Tag: SS

Paint Scheme Grades-August 8, 2015

Jamie McMurray #1 Lexar Chevy SS-It’s a great design, the colors work well, and the design scheme is great too. A+

Austin Dillon #3 American Ethanol Throwback Chevy SS-The throwback motif does look good, it’s based on Richard Childress car from the 1970’s. The modern logos don’t mix very well. B-

Kasey Kahne #5 Aquafina Chevy SS– Amazingly, the water motif works very well. The color scheme is good too. It earns an A+.

Alex Bowman #7 FW1 Wash and Wax Chevy SS– The lime green to Ferrari red might work if it were on the whole car, but the black on either side with the thick wide stripes just look awful. I’ll give it a B-.

Denny Hamlin #11 Sport Clips Throwback Toyota Camry– Like the Austin Dillon throwback scheme, the modern logos with vintage design thing doesn’t work here. The vintage numbers look good, but they only elevate the logo to a C.

Greg Biffle #16 Roush Performance Parts Ford Fusion-Good color scheme here. It is so over designed that the best I can give it is a C-.

Ryan Blaney #21 Snap On Throwback Ford Fusion– I was really hoping that Ryan would run his Motorcraft scheme, it’s the best throwback scheme currently in use, but they went with this scheme instead. The fade from black to white worked, but the fade from black to photos looks awkward, and takes an A scheme down to a B-.

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Libman Chevy SS-The Menard’s template works quite well with this setup, and I can’t give it lower than an A+.

Travis Kvapil #32 Skuttletight Ford Fusion– The color scheme works well, and the stripes on the bottom work well too. I give it an A+.

Brett Moffat #34 A&W National Root Beer Float Day Ford Fusion-Same as A&W scheme, but with a slight change, same A+ grade.

Chris Buscher #34 Bully Hill Vineyards Ford Fusion– The scheme works well with the blue in place of the black, but this new scheme looks horrible. I’ll be kind and give it a D+.

Cole Whitt #35 MDS Ford Fusion-It’s a good, smooth design, with a great color scheme. It earns an A+.

Landon Cassill #40 Chevy SS-It’s a good, smooth design, with a great color scheme. It earns an A+.

Kyle Larson #42 Suave Chevy SS– The design works very well here, and the color scheme is a bold choice that works well. It earns an A+.

David Ragan #55 Aaron’s.com Toyota Camry-Same scheme as Aaron’s, same A+ grade.

Reed Sorenson #62 Chevy SS– It’s a good, smooth design, with a great color scheme. It earns an A+.

Timmy Hill #62 Ford Fusion– The team changed to a ford, and the scheme is a good, smooth design, with a great color scheme. It earns an A+.

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Voodoo Grills Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Timmy Hill #98 Curb Record/Tim Duggar White Ford Fusion-This was the first of two cars Timmy Hill took to Indianapolis. He would wreck in practice and switch to the backup car before the race. The Curb design works well, and the color scheme earns an A+.

Timmy Hill #98 Curb Record/Tim Duggar Black Ford Fusion-This is the backup car that Timmy Hill raced at Indianapolis after the wreck. It earns an A+.

Reed Sorenson #98 Chevy SS-The team switched to Chevy, and this is the same scheme as the Timmy Hill #62 scheme, and it is a good, smooth design, with a great color scheme. It earns an A+.

Paint Scheme Grades-July 25, 2015

Austin Dillon #3 NRA Museum Chevy SS-Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Austin Dillon #3 Dow/Utility Chevy SS-Same as Dow scheme, B+.

Auston Dillon #3 Dow Agro Sciences Chevy SS– Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Alex Bowman #7 Advance Auto Parts Chevy SS– Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Alex Bowman #7 Marsh Supermarkets Chevy SS-The red/green color scheme that Marsh uses doesn’t translate well to flames. It’s still a good design though, so I’ll give it a B+.

Sam Hornish Jr. #9 Advance Auto Parts Ford Fusion– B+.

Danica Patrick #10 GoDaddy Black Chevy SS-The scheme works much better than the current GoDaddy scheme, but that yellow roof just takes away from the overall motif, and earns a C+.

Tony Stewart #14 Bass Pro Shops/Ducks Unlimited Chevy SS-Overall color scheme is great, the design is horrible, and it averages out to a C+.

Clint Bowyer #15 Casey’s General Store Toyota Camry-The Bowyer template actually works here, with the color scheme.  I give it an A-.

Clint Bowyer #15 5 Hour Energy Toyota Camry-The half template scheme works quite well with this scheme, and it has a much smoother look, so I’ll give it an A+.

Greg Biffle #16 Lilly Diabetes Ford Fusion-Another instance of a great color scheme ruined by horrible design.  The white/black/red/green color scheme works well…just not with this design.  I’ll give it a C-.

Kyle Busch #18 Interstate Batteries Center Toyota Camry-Same as Interstate Batteries scheme, same F grade.

Carl Edwards #19 Minions Toyota Camry-Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Matt Kenseth #20 DeWalt Made In America Toyota Camry-Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Ryan Blaney #21 Snap On Ford Fusion-Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Ryan Blaney #21 SKF Ford Fusion-Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Joey Logano #22 Auto Trader/Pennzoil Ford Fusion-Two sponsors with ugly schemes amalgamated into one scheme is just moronic, and I’ll be kind and give it a D.

JJ Yeley #23 TraqGear/CoolShirt Toyota Camry–Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Jeff Gordon #24 Axalta Throwback Chevy SS–In a year of great throwback schemes, this is one of the best, A+.

Jeff Gordon #24 AARP Member Advantages/Chase Credit Cards Chevy SS–Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Jeff Gordon #24 Axalta “It’s Been a Great Ride” Chevy SS–Would love to see the throwback scheme at Homestead, but this is a great scheme. A+.

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Nebco Chevy SS–Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Boris Said #32 SPG Ford Fusion–Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Boris Said #32 Genesee Beer Ford Fusion–A great AMC throwback design. A+.

Michael McDonald #32 Draft Demons Ford Fusion-Whoof.  F

Josh Wise #32 Brandeis Machinery Ford Fusion-Take an awful paint scheme, and give it an even worse color scheme, and you will earn an F every single time.

Brian Scott #33 Shore Lodge Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same B+ grade.

Cole Whitt #35 KFC Ford Fusion–Good color scheme, good design, A+.

David Gilliland #38 Florida Lottery Ford Fusion-The color scheme would work without the design, the design would work without the color scheme.  They just don’t work well together. C+

David Gilliland #38 FFA/CSX Ford Fusion-I think the FFA motif is a bit overdone, but the color scheme is good, and the overall design works well too. B+

Landon Cassill #40 Interstate Moving/Precon Chevy SS–Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Kyle Larson #42 Coca Cola/Target Chevy SS-Coca Cola doens’t often sponsor a car, but when they do it always looks good, and this is no exception.  A+

Michael Annett #46 Pilot Camo Throwback Chevy SS-This is a bit of a throwback scheme to the design Alan Kulwiki raced in the 1991 Daytona 500.  I like the BDU style too.  I’m gonna ignore the camo -1 letter grade rule and give this car an A+.

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger/Better than Bullion Chevy SS–Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Justin Allgaier #51 Trademark Chevy SS–Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Michael Annett #46 Switch Hitch Chevy SS-Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Anest Iwata Toyota Camry-Good color scheme, good design, A+.

Josh Wise #98 Big Red/Xyience Ford Fusion-Whoof again! F.

Paint Scheme Grades-June 27, 2015

By David G. Firestone

Jamie McMurray #1 Cessna/Beechcraft Chevy SS-Same scheme as Cushman, same A+ grade.

Austin Dillon #3 Weather Tech Chevy SS– Great color scheme, the stripes on the sides are a tad over designed, but they do look good, so I’ll give it an A-.

Kasey Kahne #5 Great Clips/Shark Week Chevy SS-Not a fan of the color scheme, but the shark tooth motif on the front and rear makes up for it. B+

Sam Hornish Jr. #9 Jacob Companies Ford Fusion-Good color scheme, but it’s too over designed, and at best can earn a B-.

Jeff Gordon #24 AARP Member Services/United Health Care Chevy SS-A good color scheme and a great design scheme will always earn an A+.

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Richmond Water Heaters Chevy SS-The Menard’s template works well with black, and works very well with red and black. A+

Cole Whitt #35 Uponor Plumbing Products Chevy SS-Great design with a great color scheme earns an A+ every time.

Landon Cassill #40 Interstate Moving Services Chevy SS-Patriotic schemes are getting better every year, and this is an example. It looks good and I’ll give it an A+.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Windows 10 Chevy SS-I expected something much worse than this scheme. The blue works well, as does the stripes. The logos look good on the car, and it earns an A+.

Josh Wise #98 Dogecoin Ford Fusion-Such colors! Very design! Much good! OK, all joking aside, this is a really good looking car. The Doge on the rear works well, especially on in-car cameras, and the smooth design gives it an A+.

Paint Scheme Grades-June 20, 2015

Alex Bowman #7 Racing Rewards Chevy SS-Decent color scheme, but the stripe design is over done. If the rough edges were smooth, I’d be able to give it a higher grade than a C+.

Ryan Blaney #21 Maryn Winters Motorcraft JDRF Ford Fusion-Designed by 8 year old Maryn Winters, who suffers from Type 1 Diabetes in a contest by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Maryn designed a really good looking car. A+

JJ Yeley #23 Heinz Toyota Camry-Good smooth design with a great color scheme will always earn an A+.

JJ Yeley #23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry– Good smooth design with a great color scheme will always earn an A+.

Chase Elliott #25 NAPA Fauxback Chevy SS-Taking a classic scheme and redesigning it for a different sponsor and a different car can work, it just doesn’t here. The color scheme is good, so I’ll give it a C-.

Jeb Burton #26 Maxim Fantasy Sports/Estes Toyota Camry– Good smooth design with a great color scheme will always earn an A+.

Paul Menard #27 Moen/Menard’s Chevy SS– Black, blue, and yellow work quite well with the Menard’s template. A+

Mike Bliss #32 Rimrock Devlin/Corvette Parts Ford Fusion-Same as Corvette Parts, Same F grade.

Travis Kvapil #32 Victorypress.biz Ford Fusion-Good smooth design with a great color scheme will always earn an A+.

Brett Moffit #34 CSX Veterans Ford Fusion-Same as CSX, same A+ grade.

Justin Allgaier #51 Switch Hitch Chevy SS-Good smooth design with a great color scheme will always earn an A+.

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Dan Bilzerian Toyota Camry-Good smooth design with a great color scheme will always earn an A+.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Nationwide Patriotic Chevy SS-A good looking patriotic scheme. Smooth simple look with a great color scheme will earn an A+.

Josh Wise #98 Ford Fusion-Good smooth design with a great color scheme will always earn an A+.

Paint Scheme Grades May 6, 2015

Jamie McMurray #1 Cushman Chevy SS-Good color and design will always earn an A+

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Patriotic Chevy SS-The silver instead of white is an odd touch, and it just looks awkward. It takes an A+ down to a B+.

Kevin Harvick #4 Folds of Honor/Budweiser/Folds of Honor Chevy SS-A really good patriotic scheme. Can’t say anything bad. A+

Denny Hamlin Autism Speaks Toyota Camry-Denny’s new template works really well, and this is another A+ scheme.

Tony Stewart #14 Bass Pro Shop Throwback/Mobil 1 Chevy SS-The scheme is decent, but it’s not great. MY big issue is with the throwback logo on the hood, and the current logo on the side. All in all, I’ll give it a C+.

Clint Bowyer #15 Jack Links/Big Machine Records Toyota Camry-Clint’s template works here, but the smaller logos take an A+ down to a B+.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Ford EcoBoost Ford Fusion-Calling this scheme over designed is an understatement. F

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Juicy Juice Ford Fusion-Green doesn’t always work for paint schemes, but the design works well with the green here. A

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Schrock Chevy SS-Purple isn’t a great color, but this works, but the yellow is too bright here. B+

Brian Scott #33 Kraft Singles Chevy SS-Whoof. F

Landon Cassill #40 CRC Brakleen Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Aric Almirola #43 Nathan’s Hot Dogs Ford Fusion-The only change here is the roof is blue instead of green, but I’ll give it the same B+ it got last year.

Michael Annett #46 Pilot/Flying J/Sherwin Williams Chevy SS-It’s a very solid scheme, with a simple smooth look, and a good color scheme. A+

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowes/Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevy SS-Great color scheme, great design scheme, A+.

Justin Allgaier #51 AccuDoc Solutions/FOE Chevy SS-Same as FOE scheme, same D+ grade.

Justin Allagaier #51 SEM Chevy SS– Great color scheme, great design scheme, A+.

Brendan Gaughn #62 Chevy SS-Great color scheme, great design scheme, A+.

Tanner Berryhill #66 Chevy SS– Great color scheme, great design scheme, A+.

Martin Truex Jr. #78 Furniture Row Racing/Colorado Freedom Memorial Chevy SS-Great color scheme, great design scheme, A+.

BK Racing #83 Cosmo Motors Toyota Camry-Good color scheme, horrid design averages out to a C+.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Amp Energy Passionfruit Chevy SS-Mediocre color scheme, and awful design earns a D+.

Paint Scheme Grades-May 23-2015

Trevor Bayne #6 Advocare Camo Ford Fusion-The new redesign doesn’t look good, and would normally earn a D but because camo is used, the letter grade deduction is in play and this scheme earns an F.

Alex Bowman #7 Chevy SS-A smooth design with a great color scheme earns an A+ every time.

Alex Bowman #7 Culer Chevy SS-Decent color scheme and the design could use work. The wireframe design could work better without the green stripe, and vise versa. Still it is good enough to earn a C+.

Casey Mears #13 Geico Millitary Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Kyle Busch #18 Skittles Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fastenal Patriotic Ford Fusion-Unlike last year, this patriotic scheme works quite well. It is a tad overdone though, but it still is worn a B+.

Joey Logano #22 Shell/Pennzoil Indy 500 Ford Fusion-When it comes to the Penske template, red and white is the best color scheme for it, and this scheme looks great, and earns an A+.

Mike Bliss #32 Alpha Floors/JoeUSA.com Ford Fusion– A smooth design with a great color scheme earns an A+ every time.

David Gilliland #38 Love’s Support the Troops Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Landon Cassill #40 Snap Fitness Patriotic Chevy SS-The battered American flag motif is beautifl, and this scheme earns an A+.

Kyle Larson #42 Target Camo Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Kyle Larson #42 Target Bullseye Chevy SS-The target scheme works, and the bull terrier on the hood works well. A+

Aric Almirola #43 United States Air Force Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Josh Wise #98 Royal Teak Ford Fusion– A smooth design with a great color scheme earns an A+ every time.

Paint Scheme Grades-5-16-2015

Jamie McMurray #1 Bass Pro Shops/Big Ceder Lodge Chevy SS– The horrible design with a bad color combination would normally earn a D, but with the letter grade deduction for camouflage, it earns an F

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Styrofoam Insulation Chevy SS-Good color scheme, and I like the fade at the back of the car, but the insulation motif looks horrid, and the best I can give it is a C+

Kevin Harvick #4 Budweiser Throwback Chevy SS-Based on an old Budweiser can, it has a great look to it, and has a great color scheme which will always earn an A

Alex Bowman #7 Golden Corral Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Sam Hornish Jr. #9 Victory Junction/Shop.com Ford Fusion-Good color scheme, decent design but the sublimated design on the roof and doors makes it overdone, and takes a solid B down to a C+

Danica Patrick #10 Mobil 1/Aspen Dental Chevy SS-Two mediocre designs come together to form a mediocre design which earns a C+

Danica Patrick #10 GoDaddy Small Biz Force Chevy SS-Same basic scheme as GoDaddy, same F grade

Casey Mears #13 Geico Military Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Tony Stewart #14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops American Salute Chevy SS-The more subdued patriotic scheme works well, and the color scheme is good. The doors are a little over-designed so I’ll give it an A-

Tony Stewart #14 Bass Pro Shops/Arctic Cat Chevy SS-Same as Bass Pro Shop, same F grade.

Clint Bowyer #15 Cherry 5-hour ENERGY benefiting Special Operations Warrior Foundation Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same B+ grade.

Clint Bowyer #15 AAA Insurance Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same B+ grade.

Erik Jones #18 M&M’s Red Nose Day Toyota Camry-Good color scheme, good design will always earn an A+

JJ Yeley #23 We Salute You Toyota Camry-The more subdued patriotic scheme works well, and the color scheme is good. A+

Jeff Gordon #24 Red Cross Chevy SS-Good color and design, can’t say anything bad about this. A

Ryan Newman #31 Cat/Quicken Loans Chevy SS-White does not always work well as the primary color of a race car, and the design just makes it worse. It’s not horrible, but it’s not great. C-

Joey Gase #32 Donate For Life/Corvette Parts Ford Fusion-Same basic scheme as Corvette Parts, same F grade.

Ty Dillon #33 Plankton Chevy SS-Even for a Spongebob scheme this is overdone. F

Kyle Larson #42 Viva Vantage Chevy SS-Good color scheme and great design will always earn an A+.

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger/Scotts Chevy SS-A good patriotic scheme that isn’t over done and doesn’t have camo will always earn an A+

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s Patriotic Chevy SS-Too overdone, much too complex, could be a lot better. F

Michael Annett #46 Allstate Peterbuilt Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Michael McDowell #95 Thrivent Financial Ford Fusion-The patrotic motif works well here, and the grades stays at an A.

Paint Scheme Grades-May 2, 2015

Jamie McMurray #1 Cessna/Dixie Chopper Chevy SS-Same scheme as Cessna/Beechcraft scheme, same A grade.

Jamie McMurray #1 Energizer Eco Advanced Chevy SS-Same as #42 Energizer scheme, same D+ grade.

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite 1998 Throwback Ford Fusion-An amazing throwback scheme will always earn an A+.

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite 2007 Gold Throwback Ford Fusion-I’m a big fan of metallic gold, but the white hood and blue border on the numbers takes an A grade down to a B-.

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite 2010 Throwback Ford Fusion-A decent scheme, but the white wheels and the white beer can on the side take an A grade down to a B-.

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite/Careers for Veterans Ford Fusion-Same scheme as Miller Lite, but with Careers for Veterans on the quarter panel, same A+ grade.

Brad Keselowski #2 Avaya Ford Fusion-The Penske template doesn’t always work, but with the right color combination it works very well. A+

Kevin Harvick #4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevy SS-Green is not always a good color, and with an awful design it gives this scheme an F.

Alex Bowman #7 DOC 360 Chevy SS-Good smooth design with a good color scheme earns an A+.

Alex Bowman #7 Chevy SS-Good smooth design with a good color scheme earns an A+.

Casey Mears #13 Geico/Squidward Chevy SS-Horrible color scheme, and an extremely over designed scheme will always earn an F.

Greg Biffle #16 Cheez It/Patrick Starr Ford Fusion– Horrible color scheme, and an extremely over designed scheme will always earn an F.

David Ragan #18 Pedigree Toyota Camry-Good smooth design with a good color scheme earns an A+.

Joey Logano #22 Snap On Ford Fusion-A great fade gives the car a good look, and the great color scheme earns an A+.

Jeb Burton #26 Estes Toyota Camry-It’s an overdone scheme with too many different shades of yellow, and the whole thing looks overdone. D+.

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Sylvania Chevy SS-The orange and yellow scheme is horrid, the design doesn’t work with this color scheme, and the whole thing earns a D-.

Alex Kennedy #33 Honor and Remember Chevy SS-The color scheme is good, the overall design is good, but I think the door numbers are the the wrong colors, and the hood is a bit overdone. B-

Ty Dillon #33 Nexium Chevy SS-My only complaint is that the yellow doesn’t extend all the way to the back, but it’s a minor complaint, it’s still a good scheme. A-

Brett Moffitt #34 Dockside Logistics Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

David Gilliland #38 The Pete Store Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

David Gilliland #38 Farm Rich Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Landon Cassill #40 Link-Belt Chevy SS-Good smooth design with a good color scheme earns an A+.

Aric Almirola #43 Smithfield/Cheney Brothers Ford Fusion-The scheme would be better without the bright yellow rear. It takes an A+ grade down to a B+

Michael Annett #46 Bene-Fit Chevy SS-Same scheme as Cypress HQ, same F grade.

David Ragan #55 Aaron’s/Spongebob Toyota Camry-I hate cars that look like two different people designed parts of the car, and this is one of them. The quarter panel and sides look like two different people designed them, and it just looks awful. It does have a good color scheme, so I will give it a D-.

Brett Moffitt #55 Aaron’s/Steve Byrnes Tribute Toyota Camry-Same as Aaron’s but with A fitting tribute to a tragic death. A+

Brendan Gaughn #62 Vydox Plus Chevy SS-I like fades, and the color scheme works well, it’s a bit overdone, but it still earns an A.

Brendan Gaughn #62 Low T Central Chevy SS-Good smooth design with a good color scheme earns an A+.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Mountain Dew Baja Blast Chevy SS-The color scheme is decent, but the design is overdone, and awful. I’ll give it a D-.

Michael McDowell #95 WRL Contractors/Thrivent Financial/Larry the Lobster Ford Fusion-I hate cars that look like two different people designed parts of the car, and this is one of them. The quarter panel and sides look like two different people designed them, and it just looks awful. It does have a good color scheme, so I will give it a D-.

Josh Wise #98 Steve Byrnes Tribute Ford Fusion-A fitting tribute to a tragic death. A+

Paint Scheme Grades-4-18-2015

Sam Hornish Jr. #9 Nature Blast/Medallion Bank Ford Fusion-Horrible color scheme, and terrible design will always earn an F.

Joey Logano #22 Auto Trader.com Ford Fusion-The Penske Template does not work with orange and blue, and the car looks awful. But since it is an upgrade from last year, I will give it a D-

Alex Bowman #23 Dr. Pepper Throwback Toyota Camry-A fauxback design that has a vintage look, and a vintage feel that has a modern look that just looks awesome! I can’t say anything bad about it. A+

Jeff Gordon #24 Axalta/Penn State Chevy SS-The color scheme is good, but the side design is a bit too overdesigned. It earns a B+.

Ryan Newman #31 Caterpillar Throwback Chevy SS-An amazing look, a great throwback logo, a good color scheme, and the best damn shade of yellow I’ve seen all year earns an A+.

Ryan Newman #31 Wix Filters Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Cole Whitt #35 Tweaker Energy Shot Ford Fusion-A good smooth design with a great color scheme will always earn an A+.

Michael Annett #33 Pilot/Flying J Chevy SS-Same scheme as #46, Same A grade-A+

Michael Annett #46 Philmor Chevy SS-decent color scheme, horrible design scheme, and it earns an F.

Justin Allgaier #51 Auto-Owners Insurance Chevy SS-This is a redesign of the 2014 scheme, and the needless redesign with the extra stripes and the extra shade of blue takes it from an A+ to a B+.

Paint Scheme Grades-April 10, 2015

Alex Bowman #7 Accell Construction Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same C- grade.

Sam Hornish Jr. #9 Lyons Financial Ford Fusion-Same scheme as Medallion Financial, same F grade.

Clint Bowyer #15 Maxwell House Toyota Camry-When I heard that Maxwell House was sponsoring a car this season, I hoped it would look like this, but it doesn’t.  It’s still a good design with a good color scheme and a great design scheme so it earns an A.

Greg Biffle #16 Safety Kleen Ford Fusion– Yellow, green, black, and white is awful, and the design is just horrid. It looks awful, so it gets an F.

Carl Edwards #19 Stanley/Cook’s Children’s Hospital Toyota Camry-Same scheme as Stanley same B+ Grade.

Jeb Burton #26 Maxim Red Toyota Camry-Good design and a great color scheme, but the Dr. Pepper number border takes it from an A+ to an A-

Mike Bliss #32 Texas Tech Ford Fusion-I love a good fade, and the red to black fade here is very good. The only complaint that I have is that the Texas Tech logo is a bit too big, but it’s a minor complaint. It earns an A.

Cole Whitt #35 Standard Plumbing Toyota Camry-Good simple design and a good color scheme always earns an A+

Landon Cassill #40 CRC Knock’er Loose Chevy SS– Terrible color scheme and a horrible, and over designed scheme will always earn an F.

Kyle Larson #42 Axe White Chevy SS– I’m not always a fan of white race cars, but this design works very well, and has a great color scheme. A

Michael Annett #46 Northland Oil Chevy SS-A decent color scheme keeps this horrific design from and F, but just barely. It earns a D-

Justin Allgaier #51 Flipping Ships Chevy SS-The blue fade from top to bottom works well, and the general color scheme works well, but I don’t like those waves under the B+

Michael McDowell #95 Thrivent Financial Silver Ford Fusion– The removal of the logo behind the door number, and the addition of silver looks really good, and earns an A.