By David G. Firestone

So after giving this some thought after the 2015 tracker, I decided that I need to do more on this blog.  Toward that end, starting on Fridays, I will post paint scheme grades.  I will work on them during the week up to Thursdays, and then post them on Friday morning.  Once the 2015 season starts, I will move this to Wednesdays.  So without further ado…paint scheme reviews!  Let’s start with 2015 grades from new schemes featured on Wednesday…

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion The same basic scheme as 2014, but the hop design, gold trim, and old Miller crest have been removed, and the look is much smoother and cleaner. I didn’t think they could improve on an A+ design, but they proved me wrong, so I’ll give it an A++!

Austin Dillon #3 Cheerios Chevy SS Good color scheme, great design, A+

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Chevy SS While I like the color scheme and number and logo designs, the white stripe up the side kills the look. It takes an A scheme to a B+ scheme.

Kevin Harvick #4 Budweiser Chevy SS– Same Scheme as last year, same grade, A

Kevin Harvick #4 Jimmie Johns Chevy SS Great color and design, but I still don’t understand why Jimmy Johns sponsors Harvick instead of Jimmie Johnson…still a solid A scheme

Kevin Harvick #4 Outback Steakhouse Same Scheme as last year, same grade, A

Kevin Harvick #4 Ditech Chevy SS New sponsor for 2015, and it has a great look. The blue as a whole is good, and the contrasting blue on the door numbers looks really good. The door design gives the appearance of an old school brake duct, and this car just looks great! I give it an A+!

Kasey Kahne #5 Great Clips Chevy SS Same scheme as this year, same D+ grade

Kasey Kahne #5 Time Warner Cable Chevy SS It is a good color scheme, but the design on the side needs a little tweaking. Get rid of the needless zig-zag pattern and it works a whole lot better. It is still a decent scheme, so I will give it a C

Trevor Bayne #6 Advocare Ford Fusion New team, new design for 2015. I love the basic design, and the color scheme is great. However the candy cane stripes on the nose are pointless, and take away from the overall design. I’ll give it an A-

Danica Patrick #10 Aspen Dental Chevy SS Same scheme as last year, same C grade

Tony Stewart #14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevy SS A perfect example of why camo does not work on race cars. If it were just the orange and black, I would give it an A- but the camo takes it down to a B- and the white takes it down to a C+

Tony Stewart #14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevy SS Much smoother look, much better design, I’ll give it an A

Tony Stewart #14 Code 3 Associates/Mobil1 Chevy SS Same design as last year, same C grade

Greg Biffle #16 Ortho Bug-B-Gon Ford Fusion Red and black is a great color scheme, and the fade effects are pretty cool too. The ant design is really good, so for the first time in a while, Greg earns an A+

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fastenal Ford Fusion New design for 2014, great color scheme, blue and white is highly underrated, and a good design earns an A

Joey Logano #22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion Same design as last year, same D grade

Paul Menard #27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menard’s Chevy SS Same design as last year, same A grade

Ryan Newman #31 Cat Chevy SS Same color scheme as last year, but with a much smoother and simpler design. I can’t give it anything less than an A+ so I won’t

Ryan Newman #31 Quicken Loans Chevy SS Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Kurt Busch #41Haas CNC Chevy SS Complete redesign, and like Brad Keselowski, I didn’t think they could improve on an A+ design but I was wrong. A+

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

Aric Almirola #43 Smithfield Ford Fusion One of the rare instances where I will change a grade. I didn’t like this design initally, I gave it a D+, but it has grown on me, and I think it deserves a B-

Now on to 2014

Jamie McMurray #1 Cessna/McDonalds Monopoly Chevy SS Another instance of two different car designs clashing with each other, and it does not look good at all. D-

Kasey Kahne #5 Pepsi Chevy SS Good color scheme, but much too overdesigned. C-

Trevor Bayne #6 Advocare Ford Fusion See Above

Danica Patrick #10 Go Daddy Chevy SS-Pinkwashing is an automatic F.

Matt Kenseth #20 Home Depot Toyota Camry A fitting end to 15 years of NASCAR sponsorship is with a C- design. Love the color scheme, hate the overall design scheme.

Joey Logano #22 Pennzoil Platnum Ford Fusion Contrasting colors and being over designed to the point of absurdity earns this scheme a solid F.

Cole Whitt #26 Moen Toyota Camry Great color scheme, great overall design, A+

Blake Koch #32 Leaf Filter Ford Fusion Good color scheme, much too over designed, C-

Timmy Hill #33 Retro Infinity Chevy SS Great color scheme, much too over designed. C-

Reed Sorenson #36 Zing Znag Chevy SS It has pinkwashing elements which earn it an automatic F

Corey LaJoie #77 Essex Homes Ford Fusion great design, mediocre color scheme earn this scheme an A-

Ryan Truex #83 Painters Ice Cream Toyota Camry Great color scheme, and simple smooth design earn this scheme an A+

Michael McDowell #95 Pieter’s Pals Ford Fusion Another great A+ Levine Family Racing scheme!