Category: paint scheme grades

Paint Scheme Grades-April 16, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Brad Keselowski #2 Thomas Build Buses Ford Fusion-The Penske Template works very well with red and black. It’s a very solid look, and I have to give it an A+.

Austin Dillon #3 Bass Pro Shops/Ranger Boats Chevy SS-Not as bad as I was expecting, though I could do without the orange. The camo actually doesn’t look that bad here. B+

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Throwback Chevy SS– My one complaint about this throwback is that the door numbers don’t extend past the bottom of the blue. The original scheme has the door numbers below the blue, to the point that the blue bottom is the halfway point of the door numbers. Still, I can’t say it’s a horrible look, it is a great throwback. A

Regan Smith #7 Nikko/Road Rippers Alan Kulwicki Throwback Chevy SS-It would be a better throwback if the number was correct, and logos were color coordinated. I’ll be generous and give it a C+.

Danica Patrick #10 Nature’s Bakery Brownies Chevy SS-This is a case of a good design not working well with a color scheme. The brown, blue, and white color scheme is good, the design scheme is good, but they don’t work that well with each other. B-

Brian Vickers #14 TaxAct Millitary Chevy SS-The camo motif doesn’t look good in place of the green, which does look good, and this scheme earns a C+.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fastenal Throwback Ford Fusion-The orange looks good, and the overall design is very faithful to the original. It looks really good. A+

Carl Edwards #19 Comcast Business Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same D- grade.

David Ragan #23 Sweet Frog Toyota Camry-Neon green and hot pink was NEVER a good look, nor will it ever be a good look. I also have to give Sweet Frog credit for finding a shade of green almost as bad as the Seattle Seahawks did. Any other color scheme, and I mean ANY OTHER color scheme would earn this scheme a passing grade, but this deserves an F.

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Tarkett Chevy SS-Blue works a lot better with the Menard’s template than I would have thought, and here is a perfect example. The shade of blue contrasts perfectly with the yellow, and earns an A+.

Jeffery Earnhardt #32 Visone/Corvette Parts Ford Fusion-Same scheme as Corvette Parts but with a different hood logo. It still looks awful and earns an F

Kurt Bush #41 Hass VF1/Monster Chevy SS-It’s the same basic scheme as Danica’s, but the color scheme is MUCH BETTER! The Haas VF1 logo looks good here too, and the stripe fade to the Monster rear looks good too. I do think that this scheme makes the car look cluttered. I’ll give it a B+.

Brian Scott #44 Go Bowling Ford Fusion-I LOVE the bowling ball motif, and the rest of the scheme looks really good, with a smooth look and a simple design. A+

Brian Scott #44 Albertson’s/Tom Thumb Ford Fusion-Same basic scheme as Albertson’s, same A+ grade.

Brian Scott #44 Shore Lodge Ford Fusion-If the Petty blue was removed, the scheme would work. The contrast of the black with the baby blue door number and door design looks out of place, and takes what could have easily been an A+ down to a C+.

AJ Allmendinger #47 Bush’s Baked Beans Chevy SS–Same scheme as last year, same B+ grade.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Nationwide Grey Ghost Chevy SS-One of the more unique designs in the history of NASCAR is faitfully represented here. Earnhardt’s Buddy Baker Throwbacks are good, and I hope the driver suit matches. I will give this the A+ it deserves.

Dale Earnhardt #88 Axalta/CarStar Chevy SS-Same scheme as Axalta, same A+ grade.

Cole Whitt #98 RTIC Coolers Toyota Camry-A smooth look with a really good color scheme will always earn an A+.

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Paint Scheme Grades-April 9, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Jamie McMurray #1 Bad Boy/Beechcraft Chevy SS-Same scheme as Beechcraft, same B+ grade.

Austin Dillon #3 Dow FlexoLyt Chevy SS-Same scheme as Intellifresh, same B- grade.

Regan Smith #7 Fire Alarm Services Chevy SS-Orange on black is a bold design, and the city motif looks really good. It’s subtle and bold at the same time, and that’s hard to do. A+

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Zest Ford Fusion-The simpler design works well, and the bubble motif works with the sponsor, but the color scheme still sucks, and the best I can give it is a C+.

Kyle Busch #18 Banfield Pet Hospital Toyota Camry-While I’m not a fan of the sick pets, the car as a whole is good, with a great color scheme, and a great design scheme. I give it an A+.

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Rockstar Chevy SS-Based on what I’ve seen so far, the new Menard’s template seems to work well with every color, and this scheme is no exception, with the black front working with the yellow as a whole. A+

Josh Wise #30 Crawfest/City of New Braunfels Chevy SS-It’s a simple design, and the hood logo looks really good. A+

Joey Gase #32 Donate Life Ford Fusion-It’s a smooth look, with a great color scheme, and a HUGE improvement on last year’s scheme. A+

Kurt Busch #41 State Water Heaters Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same B- grade.

Aric Almirola #43 Waffle House Ford Fusion-The bright yellow and Petty blue just don’t work with each other. They would work independently, but together, they look awful. D-

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s Chevy SS-I hope the yellow logos stay, because this scheme looks so much better with yellow door numbers than white ones. B+

Reed Sorenson #55 Chevy SS-It’s a smooth look, with a great color scheme, and you can’t go wrong with that!. A+

Ty Dillon #95 Nexium 24 Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same grade. A-

Cole Whitt #98 Chevy SS-It’s a smooth look, with a great color scheme, and you can’t go wrong with that!. A+

Paint Scheme Grades-April 2, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Regan Smith #7 APC Chevy SS-It’s a good scheme with a smooth look, and a great color scheme. A+

Regan Smith #7 AIPAC Chevy SS-See above. A+

Chase Elliot #24 Sun Energy Chevy SS-Think they overdid this scheme just a bit? Wow! Like most J.J. Abrams films, it has too much flare. F

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Libman Chevy SS-I’ve said that Menard’s templates can be everything from great to awful depending on what color the hood sponsor has. In this case, the template looks good, because the green works very well. A+

Josh Wise #30 Toyota Camry-Not a bad look at all. A+

Brian Scott #44 Von’s Ford Fusion-Same scheme as Albertson’s, same A+ grade.

Brian Scott #44 Goody’s Ford Fusion-Get rid of the yellow scheme B+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Louisiana Hot Sauce Chevy SS-The shade of red really looks good, and the fame motif works well with a hot sauce brand. A+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger/Coffee Mate/Butterfinger Chevy SS-Same as Kroger, same A+ grade.

Cole Whitt #98 Rinnai Ford Fusion-It’s a good scheme with a smooth look, and a great color scheme. A+

Paint Scheme Grades-March 19, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Denny Hamlin #11 SportClips Toyota Camry–Same scheme as last year, same C- grade.

Brian Vickers #14 Janssen Chevy SS-I didn’t think this scheme could get any better…but it has! A+

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/FVP Chevy SS-Another instance of the Menard’s template working very well with a color scheme. A+

Ryan Newman #31 Wix Filters Chevy SS–I didn’t think this scheme could get any worse…but it has! F

Joey Gase #32 JT Concrete Inc Ford Fusion-Great color scheme, and a great design scheme will always earn an A+.

Aric Almirola #43 STP Ford Fusion– A downgrade from last year’s great throwback scheme, the pointless door design becomes part of the paint scheme. I don’t think it looks great, but it isn’t awful. B-

AJ Allmendinger #47 Food For Less Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year,A+ same grade.

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Cosmo Motors Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same C- grade.

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Paint Scheme Grades-March 12, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Austin Dillon #3 AAA Chevy SS-Simiar in design to Robert Hight’s funny car, which looks great, but with needless extra designs, and rearranged colors takes a B+ scheme down to a D+.

Regan Smith #7 Chevy SS-A smooth look and a great color scheme, no complaints here! A+

Matt Kenseth #20 DeWalt Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Paul Menard #27 Richmond/Menard’s Chevy SS-The new Menard’s template can be temperamental, but this color scheme works very well. Black works well with Menard’s and the scheme earns an A+.

Chris Buescher #34 Dockside Logistics Ford Fusion-A smooth look and a great color scheme, no complaints here! A+

Chris Buescher #34 CSX Play it Safe Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Landon Cassill #38 Snap Fitnaess Ford Fusion-Great color scheme with a smooth design will always earn an A+.

Michael Annett #46 Pilot/Flying J Chevy SS-The shade of red works well, and the overall design looks great, and earns an A+.

AJ Allmendinger #47 Fry’s Chevy SS-Same basic scheme as last year same A+ grade.

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Cosmo Motors Toyota Camry-It’s a smooth look with a great color scheme, and a HUGE improvement over last year. A+

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Schluter Systems Toyota Camry-The look is an odd one. The two designs clash a little with each other, and the stripes are dizzying. The color scheme is decent, but that can’t save it from a D-.

Cole Whitt #98 Speed Stick Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Paint Scheme Grades-March 5, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Intellifresh Chevy SS-Same scheme as Dow Energy and Water, same B- grade.

Regan Smith #7 Nikko Street Bratz Chevy SS-Much too over designed, and with a mediocre paint scheme to boot. F

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Ford Eco-Boost Ford Fusion-The red on top is an amazing improvement, the car just looks better than it did in 2015. Still, the design is a little overdone, but I’ll give it a B+.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Sunny D Ford Fusion-Hmm…let’s see how many different colors and design schemes we can put into car until it will make you motion sick while you are standing still. This car is beyond over designed, and it looks AWFUL! F

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Dutch Boy Chevy SS-What better way to promote the quality of your paint than by running a scheme showing it chipping off the side of the car. I’m giving it an F just for that!

Landon Cassill #38 MDS Ford Fusion– It’s a simple, smooth and great scheme with a great color scheme. A+

Aric Almiroa #43 U.S. Air Force Ford Fusion-It’s the same basic scheme from 2015, with lightning added, which is a great look too. A+

Michael McDowell #95 Monte Carlo Casino Chevy SS-Same scheme as WRL Contractors, same A+ grade.

Paint Scheme Grades-February 27, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Danica Patrick #10 Aspen Dental Chevy SS-The scheme has gone from somewhat ugly to really ugly in a hurry. The designs are all wrong, the colors don’t work, and the whole car looks as though it was designed by second grades. F

Clint Bowyer #15 Aaron’s Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Greg Biffle #16 Roush Performance Ford Fusion-This new scheme keeps the great color scheme of last years’ but with a brand new design that is as bold, but nowhere near as bad. The design and color scheme work very well, and earn an A+.

Paul Menard #27 Valvoline/Menard’s Chevy SS-Another instance where the color scheme and template just don’t work. The old Menard’s Template with the hood design carrying the front sponsor was quite good, but with Valvoline, the car just looks bad, and it just doesn’t work. F

Landon Cassill #38 FR8 Auctions Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Matt DiBendetto #83 Sewanee University Toyota Camry-The color scheme is great, but the blue designs on the side are pointless, and make the car look cluttered. If those designs were removed, I would give it an A, but the best I can give this design is a B+.

Cole Whitt #98 Tweaker Energy Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Paint Scheme Grades-February 13, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Jamie McMurray #1 Sherwin Williams Chevy SS-The scheme from last year has had some slight changes, but it’s still a solid B+ scheme. I do like the 150th anniversary logo on the hood.

Jamie McMurray #1 McDonald’s Chevy SS-Much better looking scheme than last year, looks very good. Love the new design scheme. A+

Brad Keselowski #2 SKF Ford Fusion-A great look. The Penske template works quite well with this color scheme. No complaints at all. A+

Trevor Bayne #6 Advocare Ford Fusion-A new scheme that works very well. The color scheme is really good, and the subtle checkered flag motif works well. A+

Clint Bowyer #15 Visine Chevy SS-This is a case where the design scheme doesn’t work with the color scheme. It’s not a horrible look, but it’s not great. B+

Kyle Busch #18 M&M’s Throwback Toyota Camry-Great look, great color scheme, great design, A+

Joey Logano #22 AAA of Southern California Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same D grade.

Joey Logano #22 Pennzoil Ford Fusion-What a difference a year makes. Pennzoil had a horrible scheme last year, and they redeem themselves with this great scheme. Pennzoil has a great shade of yellow, and the design scheme looks really good too. A+

Jeffery Earnhardt #32 Can-Am/Kappa Ford Fusion-We have a new leader in the
“ Worst Template” category. Go FAS always over-designs their cars, and they’ve gone above and beyond with their new template. The color scheme is horrible, and the deigns scheme is even worse. I wish I could go lower than an F, but I can’t.

Jeffery Earnhardt #32 Keen Parts/Corvette Parts Ford Fusion-See above. F

Reed Sorenson #40 CRC Brakleen Chevy SS-It’s amazing how changing the primary color from red to black can take an A scheme down to a D-.

Kurt Busch #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevy SS-Same scheme as Monster Energy, same A+ grade.

Michael Annett #46 Pilot/Flying J Chevy SS–Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger/Scott Chevy SS-Taking away the stars from last year makes a great scheme even better. A+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger/Stoffer’s/Lean Cuisine Chevy SS-See above. A+

Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Red Vest Chevy SS-The amalgamation of Red Vest and Jimmie Johnson foundation does NOT look good. The shade of red is the only thing giving it a passing grade, though in this case, a D-.

Michael McDowell #95 K-Love Chevy SS– A+

Paint Scheme Grades-January 30, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Tony Stewart #14 Bass Pro Shops Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same C+ grade.

Greg Biffle #16 Kleen Performance Products Ford Fusion-I don’t think I got around to this scheme last year, so I’ll fix that mistake right now. I like the shade of green, and the red looks good too. The interrupted stripe across the side is ugly, and I do not think the black is needed. Also, the liquid design doesn’t make sense. I’ll give it a B+.

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Peak Chevy SS-Bold look, moving away from the Menard’s Template, and, it works. The design scheme looks good, and it has a great color scheme. I give it an A+.

Kyle Larson #42 Target Chevy SS-Vertical fade looks really good, and has a really good color scheme. A+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger’s Chevy SS-Same basic scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Paint Scheme Grades-January 23, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Brad Keselowski #2 Auto Trader Ford Fusion-Same scheme as Joey Logano, same D- grade.

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1 Chevy SS-Same scheme as Tony Stewart’s, same A+ grade.

Danica Patrick #10 Mobil 1 Chevy SS—Same basic scheme as Tony Stewart’s, same A+ grade.

Greg Biffle #16 KFC Nashville Hot Ford Fusion-KFC has a really good shade of red, and the whole design works well. I also like the flame motif at the back, and the stripes on the roof. All in all, I can’t give it any lower than an A+.

Carl Edwards #19 Subway Toyota Camry-The black car was bold look, but the shade of green here could use some tweaking. The box motif is a bit overdone as well. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be, it’s a B+ scheme.

Joey Logano #22 Auto Trader Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same D- grade.

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s/Superman Chevy SS-The Superman motif is really good, and it’s really well done. I like the detail in the suit too. It’s worth an A+.

Brian Scott #44 Albertsons’s Ford Fusion-It’s a simple, yet attractive scheme with a great color scheme. I give it an A+.

Martin Truex Jr. #78 Bass Pro Shops Chevy SS-Of all the schemes I have seen so far, this is the worst of them all. Orange can be a great color when used right, but this is just too much! The yellow clashes with it, the black works, and the camo looks out of place. It’s just a mess, and I give it an F.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Nationwide/Batman Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, designed to look like Batman’s armor. A+

Ty Dillon #95 Cheerios Chevy SS-Same basic scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Michael McDowell #95 Thrivent Financial Chevy SS-Bit of a downgrade from last year, the old template, which I really liked, was good, but the new scheme looks forced, and the color change doesn’t help. Still, it’s not horrible, and it’s worth a B+.