chevy Camaro-I think the sides are a bit cluttered, but it is a good look. B

Paint Scheme Grades-August 5, 2023

By David G. Firestone

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

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

Austin Dillon #3 Huk Performance Fishing Chevy Camaro-These changes don’t really add much, so the same F grade as last year.

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Light Peach Ford Mustang-Peach is not a great color for a stock car, or race car of any kind, and the lack of dark designs is horrid, so this gets an F!

Brad Keselowski #6 Solomon Plumbing Patriotic Ford Mustang-I hate regular camo on race cars, but this new design has an awful color scheme, and is too spread out. F

Corey LaJoie #7 Garner Trucking Chevy Camaro-A smooth, simple, yet bold look, with a great color scheme will ALWAYS earn an A!

Corey LaJoie #7 Gainbridge Chevy Camaro-I hate the color scheme, and the design scheme is awful, this gets an F.

Kyle Busch #8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Patriotic Chevy Camaro-This is a much better look, and I can’t really complain here!

Kyle Busch #8 X World Wallet Chevy Camaro-I like the smooth look, the design scheme works well, this gets an A.

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Patriotic Ford Mustang-This is a much less cluttered, much smoother, and much better look. A

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield/iHop Ford Mustang-Much less cluttered and better colors used earn this an A.

Aric Almirola #10 Ford Ford Mustang-It’s a great look, a great color scheme, and a great design scheme. A

Denny Hamlin #11 Coca-Cola Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same A- grade.

Denny Hamlin #11 Mavis Tires & Brakes Toyota Camry-It’s a smooth look, with a great color scheme will ALWAYS earn an A.

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

Ryan Blaney #12 Body Armor Ford Mustang-This is a downgrade from previous schemes, it’s a bit over designed. B+

Chase Briscoe #14 Mahindra Tractors Patriotic Ford Mustang-The more designs added, the worse this scheme gets. C

Chase Briscoe #14 Mobil 1 Gen G Ford Mustang-Getting rid of the sublimated designs will improve this, but with them, this gets a B+.

Brennan Poole #15 Macc Door Systems Ford Mustang-I like the stripes, but they could be toned down a bit. A-

Jenson Button #15 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang-This is a major downgrade from the previous scheme, with too many design elements. C

J.J. Yeley #15 Patriot Mobile Patriotic Ford Mustang-Good look, and a great color scheme will always earn an A

Ryan Newman #15 Parts Plus Ford Mustang-Great look. The color scheme works, and the design is amazing, so this gets an A.

AJ Allmendinger #16 Bath Planet Chevy Camaro-Has a good color scheme, but getting rid of the designs on the front would earn this an A, but with the designs, this gets a B.

AJ Allmendinger #16 Celsius Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as #7, same A grade.

AJ Allmendinger #16 Action Industries Chevy Camaro-Getting rid of the green stripes would work better with the design. This however, isn’t horrible, so this gets a B.

Chris Buescher #17 Fastenal Patriotic Ford Mustang-This is a unique, but well-executed look. A

Joey Logano #22 Verizon Ford Mustang-This is one of the best looks yet! Smooth, bold, simple, and it works. A

Bubba Wallace #23 Draft Kings Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

William Byron #24 Relay Payments Chevy Camaro-If the stripe was one whole stripe it would get a solid A, but this gets a B+

Justin Haley #31 Benesch Law Chevy Camaro-Getting rid of the front white and diamonds would boost this scheme to a solid A, but this gets a B+

Justin Haley, driver of the #31 Campers Inn RV Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as #16, same B grade.

Brodie Kostecki #33 MobileX Chevy Camaro-It’s a smooth look, with a great color scheme, and that will always earns an A.

Michael McDowell #34 The Pete Store Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same C grade.

Michael McDowell #34 Benebone Ford Mustang-I loves me a good fade, and this is a good fade, and this gets an A.

Todd Gilliland #38 Gener8tor Skills Accelerator Ford Mustang-It’s a smooth look, with a great color scheme, which always earn an A.

Todd Gilliland #38 Georgia Peanut Commission Ford Mustang-\Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Todd Gilliland #38 A&W Root Beer Float Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #34, same A grade.

Ryan Preece #41 Morton Buildings Ford Mustang-Good color scheme, and an awful design scheme will always earn a C.

Ryan Preece #41 Sony Mobile ES Ford Mustang-I like the police car look, it’s well done, and this gets an A.

Noah Gragson #42 Wendy’s Chevy Camaro-I love the black and bacon look, it’s smooth and well done. A

Erik Jones #43 DRAIVER Chevy Camaro-I love the black and red look, and it works well here. A

Tyler Reddick #45 The Big 615/Moneylion Toyota Camry-Too over designed, mediocre color scheme, this gets a D.

Tyler Reddick #45 Draft Kings Network Toyota Camry-It works well, not over done, and it has a great color scheme. A

Tyler Reddick #45 Jordan Brand Toyota Camry-It’s a great look, I like that the green isn’t overused, so this gets an A.

Tyler Reddick #45 Xfinity 10G Network Toyota Camry-Too over designed, but a good fade saves this scheme. B

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Kroger/BallPark Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Food 4 Less/Slim Jim Chevy Camaro-The white front is a downgrade, it takes an A down to an A-

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Kroger/Drumstick Chevy Camaro-I like the look, it’s a good look, and I can’t say anything bad. A

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Kleenex Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

J.J. Yeley #51 Patriot Mobile Patriotic Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #15, same A grade.

Ryan Newman #51 Parts Plus Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #15, same A grade.

Andy Lally #51 Camping World Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #15, same A grade.

Ty Dillon #77 Raze Energy Chevy Camaro-It’s over designed, and has a horrible color scheme. F

Ty Dillon #77 Gainbridge Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as #7, same F grade.

Josh Bilicki #78 Zeigler Auto Group Chevy Camaro-The guitar motif works well, the color scheme is great, this earns an A.

Sheldon Creed #78 Whelen Chevy Camaro-It’s a simple look, with a bold color scheme, and that will always earn an A.

Daniel Suarez #99 Worldwide Express Patriotic Chevy Camaro-What a difference a toned down scheme makes! This is a great look! A

Daniel Suarez #99 SLAM! Foundation Chevy Camaro-It’s an awful design, very over designed, and not even a great color scheme will save this. F

Paint Scheme Grades-June 24, 2023

By David G. Firestone

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Patriotic Chevy Camaro-Camo is awful on race cars, this is just awful. F

Chase Elliott #9 NAPA Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Chevy Camaro-I’m not 100% sure what the motif is exactly, but it’s well drawn, and works well. A

Ryan Preece #41 The International Union of Operating Engineers Ford Mustang-Not over designed, great color scheme, this earns an A.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 SunnyD Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Ty Dillon #77 Chicago White Sox Chevy Camaro-I like the look, and the color scheme works well. A

Ty Dillon #77 RAZE Energy Chevy Camaro-This is a horribly designed car with an awful paint scheme. F

Paint Scheme Grades-June 17, 2023

By David G. Firestone

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1 Lube Express Ford Mustang-I like the look of the design, and the color scheme works well, so this gets an A.

Kyle Larson #5 Valvoline Chevy Camaro-Much more red is much better this year, than last year, and this scheme goes up to a B+

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

Andy Lally #15 Camping World Ford Mustang-It’s a smooth look, with a great color scheme, this gets an A.

Christopher Bell #20 DeWalt Construction Technology Toyota Camry-There is just too much going on, and the car looks beyond cluttered as a result. F

Joey Logano #22 Shell/Pennzoil Photo Mosaic Ford Mustang-I HATE photo mosaic schemes, especially this one, since it took an A scheme down to a C scheme!

Bubba Wallace #23 DoorDash Summer Pass Toyota Camry-If there was a darker color at play, it would work a lot better, but this has a decent design scheme, so this gets a B.

Justin Haley #31 Cirkul Chevy Camaro-Not a bad change, I do like the fruit motif, so this gets an A.

Ryan Preece #41 Autodesk Ford Mustang-Yes, Yes, YES! I love this look! It’s a great look, great color scheme, and I can’t give this less than an A.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Kroger/Cottonelle Chevy Camaro-The dark blue is a downgrade from the white, so this gets a D.

Alex Bowman #48 Ally Pride Month Chevy Camaro-The day Ally scheme with the white hood looks really odd, and the scheme would work better with a blue hood. D-

Todd Gilliland #51 Serial 1 E-Bikes Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #38, same A grade.

Paint Scheme Grades-June 10, 2023

By David G. Firestone

Brad Keselowski #6 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang-Getting rid of what looks like damage would get this a solid A, but this takes it down to an A-

Gray Gaulding #15 Panini America Ford Mustang-A horrific design scheme matched with an even worse color scheme will ALWAYS earn an F.

AJ Allmendinger #16 Gabriel Glas Chevy Camaro-I like the look, the color scheme is good, and the wine glasses work. A

Chris Buescher #17 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang-Getting rid of what looks like damage would get this a solid A, but this takes it down to an A-

Todd Gilliland #38 Serial 1 E-Bikes Ford Mustang-A smooth look, a good color scheme, not over designed, gets an A.

Tyler Reddick #45 Jordan Brand Toyota Camry-Getting rid of the black monster logo, and this would get a solid A, but it looks so forced, and odd, that it can’t get anything higher than a B.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Fry’s/NOS Chevy Camaro-This is a downgrade from last year, since the smooth look has been cluttered. This gets a B.

Paint Scheme Grades-June 3, 2023

By David G. Firestone

Ross Chastain #1 Advent Health Patriotic Chevy Camaro-Reversing the red and white would work better, but this isn’t bad, so this gets a B.

Austin Dillon #3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Off Road Patriotic Chevy Camaro-I don’t like the blue camo on the rear, and there could be more red. B+

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1 Patriotic Ford Mustang-Removing the black takes a C scheme up to an A scheme, given how much better this looks! A

Kyle Larson #5 Hendrickcars.com Patriotic Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Brad Keselowski #6 Castrol Patriotic Ford Mustang-I can say that I like the color scheme, but the design scheme is not only awful, but doesn’t work with the color scheme. D-

Chase Elliott #9 NAPA Patriotic Chevy Camaro-A much cleaner, and better look. No complaints here! A

Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Patriotic Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same D grade.

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

Ryan Blaney #12 Cherry Lime Body Armor Patriotic Ford Mustang-This is, without a doubt, the worst camo color scheme I have ever seen! It’s giving me motion sickness without even moving! F

Chase Briscoe #14 Mahindra Tractors Patriotic Ford Mustang-This is a downgrade from the bold yet simple design of last year. It’s not bad, but a real downgrade. B+

J.J. Yeley #15 Patriot Mobile Patriotic Ford Mustang-It’s bold, it isn’t over designed, it has a great color scheme. A

AJ Allmendinger #16 Action Industries Patriotic Chevy Camaro-A bit too over designed, with too many elements. This isn’t too bad, so it gets a B.

Chris Buescher #17 Fastenal Patriotic Ford Mustang-I like the color change, this gives it more of a snake-like look, which is awesome! A

Martin Truex Jr. #19 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Off Road Patriotic Toyota Camry-Much better than the #3, and much better than last year, so this gets an A.

Christopher Bell #20 Interstate Batteries Patriotic Toyota Camry-Camo used like this does NOT look good, and this is just horrid! This gets an F!

Bubba Wallace #23 Dr Pepper Strawberries & Cream Toyota Camry-A simple, yet bold look, and it has a great color scheme. This earns an A.

William Byron #24 Liberty University Patriotic Chevy Camaro-While I dislike the camo, I do like the cleaned up car. I’ll give this a B.

Justin Haley #31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Patriotic Chevy Camaro-Toning down the stars on the front would earn this an A, but with the stars as they are, this gets a B.

Zane Smith #38 Boot Barn Ford Mustang-I don’t like camo on cars period, and this is not a good look at all. F

Ryan Preece #41 HaasTooling.com Patriotic Ford Mustang-It’ really comes across as a generic patriotic scheme, so I’ll give it a C.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Coca-Cola Chevy Camaro-While I like this scheme, I don’t really get it. What kind of Coke comes in gold cans? It’s good, but odd. A

Alex Bowman #48 Ally Financial Patriotic Chevy Camaro-This legitimately hurts my eyes to look at! This is one of the worst American flag motif I have ever seen. F

Todd Gilliland #51 Ruedenbusch Ford Mustang-It’s bold, it isn’t over designed, it has a great color scheme. A

Jimmie Johnson #84 Club Wyndham Chevy Camaro-The black roof looks really out of place, and the sides are a mess. F

Shane van Gisbergen #91 Enhance Health Chevy Camaro-The good color scheme and the meh design scheme give this a C grade.

Throwback Thursdays-2023 Throwback Rankings

By David G Firestone

So here are my current rankings for the best throwbacks of 2023. If another throwback comes along, it will be added as such.

1-William Byron #24 Axalta Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2023, based on Jeff Gordon’s 1998 Chromalusion Chevy Camaro. A

Even if this doesn’t change colors, this is still a great looking car, and it does take me back! This is another contender for best throwback of the year! A

2-Joey Logano #22 Shell/Pennzoil Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2023, based on Mark Donohue’s 1973 #16 AMC Matador. A

Yes! Yes! A thousand times YES! This is a damn good throwback of a damn good car from a dammed good driver in Mark Donohue! I can’t give this anything less than an A, and this is a top contender for throwback of the year!

3-Brennan Poole #15 Macc Door Systems Throwback Ford Mustang–New sponsor for 2023, based on Bobby Allison’s Hogdon scheme. A

I like the look, it’s very faithfully done, and the car works as a whole. A

4-Erik Jones #43 Allegiant Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2023, based on Richard Petty’s 1969 STP Dodge. A

Another contender for Best Throwback of the year! A great look that was faithfully reproduced! This gets an A.

5-Erik Jones #43 STP Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2023, based on Richard Petty’s 1984 Pontiac. A

At the time of writing, this is my favorite throwback so far! This is a great look, and earns an A.

6-Daniel Suarez #99 Quaker State Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2023, based on Ricky Rudd’s 1990 #26 Quaker State Buick. A

This might be one of the most perfect throwback schemes, something which Justin Marks and Trackhouse do very well. Design, color, theme, and sponsor all come together to create another contender for best throwback of the year. A

7-Ty Gibbs #54 Shriners Children’s Throwback Toyota Camry–New sponsor for 2023, based on Bobby Labonte’s 1995 #18 NFL Hall of Fame Chevy. A

Yet another contender for best paint scheme of the year! This is amazing, and it really brings me back. A

8-Ty Dillon #77 Honest Charley Speed Shop Throwback Chevy Camaro–New sponsor for 2023, based on Joe Lee Johnson’s 1959 scheme. A

Great look, faithfully replicated, a good look all around. A

9-Michael McDowell #34 Fr8 Auctions Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2023, based on Mark Martin’s #6 Folgers Coffee Ford Thunderbird. A

Yet another contender for best paint scheme of the year! I loved the old Mark Martin Folgers Coffee scheme from back in the day, and I love this now! This gets an A.

10-Ross Chastain #1 Worldwide Express Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2023, based on Dale Jarrett’s 2001 #88 UPS Ford. A

I love Dale Jarrett, and I love a Dale Jarrett Throwback! This gets an A!

11-Corey LaJoie #7 Nations Guard Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2023, based on Don LaJoie’s old ride. A

A really great look, the vintage look is great, and I can’t not like this! A

12-Chase Elliott #9 LLumar Window Film Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2023, based on Bill Elliott’s #9 Evernham Dodge. A

Simple, bold, a great look, and the perfectly replicated door numbers all add up to give this scheme an A.

13-Harrison Burton #21 DEX Imaging Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2023, based on Jeff Burton’s 1998 Exide Ford Tarus. A

Exide Batteries had some good schemes back in the day, and this one is bringing back fond memories. A

14-Todd Gilliland #38 Serial 1 Throwback Ford Mustang–New sponsor for 2023 based on Elton Sawyer’s Barbasol schemes. A

I really miss the old schemes of the 1990’s, this is just another example of a great look. A

15-Ryan Preece #41 United Rentals Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2023, based on Jeff Preece’s #4 late model scheme. A

It’s a smooth look with a great color scheme, and that will always earn an A.

16-Brad Keselowski #6 Castrol Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2023, based on old Castrol GTX colors. A

I’m getting some serious early 1990’s John Force vibes from this, and I love it! John Force Castrol was ALWAYS a great look!

17-Kevin Harvick #29 Busch Light Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2023, based on his 2001 Goodwrench Chevy. A

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! This might be one of my favorite throwback schemes EVER! This gets a solid A!

18-Aric Almirola #10 Smithfield Foods Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2023, based on Dale Jr.’s 2001 Budweiser/MLB All-Star Game Chevy. A

I’m kind of shocked this hasn’t been thrown back to more, but it’s still a good solid look. A

19-Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Throwback Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2023, ot a real throwback, but a great look, with vintage numbers, logos and design. A

The vintage logo is a great look, and I love the design, so this gets an A.

20-Chase Briscoe #14 Mahindra Tractors Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2023, based on Tony Stewart’s 2000 Turkey Time winning Ford. A

This is a look that never gets old, no matter how many times it’s done. A

21-Christopher Bell #20 DeWalt Throwback Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2023, based on Matt Kenseth’s #17 DeWalt Ford from 2003. A

I like the look, the car is well designed, and this gets an A.

22-Alex Bowman #48 Ally Financial Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2023, based on spotter Kevin Hamlin’s 2007 #42 Texaco Havoline Chevy Camaro. A

I never really liked any non plain black Texaco Havoline schemes at the time, but they’ve grown on me, and this is a rather faithful throwback, so this gets an A in my book!

23-Ryan Newman #51 Biohaven/Jacob Co. Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2023, based on Ryan Newman’s 2002 Mobil 1 scheme. A

Another faithful throwback and one that looks really good. A

24-Noah Gragson #42 Sunseeker Resort Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2023, based on Jimmie Johnson’s 2014 Coca-Cola 600 winning scheme. A

This was a bold look back then, and it’s a faithful replica now. A

25-Kyle Larson #5 Hendrickcars.com Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2023, based on Tony Stewart’s 2009 Xfinity Series Hendrickcars.com scheme. A

It’s a great look, very accurate, and the car has a bold look. A

26-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Kroger/Country Crock Throwback Chevy Camaro–New scheme for 2023, based on Dale Jarrett’s 2001 #88 UPS Ford. B+

Where the #1 had more authentic logos, this is not as good, and the grilled cheese sandwich just doesn’t work as well. If this wasn’t a throwback, this would get an A, but the inaccuracies take it to a B+

27-Kevin Harvick #4 Sunny Delight Throwback Ford Mustang–New scheme for 2023, based on Kevin Harvick’s planned AOL Scheme. B+

The colors aren’t accurate, and the brand new Sunny Delight logo is kind of jarring. This gets a B+

28-Martin Truex Jr. #19 Auto Owner’s Insurance Throwback Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2023, based on a 2017 scheme. B

While it’s a good look, I don’t see how this scheme is based on 2017. Was it based on Auto Owner’s Insurance, Mattress Row, or Bass Pro Shop? It’s not a real throwback, since those would get solid A’s, but this gets a B.

Paint Scheme Grades-May 27, 2023

By David G. Firestone

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

Corey LaJoie #7 TD Bank Chevy Camaro-The white is wholly pointless, the car looks awful. If the car was green or red this would be an A, but this is a C.

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

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

Chase Briscoe #14 Ford Performance Racing School Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Chris Buescher #17 Fastenal Ford Mustang-Reversing the colors really works here. The car has a great look, and I think this is amazing! A

Bubba Wallace #23 Columbia Sportswear Toyota Camry-I like the water motif, it works surprising well for race cars. The black rear looks good, it isn’t over done. This gets an A.

Michael McDowell #34 Fr8 Auctions Throwback Ford Mustang-Yet another contender for best paint scheme of the year! I loved the old Mark Martin Folgers Coffee scheme from back in the day, and I love this now! This gets an A.

Todd Gilliland #38 Boot Barn Ford Mustang-Getting rid of the paint chips would work much better, but it isn’t awful so this gets a B.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Coke Zero Chevy Camaro-Not a bad look, but the black is definitely a better look. A-

Daniel Suarez #99 Trackhouse Motorplex Chevy Camaro-I like the black and purple, but holy hell is this over designed! I can’t give this anything but a D, so I won’t.

Paint Scheme Grades-May 20, 2023

By David G. Firestone

Kevin Harvick #4 Sunny Delight Throwback Ford Mustang-The colors aren’t accurate, and the brand new Sunny Delight logo is kind of jarring. This gets a B+

Kyle Larson #5 Hendrickcars.com Chevy Camaro-It’s a great look, very accurate, and the car has a bold look. A

Brad Keselowski #6 Castrol Throwback Ford Mustang-I’m getting some serious early 1990’s John Force vibes from this, and I love it! John Force Castrol was ALWAYS a great look!

Corey LaJoie #7 Nations Guard Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same D grade.

Corey LaJoie #7 Nations Guard Throwback Chevy Camaro-A really great look, the vintage look is great, and I can’t not like this! A

Chase Elliott #9 LLumar Window Film Throwback Chevy Camaro-Simple, bold, a great look, and the perfectly replicated door numbers all add up to give this scheme an A.

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Throwback Toyota Camry-The vintage logo is a great look, and I love the design, so this gets an A.

Chase Briscoe #14 Mahindra Tractors Throwback Ford Mustang-This is a look that never gets old, no matter how many times it’s done. A

Brennan Poole #15 VDL Strong Ford Mustang-I think the red isn’t needed, otherwise, this is a great scheme. A

Brennan Poole #15 Macc Door Systems Throwback Ford Mustang-I like the look, it’s very faithfully done, and the car works as a whole. A

Martin Truex Jr. #19 Auto Owner’s Insurance Throwback Toyota Camry-While it’s a good look, I don’t see how this scheme is based on 2017. Was it based on Auto Owner’s Insurance, Mattress Row, or Bass Pro Shop? It’s not a real throwback, since those would get solid A’s, but this gets a B.

Harrison Burton #21 DEX Imaging Throwback Ford Mustang-Exide Batteries had some good schemes back in the day, and this one is bringing back fond memories. A

Bubba Wallace #23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry-It’s a smooth look with a great color scheme, and that will always earn an A.

Todd Gilliland #38 Serial 1 Throwback Ford Mustang-I really miss the old schemes of the 1990’s, this is just another example of a great look. A

Ryan Preece #41 United Rentals Throwback Ford Mustang-It’s a smooth look with a great color scheme, and that will always earn an A.

Noah Gragson #42 Sunseeker Resort Throwback Chevy Camaro-This was a bold look back then, and it’s a faithful replica now. A

Erik Jones #43 Allegiant Throwback Chevy Camaro-Another contender for Best Throwback of the year! A great look that was faithfully reproduced! This gets an A.

Tyler Reddick #45 Forward Together Toyota Camry-I can’t confirm it’s a Sharpie throwback, but it does look good, so it gets an A.

Ryan Newman #51 Biohaven/Jacob Co. Throwback Ford Mustang-Another faithful throwback and one that looks really good. A

Ty Gibbs #54 Shriners Children’s Throwback Toyota Camry-Yet another contender for best paint scheme of the year! This is amazing, and it really brings me back. A

Ty Dillon #77 Honest Charley Speed Shop Throwback Chevy Camaro-Great look, faithfully replicated, a good look all around. A

BJ McLeod #78 The Daily Down Force/Out of the Groove Chevy Camaro-Too many contrasting colors, and too much going on. F