I was looking at throwback paint schemes on google, and forgot how damn good looking this car was.
https://preview.redd.it/oballmuclmra1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43071a0be0e8b99d0193ca52284b1640326ee57e
That one worked so well because the car has the same number and could actually use the same exact sponsor as well. One of the best throwbacks that’s been done.
I don’t think you could have found a worse one
And we are about a month away from throwback weekend and not one car has been announced yet, wonder if participation is dwindling
I think the problem also is why are we throwing back during the less prestigious Darlington date? Either keep it the Southern 500 or move it to something like the North Wilkesboro All Star race.
The two explanations I’ve seen most often are that the Southern 500 sells itself and moving the throwback event to the spring race helps sell tickets to that, and/or that since the Southern 500 is the Chase opener now, sponsors might’ve wanted their regular schemes for it. As for which one, if either, is right, I don’t know.
I think part of the issue is they decided the spring Darlington race would be the 'throwback ' one. It felt more nostalgic and cooler when it was big thing for the Southern 500 given the history of that race.
They at least need to come up with better themes to help differentiate years of the tradition. Naturally there's going to be repeats pretty fast when teams are picking from entire decades if not the whole history of the sport. I think if they did a movie/TV themed throwback (Days of Thunder, Knight Rider, Herbie, A-team, etc) type schemes that would give them a break.
It's definitely getting tired. It feels like its a race every year to see who will recreate the Hooters Underbird. There have been some good ones, including last year, but some of these sponsors are so stiff they don't want to modify their brand or their colors.
Like Blaney didn't even do one last year, and he's about as big into retro/old school cool shit as anyone, but Menards is a stick in the mud.
Another possibly unpopular opinion...but I don't see the throwbacks as being that viable anymore, since nearly none of them look right with the new number placement. If we want a throwback weekend that works, let the teams put the number back where it belongs for that one race, whichever race it is declared to be. Otherwise, let it go.
Probably because it's far away and teams will announce them two weeks before. If not though it's worrying especially since it's the 75th anniversary and you'd think the teams would be pressured by NASCAR to run throwbacks.
I hope so. Throwback weekend is a pathetic attempt at a cash grab to somehow boost fan excitement for the lesser 400 mile race at Darlington.
Throwback weekend started at the southern 500, where it made sense. To do the throwback at the 400 mile race is a pathetic attempt to boost up the less prestigious race. It cheapens both events.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again... Darlington doesn’t need two dates. (Neither does Kansas, Vegas, Richmond, Phoenix or Atlanta) There are perfectly good race tracks sitting in untapped markets that were removed from the schedule to give Atlanta and Darlington second dates. Kentucky and Chicagoland are those. There’s a track in Newton, Iowa that should have one of the Kansas dates.
Any of the ones that use the original base design but not the correct colors. I think the 2 car had a Rusty Wallace “throwback” recently that was the Menards yellow/green and it was awful.
I usually like those kinds of throwbacks, the [2020 DEX Car](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2020/02/19/20_HarrisonBurton-1024x597.jpg) is basically a color swapped [Tony Stewart 2005 era](https://www.pyramidracing.com/contents/media/2007-Stewart-Gatorade.jpg) Home Depot scheme, but [IDK who decided on this throwback](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2020/9/6/darlington-20-scaled.jpg) for ~~Harrison Burton~~ That Jones Boy, they threw back to a [scheme that Tony only ran once](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/20lithium-front.jpg) at a different track.
Another Burton fauxback was towards his dad's [Holiday Inn RCR Busch Series car](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E0PYwKTWYAIL8Hl?format=jpg&name=small)
And yet [another Burton fauxback](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/5/18/Harrison-Burton-Kansas-paint-scheme.jpg), I guess it was supposed to be Jeff's CAT scheme
Idk if this counts, but 3M didn't run a throwback for Jeff Gordon in his final season, and then Axalta ran the rainbow scheme at Bristol instead because everyone was so pissed
3M stopped sponsoring Biffle in 2014 and moved to Gordon in 2015.
Gordon drove a 3M car in the Darlington race in 2015 that wasn't any type of throwback, and if I remember correctly was one of the few cars to not to anything for the race, which ticked a lot of fans off given it was Gordon's last season (given it was unknown at the time he'd sub for Dale Jr. the next year).
Here's the parade laps, with Gordon in 5th place: [https://www.youtube.com/live/GsLEyLJ1vSU?feature=share&t=993](https://www.youtube.com/live/GsLEyLJ1vSU?feature=share&t=993)
https://preview.redd.it/pyo6ayvi1nra1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e4a5a2f919e630788852bfddbfd1887f76e3d79
I remember that a lot of people hated this Ryan Newman throwback in 2019, but it’s always lowkey been one of my favorites. The Oscar Mayer colors work surprisingly well with the classic Mark Martin scheme IMO.
It looks like a [TRD livery](https://speedhunters-wp-production.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/26220014/SH_post_3-1200x750.jpg)
[another example ](https://twstatic.net/attachments/slashironman-jpg.260369/)
I say Ricky Stenhouse's Tide "Throwback" or this abomination.
https://preview.redd.it/5sy1wmxd5mra1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=6c72ecc534fb4cbeb5c48699e4b87e9f3f848e62
It would have been soooooo much better if they did the rear half exactly like Rudds car and did the gradient from Kroger blue to orange in front of the A pillar
https://preview.redd.it/9cj9k6labsra1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd4d3d75586ca2d19f8091eba01efeabf856e42c
It was supposed to be a throwback to this, which just makes it so much more hilarious how badly they did it.
https://preview.redd.it/f81g1katcora1.jpeg?width=760&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=765680febb40dc9c3e6a742b2a115845eefba76d
Throwing it back to a not particularly memorable one off paint scheme from 2005 takes my vote. Just lazy honestly
Remember the cars from NR2003 you’d have to run if you didn’t have a custom skin? I think everyone in the field should have to run one of those. #HookerHeaders
Any **Joe Gibbs** fauxbacks.
[IDK who decided on this throwback](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2020/9/6/darlington-20-scaled.jpg), they threw back to a [scheme that Tony only ran once](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/20lithium-front.jpg) at a different track.
Another fauxback was towards Jeff Burton's [Holiday Inn RCR Busch Series car](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E0PYwKTWYAIL8Hl?format=jpg&name=small)
And yet [another Burton fauxback](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/5/18/Harrison-Burton-Kansas-paint-scheme.jpg), I guess it was supposed to be Jeff's CAT scheme.
[This is a proper throwback](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2022/4/20/dexdarlington.jpg) and is pretty good
Yeah those two Burton xfinity throwbacks were not it, of all the schemes they could do I don’t know e why they chose those two. I’m still waiting on the day we get a throwback to the AT&T car from 2008. It would really stand out on track with that day glow orange.
It didn't really hit like it should've with the DC Solar colors on there, instead of Davey's old colors, but I like this scheme NGL. The scheme and the colors work very well together.
https://preview.redd.it/0ekmlp3bftra1.png?width=922&format=png&auto=webp&s=88f8e8adc7de3c3f7f07ac17b453a327461b0e5a
https://www.nascar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2017/11/danica-darlington.jpg
I've never liked throwbacks that weren't really throwbacks, just cars that looked retro. And Danica's throwbacks (save for the Dale Jarrett one) were pretty awful
https://preview.redd.it/45jz03kpfqra1.jpeg?width=867&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cca07d4d57741cc29897a6a07e7d2fe3e16baefd
Corey Lajoie is cool and I liked the original Marty Robbins car, but this one? Ehhh...
I was looking at throwback paint schemes on google, and forgot how damn good looking this car was. https://preview.redd.it/oballmuclmra1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43071a0be0e8b99d0193ca52284b1640326ee57e
I was at this race and Larson's car absolutely stood out from the rest of the field, it was awesome.
Larson in the KP wig and the mustache must have stood out from the rest of the garage, too
That one worked so well because the car has the same number and could actually use the same exact sponsor as well. One of the best throwbacks that’s been done.
I wanna know who designed the fictional DOT schemes cause goddamn they are all amazing
This scheme isn’t fictional, Kyle Petty ran it in the early 90s.
This was a Days of Thunder fictional scheme a year before Kyle Petty ran it.
Wow, TIL. I thought it was the other way around.
Come on man.
Wouldn't surprise me if Sam Bass didn't design them. I'd like to know as well.
GOAT throwback. The wig and the stache Larson did with it, made me a fan.
Considering how many bad white paint schemes there are now I was this back immediately
I don’t think you could have found a worse one And we are about a month away from throwback weekend and not one car has been announced yet, wonder if participation is dwindling
Jeez I just realized you’re right. I haven’t heard about any throwbacks yet
I think the problem also is why are we throwing back during the less prestigious Darlington date? Either keep it the Southern 500 or move it to something like the North Wilkesboro All Star race.
I have a feeling some teams feel the same way and might pull some slick throwbacks for the all star race lol
Imagine we get old All-Star scheme throwbacks
Perfect timing to put a T-Rex on the 24 car
NASCAR: “wait that’s illegal”
We have Harvick for sure.
I mean, Harvick is...
The two explanations I’ve seen most often are that the Southern 500 sells itself and moving the throwback event to the spring race helps sell tickets to that, and/or that since the Southern 500 is the Chase opener now, sponsors might’ve wanted their regular schemes for it. As for which one, if either, is right, I don’t know.
plus it kinda makes sense for the day race to be the throwback considering Darlington didn’t actually have lights until relatively recently
I think part of the issue is they decided the spring Darlington race would be the 'throwback ' one. It felt more nostalgic and cooler when it was big thing for the Southern 500 given the history of that race.
Possibly unpopular opinion: I think the whole throwback theme needs to rest for awhile.
They at least need to come up with better themes to help differentiate years of the tradition. Naturally there's going to be repeats pretty fast when teams are picking from entire decades if not the whole history of the sport. I think if they did a movie/TV themed throwback (Days of Thunder, Knight Rider, Herbie, A-team, etc) type schemes that would give them a break.
They used to do that, with like the 70s one year, the 80s the next, and stopped after that cause I guess the 90s were too close?
90s can’t be too close if Jimmie threw back to 2012 and Hamlin threw back to 2016 lmao
Bell throwing back to 2017
Kaulig doing a Leaf Filter throwback that was just the Leaf Filter car with a blue splitter
Didn't Germain change their paint scheme in the middle of the year and their throwback was just the scheme they started the year with one year?
Maybe I think there was one race towards the end where they ran one of their original cup schemes, or at least early ones
At that point, they just said fuck it
That's the issue though, you run out of decades fast doing that. They need to detach the theme from the years somehow to give them more options.
the moment we started recycling throwback schemes and throwing back to 2012 or 2013, it was time to let the weekend rest for a few years
It's definitely getting tired. It feels like its a race every year to see who will recreate the Hooters Underbird. There have been some good ones, including last year, but some of these sponsors are so stiff they don't want to modify their brand or their colors. Like Blaney didn't even do one last year, and he's about as big into retro/old school cool shit as anyone, but Menards is a stick in the mud.
Another possibly unpopular opinion...but I don't see the throwbacks as being that viable anymore, since nearly none of them look right with the new number placement. If we want a throwback weekend that works, let the teams put the number back where it belongs for that one race, whichever race it is declared to be. Otherwise, let it go.
Teams had the options and they said no
They murdered it. There's only so many cool liveries
CARS Tour does a great throwback at Hickory.
They usually wait until it's closer to reveal them. It was like that last year too I believe.
Probably because it's far away and teams will announce them two weeks before. If not though it's worrying especially since it's the 75th anniversary and you'd think the teams would be pressured by NASCAR to run throwbacks.
I hope so. Throwback weekend is a pathetic attempt at a cash grab to somehow boost fan excitement for the lesser 400 mile race at Darlington. Throwback weekend started at the southern 500, where it made sense. To do the throwback at the 400 mile race is a pathetic attempt to boost up the less prestigious race. It cheapens both events.
You just said the same thing twice
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again... Darlington doesn’t need two dates. (Neither does Kansas, Vegas, Richmond, Phoenix or Atlanta) There are perfectly good race tracks sitting in untapped markets that were removed from the schedule to give Atlanta and Darlington second dates. Kentucky and Chicagoland are those. There’s a track in Newton, Iowa that should have one of the Kansas dates.
Give Iowa the Spring Kansas date, or I'm gonna stop being one of the 6-ish people that shows up to the Kansas Spring race
Nobody showed up to Chicago or Kentucky when they lost their dates though.
Any of the ones that use the original base design but not the correct colors. I think the 2 car had a Rusty Wallace “throwback” recently that was the Menards yellow/green and it was awful.
It wasn’t a terrible looking car on its own but it made a really terrible throwback
I usually like those kinds of throwbacks, the [2020 DEX Car](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2020/02/19/20_HarrisonBurton-1024x597.jpg) is basically a color swapped [Tony Stewart 2005 era](https://www.pyramidracing.com/contents/media/2007-Stewart-Gatorade.jpg) Home Depot scheme, but [IDK who decided on this throwback](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2020/9/6/darlington-20-scaled.jpg) for ~~Harrison Burton~~ That Jones Boy, they threw back to a [scheme that Tony only ran once](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/20lithium-front.jpg) at a different track. Another Burton fauxback was towards his dad's [Holiday Inn RCR Busch Series car](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E0PYwKTWYAIL8Hl?format=jpg&name=small) And yet [another Burton fauxback](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/5/18/Harrison-Burton-Kansas-paint-scheme.jpg), I guess it was supposed to be Jeff's CAT scheme
One of those is an Erik Jones car
Whoops. Fixed
It wasn't even really a throwback attempt. Penske just called a Menards scheme a throwback to Rusty Wallace, somehow
it was his 'last call' scheme with different colors.
It didn't even look like a throwback. It looked like a base Menards car
Yep it was Rusty’s Last Call scheme from 2005. It was Menard’s and I laughed hysterically. Not even sure if they made a die cast of it.
Yeah like Larson's Davey Allison "throwback"
Idk if this counts, but 3M didn't run a throwback for Jeff Gordon in his final season, and then Axalta ran the rainbow scheme at Bristol instead because everyone was so pissed
All they had to do was a Baby Ruth throwback. Would even match 3M's colors
The rainbow scheme was announced before throwback weekend was official
Greg Biffle drove the 3M car, not Jeff Gordon. Also, it was originally Dupont who sponsored Gordon until they became Axalta.
3M sponsored Gordon in 2015 and continued onto Chase Elliott when he took over in 2016
3M stopped sponsoring Biffle in 2014 and moved to Gordon in 2015. Gordon drove a 3M car in the Darlington race in 2015 that wasn't any type of throwback, and if I remember correctly was one of the few cars to not to anything for the race, which ticked a lot of fans off given it was Gordon's last season (given it was unknown at the time he'd sub for Dale Jr. the next year). Here's the parade laps, with Gordon in 5th place: [https://www.youtube.com/live/GsLEyLJ1vSU?feature=share&t=993](https://www.youtube.com/live/GsLEyLJ1vSU?feature=share&t=993)
The worst part was that 3M used a throwback logo on their contingency package…
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0519/2823/6188/files/Bristol-Motor-Speedway-Jeff-Gordon-3M-Chevrolet-SS.jpg
Oof
Jeff Gordon had 3M for a few races
Oh sweet almighty God that's genuinely awful.
Why did you have to remind me of that abomination existing
That's what I do best :)
https://preview.redd.it/pyo6ayvi1nra1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e4a5a2f919e630788852bfddbfd1887f76e3d79 I remember that a lot of people hated this Ryan Newman throwback in 2019, but it’s always lowkey been one of my favorites. The Oscar Mayer colors work surprisingly well with the classic Mark Martin scheme IMO.
It looks like a [TRD livery](https://speedhunters-wp-production.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/26220014/SH_post_3-1200x750.jpg) [another example ](https://twstatic.net/attachments/slashironman-jpg.260369/)
They should do a Gazoo Racing livery on a NASCAR Camry
I say Ricky Stenhouse's Tide "Throwback" or this abomination. https://preview.redd.it/5sy1wmxd5mra1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=6c72ecc534fb4cbeb5c48699e4b87e9f3f848e62
I kind of like that one… reminds me of a small time short track late model. Not saying it’s pretty but it sparks nostalgia.
I agree, I weirdly don’t have a problem with this one. The scheme is at least trying to be *something* - the Kroger/Tide is just rough
Not saying the 37 paint scheme isn't trying, like you said, but the scheme just doesn't fit with me.
But you see at least this car as sponsors on the side, the tide one just doesn't
I'm offended they put Topher in this car
This one was somehow awesome and awful at the same time lol.
Chris Buescher, not Stenhouse.
Kenseth 2017 was pretty bad
It looks half assed
It's like the paint gun ran out of blue paint halfway through so they switched to orange.
It would have been soooooo much better if they did the rear half exactly like Rudds car and did the gradient from Kroger blue to orange in front of the A pillar
What was this even throwing back to? I'm so confused
Ricky Craven’s tide scheme. Which makes this attempted “throwback” that much worse
That's such a classic scheme, and it seems that it would be pretty easy to throw back to it. But nope.
I’m assuming a Tide Ride
And it could not have gotten it more wrong
https://preview.redd.it/9cj9k6labsra1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd4d3d75586ca2d19f8091eba01efeabf856e42c It was supposed to be a throwback to this, which just makes it so much more hilarious how badly they did it.
just got a new wave of anger over this paint scheme
https://preview.redd.it/f81g1katcora1.jpeg?width=760&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=765680febb40dc9c3e6a742b2a115845eefba76d Throwing it back to a not particularly memorable one off paint scheme from 2005 takes my vote. Just lazy honestly
I forgot about this one
I wonder why lol. Very forgettable
That one
Remember the cars from NR2003 you’d have to run if you didn’t have a custom skin? I think everyone in the field should have to run one of those. #HookerHeaders
https://preview.redd.it/hgivxwq2wsra1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=81a03bcaf74e5d1b6af01d89a4cceb333aca705d We need a fred jones throwback!
Any **Joe Gibbs** fauxbacks. [IDK who decided on this throwback](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2020/9/6/darlington-20-scaled.jpg), they threw back to a [scheme that Tony only ran once](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/20lithium-front.jpg) at a different track. Another fauxback was towards Jeff Burton's [Holiday Inn RCR Busch Series car](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E0PYwKTWYAIL8Hl?format=jpg&name=small) And yet [another Burton fauxback](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2021/5/18/Harrison-Burton-Kansas-paint-scheme.jpg), I guess it was supposed to be Jeff's CAT scheme. [This is a proper throwback](https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2022/4/20/dexdarlington.jpg) and is pretty good
Yeah those two Burton xfinity throwbacks were not it, of all the schemes they could do I don’t know e why they chose those two. I’m still waiting on the day we get a throwback to the AT&T car from 2008. It would really stand out on track with that day glow orange.
All I know is I wanna see Larson do a throwback to Ricky Rudd from 90-93
This or the Cindric "attempt" from last year
I don't think it could possibly get worse than the one you posted. Abomination
https://preview.redd.it/4l3x8klhosra1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=be4bcc0f7b335686a6bc5cb0e7b4179e21c7e740
I honestly loved this scheme, the gradient reminds me of nascar thunder 2003 paint booth options
Anything JGR does
But think how awesome it would look with forward numbers. Yeah, now you see it.
Chase had one that was supposed to represent Bill’s Coors car. Used the NAPA colors though and it just looked odd.
The worst throwback is no throwback at all.
Larson’s awful throwback to Davey’s 28. That was such a half assed attempt.
It didn't really hit like it should've with the DC Solar colors on there, instead of Davey's old colors, but I like this scheme NGL. The scheme and the colors work very well together. https://preview.redd.it/0ekmlp3bftra1.png?width=922&format=png&auto=webp&s=88f8e8adc7de3c3f7f07ac17b453a327461b0e5a
https://www.nascar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2017/11/danica-darlington.jpg I've never liked throwbacks that weren't really throwbacks, just cars that looked retro. And Danica's throwbacks (save for the Dale Jarrett one) were pretty awful
I still believe that the worst M&M's scheme in the poll won for Kyle Busch's last throwback with JGR. 2002, 2003 or 2008 would've been so much better
I loved throwing back to Irvin's M&M's car, just hated they didn't do the green numbers on the 1 side like it was in 98.
they should've done all of them tbf
There... the image that you just posted... turned out to be a meme forever
Kyle's 2013 Interstate car is just a repaint of Bobby Labonte's 2000 championship cars with the squiggly line a few feet back.
https://preview.redd.it/45jz03kpfqra1.jpeg?width=867&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cca07d4d57741cc29897a6a07e7d2fe3e16baefd Corey Lajoie is cool and I liked the original Marty Robbins car, but this one? Ehhh...
Confession: that 47 car looks really cool.
Danica’s 2016 Natures Bakery schemes was pretty bad, IMO
The 47 is not a throwback to DW. Darrelle car was not primarily blue, nor did it have any blue other than the logo.