It’s Labor Day Weekend, which means one thing for NASCAR fans — Darlington.
Since the Southern 500 was moved back to its traditional date in late summer, the weekend has embraced its old-school feel and has given it a throwback theme since 2015 — and Sunday night’s race will be no different.
Many teams and drivers in the Monster Energy Cup Series and the Xfinity Series will give nods to retro paint schemes from the 1990s and earlier. Dale Earnhardt Jr., is running the Xfinity race on Saturday in his dad’s first-ever paint scheme.
There are plenty of other sick schemes taking on the track “too tough to tame,” hoping to avoid the infamous Darlington stripe.
Here are some of the best:
Ryan Newman, No. 6 Ford
The Oscar Mayer Ford pays homage to Mark Martin’s 1993 scheme that scored Jack Roush’s first Southern 500 win in 1993.
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Chevrolet
Elliott’s No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet is a throwback the car his dad, Bill, drove in 1981 while racing for his father, George Elliott.
Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford
The No. 2 team will throw things back to the Rusty Wallace days, rocking the former champ’s 1996 black scheme.
Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota
Busch will rock a look similar to one Bobby Hillin Jr. raced in 1990.
Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet
Johnson is going with a personal throwback, rocking the paint scheme from the Chevy Thunder Trophy Truck he piloted in 1995.
Daniel Suarez, No. 41 & Aric Almirola, No. 10 Fords
Both Stewart-Haas Racing teams will pay homage to Tony Stewart’s two championship winning seasons in 2002 and 2005.
Bubba Wallace, No. 43 Chevrolet
Wallace will feature a Victory Junction throwback paint scheme honoring the late Adam Petty. The scheme is a tribute to Adam’s ARCA Racing Series victory at Charlotte on Sept. 20, 1998. It was his only career win in the series.
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Ford
Blaney’s Penzoil Ford will throw it back to Michael Waltrip’s paint scheme in the early 90s.
William Byron, No. 24 Chevrolet
This one might take the cake. Byron will pay tribute to Cole Trickle, Tom Cruise’s character from “Days of Thunder.”
Epic.
