The Driver Suit Blog-Midseason Paint Scheme Grades

By David G. Firestone

I figured that after the Coca Cola 600 I should do an article on how the teams stack up paint scheme wise. Here is how I figured the grades out. Using a grade average, I took each grade a car number gets and averaged out the grades. I will add comments on the scheme sets as I go. Car #41’s driver has been blacklisted for his indiscretion at Dover, and as a direct result, his schemes will be omitted. So without further ado, the grades thus far in the season.

CHIP GANASSI RACING TEAM #1-A lot of very solid schemes, but the Energizer takes a solid ad down to a B.

TEAM PENSKE #2-A lot of good schemes, but the needless redesigns of some of the throwback schemes is irritating. They were good the way they are. The Penske Template works for some color schemes, but not for Detroit Genuine Parts. All in all it adds up to an A-.

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #3-Another solid B grade ruined by one scheme, in this case, Bass Pro Shops. Still there is a lot of good here, so I’ll give it a C+.

STEWART-HAAS RACING #4-See above, but Hunt Brothers Pizza in place of Bass Pro Shops. B+

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #5-Oddly, Kasey Kahne’s schemes aren’t great, but they aren’t horrible either. Pepsi works well, Great Clips is horrible. C+

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #6-The regular scheme is great, the camo scheme is horrible, they average out to a C.

TOMMY BALDWIN RACING #7-When the car isn’t sponsored, it gets high grades, when it is sponsored, it gets low grades, which average out to a B.

RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS #9-Twisted Tea is the only good scheme in this group. One A scheme with a bunch of F schemes lead to a solid F.

STEWART-HAAS RACING #10-Horrible color schemes and design schemes seem to be Danica’s strong suit this year. Averaged out, it earns an F.

JOE GIBBS RACING #11-If not for Sport Clips, Denny would have a solid A scheme, but not to worry, the average ends up giving him an A-.

GERMAIN RACING #13-Nothing good can be said about Casey’s schemes this year. F

STEWART-HAAS RACING #14-Early in the season, Tony was running a C+ across the board, but two new recent A+ have pushed his average up to a B.

MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING #15-Clint hasn’t had a grade below a B this year, and his schemes look really good, and average out to a B+.

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #16-If not for Patrick Starr and Safety-Kleen, Greg would have a solid A+, but those two F’s hurt his average, taking it down to a B.

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #17-Yet again we have a case where a solid A average is taken down because of one scheme, in this case, the Zest scheme is the guilty party. B-

JOE GIBBS RACING #18-Interstate Batteries is horrible, and Snickers Extreme is almost as bad. It’s too bad, because M&M’s Crispy, Red Nose Day, Skittles, and Pedigree were all A+ schemes, it all averages out to a B-.

JOE GIBBS RACING #19-I hate the idea of two different cars having the same paint scheme. Sport Clips is doing this with Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards. If the Comcast Business scheme wasn’t too over designed, it would get a higher grade. It averages out to a B-

JOE GIBBS RACING #20-Two very solid schemes with great color schemes. Can’t say anything about these schemes! A

WOOD BROTHERS RACING #21-One of the only paint schemes in racing that doesn’t evolve because it doesn’t have to. It is simply perfect. A+

TEAM PENSKE #22-A set of awful schemes that has a higher average because of two schemes. The only good schemes were redesigns of Cruz Pedregon’s funny car, and Helio Castroneves’ Indy 500 car. It averages out to a C-.

BK RACING #23-I am not a fan of sublimated designs on cars, but sometimes a blind spider catches a few flies. The I’m A Pepper scheme works very well, and the sublimated designs work well. The rest of the schemes are decent, and average out to a solid B.

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #24-In his final full-time season, Jeff Gordon has raced a series of great schemes, not having less than a B+ grade. The average is an A.

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #25-NAPA has a great color scheme, but the designers felt the need to compensate with a mediocre design that averages out to a B.

BK RACING #26-It was all going so well for Jeb Burton until Estes, which derailed an otherwise solid average down to a B-.

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #27-Paul Menard’s schemes can best be described as all over the place. He goes from great to awful to average from race to race. His grades average out to a C+.

RAB RACING #29-The wood motif works very well, and a great color scheme adds to an A+.

TMG RACING #30-Another example of an unsponsored car looking better than a sponsored car. The average ends up being a C+.

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #31-His All-Star scheme and Wix Filers scheme take a solid A scheme down to a C+.

GO FAS RACING #32-Feast or famine, that’s the way to describe Go FAS Racing’s schemes in 2015. They are either high grades, or F’s. It averages out to a C+.

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING/CIRCLE SPORT RACING #33-Two teams, same car number, all over the place in terms of grades. Averaging them out, it leads to a B-.

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #34-Front Row Motorsports has hit it out of the park this year. The only bad scheme across 3 cars is the #38 camo scheme. A+

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #35-See above. A+

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #38-See above. B+

HILLMAN-SMITH MOTORSPORTS #40-CRC Knock’er Loose and Cars For Sale derail a series of A schemes, and take the average down to a B.

CHIP GANASSI RACING TEAM #42-Camo doesn’t work on race cars, and red camo REALLY doesn’t work. The Energizer scheme is horrid, but the rest of the schemes are good. The average is a B-

RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS #43-The only awful scheme here is Fresh From Florida, otherwise a series of really solid schemes. B

TEAM XTREME RACING #44-An A scheme, Golden Corral, an F scheme, Phoenix Warehouse, average out to a C.

HSCOTT MOTORSPORTS #46-A series of terrible schemes here, but All-State Peterbuilt, and Pilot/Flying J are great. Those two schemes kick the average up to a D+.

JTG DAUGHTERY RACING #47-Nothing wrong with any of these schemes. A+

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #48-Three C- schemes. This was an A level team last year, but they’ve fallen to a C-.

HSCOTT MOTORSPORTS #51-The Fraternal Order of Eagles scheme is horrid, but otherwise, a lot of great schemes, which average out to a C+.

MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING #55-Get rid of that damn Spongebob scheme, and the 55 would have a solid A+ grade. Spongebob takes the average down to an A-.

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #62-No really bad schemes here, a solid B+ effort.

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #66-Green has been considered unlucky in racing for many years. Examples like this prove why. The worst shades of green, and an awful design lead to an F.

FURNITURE ROW RACING #78-Perfection is the only word that can sum up this set of schemes. A+

BK RACING #83-3 B- schemes will always average out to a B-.

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #88-Diet Mountain Dew and Baja Blast take a solid effort down to a C+. I do like the door number design.

LEVINE FAMILY RACING #95-Once again, a Spongebob character, this time Larry the Lobster takes an A average down to a B

PHIL PARSONS RACING #98-Nothing bad can be said about this set! A+

May 29, 2015
Categories: auto racing, friday feature, paint scheme grades . . Author: dgf2099 . Comments: Leave a comment

DGF2099 Productions-Introduction to Tobacco Card Albums-National Flags and Arms-John Player and Sons-1936

Issued in 1936 and considered one of the first national uses of flags in marketing, National Flags and Arms represents flags and coats of arms in 1936. This partial album set is in great condition

May 28, 2015
Categories: auto racing, Other, Videos . . Author: dgf2099 . Comments: Leave a comment

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Tracker-May 27, 2015

By David G. Firestone

CHIP GANASSI RACING TEAM #1

Jamie McMurray #1 Cessna/Beechcraft Chevy SS–No Change A

Jamie McMurray #1 McDonald’s Chevy SS–Same basic scheme, but with a new door design. B+

Jamie McMurray #1 Cessna/McDonald’s Chevy SS-Special dual scheme for the Daytona 500, black Cessna on the front, fade to red McDonald’s on the back. A+

Jamie McMurray #1 Sherwin Williams Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, Red, white and blue with a red line down the center, with the top fades blue to white on top, and white to blue on the bottom. B+

Jamie McMurray #1 Cessna/Dixie Chopper Chevy SS–New sponsor for 2015, same as Cessna/Beechcraft scheme A

Jamie McMurray #1 Energizer Eco Advanced Chevy SS–New sponsor for 2015, same as #42 scheme. D+

TEAM PENSKE #2

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion–Same basic design as 2014, but with no gold stripe, vintage Miller Crest, or hop designs on the side. A+

Brad Keselowski #2 Alliance Truck Parts Ford Fusion–New redesign, similar in design to Joey Logano’s Shell/Pennzoil Ford, black replaces yellow as the primary color. A+

Brad Keselowski #2 Wurth Ford Fusion–Redesign from last season, follows the Shell/Pennzoil template. A+

Brad Keselowski #2 Detroit Genuine Parts Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2015, blue Penske template on a black background C-

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Genuine Draft Ford Fusion–Throwback scheme that ran from 1990-1996 A+

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller High Life Ford Fusion–Based on the design that Bobby Allison won the 1983 Sprint Cup Championship. A+

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite/Penske 25th Anniversary Ford Fusion-Same as Miller Lite scheme but with a special design on the hood. A+

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite 1998 Throwback Ford Fusion–Based on the 1998 Rusty Wallace scheme, but with some subtle differences. Different logo on hood and sides, and a layers stripe on the stripes. A+

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite 2007 Gold Throwback Ford Fusion–Based loosely on the 2007 gold scheme raced at the Sprint Unlimited and All-Star Race, new hood logo and designs, door and hood numbers covered by blue. B-

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite 2010 Throwback Ford Fusion–Based on the Miller Lite scheme from 2010, with some changes to accommodate the Gen 6 car. B-

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

Brad Keselowski #2 Avaya Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, red, white and black Penske template. A+

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #3

Austin Dillon #3 Cheerios Chevy SS–No change A+

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Chevy SS–No change B+

Austin Dillon #3 Bass Pro Shops Chevy SS–No Change F

Austin Dillon #3 American Ethanol Chevy SS–No Change A-

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Energy and Water Chevy SS–No change B-

Austin Dillon #3 Dow/WeatherTech Chevy SS-Same scheme as Dow B+

STEWART-HAAS RACING #4

Kevin Harvick #4 Budweiser Chevy SS–No change A

Kevin Harvick #4 Jimmie Johns Chevy SS–No change A

Kevin Harvick #4 Outback Steakhouse–No Change A

Kevin Harvick #4 Ditech Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, blue, and white is the primary color scheme A+

Kevin Harvick #4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevy SS–New scheme for 2015, green, red, and white color scheme with a series of geometrical shapes across the side. F

Kevin Harvick #4 Budweiser Throwback Chevy SS-New scheme for 2015, yellow with red and black stripes on bottom, sublimated yellow stripes on side. A

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #5

Kasey Kahne #5 Great Clips Chevy SS–No Change D+

Kasey Kahne #5 Time Warner Cable Chevy SS–No Change C

Kasey Kahne #5 Farmers Insurance Chevy SS–Complete redesign from last year, black, and dark blue replaces light blue and silver, and the design has been completely revamped. C+

Kasey Kahne #5 Liftmaster Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, red and white redesign of the Time Warner scheme. C+

Kasey Kahne #5 Pepsi Chevy SS–No change B+

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #6

Trevor Bayne #6 Advocare Ford Fusion-New team, new sponsor, red, white and blue is the color scheme. A+

Trevor Bayne #6 Advocare Camo Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2015, blue with a white front, and a camo motif across. F

TOMMY BALDWIN RACING #7

Alex Bowman #7 Nikko/Toy State Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, Red borders a blue design on the sides and hood. D-

Alex Bowman #7 Accell Construction Chevy SS–No change. C-

Alex Bowman #7 DOC 360 Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, all black with DOC 360 logos on front and sides. A+

Alex Bowman #7 Chevy SS-All black with white numbers. A+

Alex Bowman #7 Chevy SS-All black with gold and white numbers. A+

Alex Bowman #7 Culer Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, dark blue, white, and green, with a wire-frame motif up the side. C+

RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS #9

Sam Hornish Jr. #9 Twisted Tea Ford Fusion–No Change A

Sam Hornish Jr. #9 Camping World/Medallion Bank Ford Fusion-New sponsor set for 2015, a redesign of the Fresh From Florida #43 scheme. F

Sam Hornish Jr. #9 Medallion Bank Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, same as Camping World Scheme, but with a darker green. F

Sam Hornish Jr. #9 Medallion Bank/Mercury Marine Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, same as Camping World Scheme, but with a red, white and blue as a color scheme. B+

Sam Hornish Jr. #9 Lyons Financial Ford Fusion–Redesign of the Medallion Bank scheme, with a Lyons Financial logo on the hood. F

Sam Hornish Jr. #9 Nature Blast/Medallion Bank Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, light green and dark green diagonal stripes up the side. F

STEWART-HAAS RACING #10

Danica Patrick #10 Aspen Dental Chevy SS–Same basic design as last year, but the blue ovals on the white are more pronounced. C

Danica Patrick #10 GoDaddy Chevy SS–New redesign with more black and less orange. F

Danica Patrick #10 GoDaddy/TaxAct Chevy SS-New sponsor combo for the Sprint Unlimited, front of the car retains traditional GoDaddy design, whereas back quarter panel is TaxAct. C-

Danica Patrick #10 TaxAct Chevy SS-One race sponsor, will run at Martinsville in March, red, white and black scheme, with diagonal design up the doors. C-

Danica Patrick #10 Mobil 1/Aspen Dental Chevy SS–New sponsor/scheme for 2015, a rehash of Tony Stewart’s #14 Mobil 1/ Bass Pro Shops scheme. C+

Danica Patrick #10 GoDaddy Small Biz Force Chevy SS-Same as GoDaddy but with #smallbizforce on the hood. F

JOE GIBBS RACING #11

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry–New redesign with a much simpler front and more design on the sides. A+

Denny Hamln #11 FedEx Office Toyota Camry–Same redesign as FedEx Express A+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry–Same redesign as FedEx Express A+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry–Same redesign as FedEx Express A+

Denny Hamlin #11 SportClips Toyota Camry–New redesign with a new door design C-

GERMAIN RACING #13

Casey Mears #13 Geico Chevy SS–No Change. D-

Casey Mears #13 Geico/Squidward Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, blue and aqua with a Squidward tentacles motif. F

Casey Mears #13 Geico Millitary Chevy SS–No Change. F

STEWART-HAAS RACING #14

Tony Stewart #14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevy SS–Same color scheme as last year, but with a new design on the side. C+

Tony Stewart #14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevy SS–Same color scheme as last year, but with a new design on the side. C+

Tony Stewart #14 Code 3 Associates/Mobil1 Chevy SS–No Change C+

Tony Stewart #14 Mobil 1/Rush Truck Centers Chevy SS–No Change A+

Tony Stewart #14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops American Salute Chevy SS–New scheme for 2015, white takes over for blue as the primary color, scheme is much simpler. A-

MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING #15

Clint Bowyer #15 5 Hour Energy Toyota Camry–No Change B+

Clint Bowyer #15 Peak Toyota Camry–No Change B

Clint Bowyer #15 Maxwell House Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2015, blue with orange and white wave designs on bottom. A

Clint Bowyer #15 Cherry 5-hour ENERGY benefiting Special Operations Warrior Foundation Toyota Camry–Same scheme as last year, with a few minor associate changes. B+

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #16

Greg Biffle #16 Cheez Its Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, red with a cheese colored stripe and crackers on the side. A+

Greg Biffle #16 Clean Harbors Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, red white and black design A-

Greg Biffle #16 Ortho Fire Ant Killer Ford Fusion–No change A-

Greg Biffle #16 Ortho Home Defense Ford Fusion-New sponsor, white design with a red and yellow stripe on the bottom, with a net design on the side. A

Greg Biffle #16 Ortho Bug-B-Gon Ford Fusion-New sponsor, new design, red, black, and white is the primary color scheme. A+

Greg Biffle #16 Cheez It/Patrick Starr Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, red with an underwater motif and Patrick Starr on the hood. F

Greg Biffle #16 Safety Kleen Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, green, yellow, white, and black with an overly complex design on the sides. F

ROUSH-FENWAY RACING #17

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fastenal Ford Fusion-New primary sponsor, blue, and white is the color scheme. A

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fifth-Third Bank Ford Fusion–Same color scheme as 2014, but with a new, simpler side design. A+

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 NOS Ford Fusion–Same color scheme as 2014, but with an updated design. B-

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Zest Ford Fusion–No Change. F

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fastenal Patriotic Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2015, much more subtle patriotic design, with a star and stripe motif, which replaces the American motif. B+

JOE GIBBS RACING #18

Kyle Busch #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry–No Change F-

Kyle Busch #18 M&M’s Crispy Toyota Camry-New design for 2015, with a green background and more emphasis on M&M’s Crispy, as well as a new hood logo. B-

David Ragan #18 Snickers Xtreme Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2015, brown with a series of fades around the Xtreme logo. D+

Kyle Busch #18 Pedigree Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2015, orange with white and blue on the bottom. A+

Erik Jones #18 M&M’s Red Nose Day Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2015, yellow with red noses replacing most of the M&M designs. Red Nose Day is an event to raise money for kids in poverty by having fun via a telethon staring a lot of comedians and stars. A+

Kyle Busch #18 Skittles Toyota Camry–No Change. A+

JOE GIBBS RACING #19

Carl Edwards #19 Stanley Toyota Camry-New team and new sponsor, yellow, black, and white is the color scheme. B+

Carl Edwards #19 Aaris Toyota Camry-New team and new sponsor, reddish orange with the Aaris logo used as part of the side stripe. A

Carl Edwards #19 Comcast Business Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2015, blue, silver and white, with a stripe that starts on the bottom, covers the car number, and takes over the top at the back. D-

Carl Edwards #19 SportClips Toyota Camry-New sponsor, same design as Denny Hamlin. C-

Carl Edwards #19 Subway Toyota Camry–New sponsor for Joe Gibbs, much simpler design. A+

Carl Edwards #19 Stanley/Cook’s Children’s Hospital Toyota Camry–Slight redesign of the Stanley scheme, with one paitent name from each state on the car. B+

JOE GIBBS RACING #20

Matt Kenseth #20 DeWalt Toyota Camry-New sponsor, black, green, yellow, and white is the color scheme.-A+

Matt Kenseth #20 Dollar General Toyota Camry–Much simpler than the 2014 scheme, with fewer side designs. A

WOOD BROTHERS RACING #21

Ryan Blaney #21 Motorcraft/Quicklane Ford Fusion–No Change A+

TEAM PENSKE #22

Joey Logano #22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion–No change D

Joey Logano #22 AAA Ford Fusion–The AAA logo has been straightened up in 2015. D

Joey Logano #22 Southern California AAA Ford Fusion–Redesign of the AAA scheme, with Southern California AAA logo in place of the standard AAA logo. D

Joey Logano #22 Pennzoil Platnum Ford Fusion–No Change F

Joey Logano #22 Auto Trader.com Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2015 Ford Fusion-Redesign using the Penske Template. D-

Joey Logano #22 Snap On Ford Fusion–New sponsor for 2015, scheme mirrors that of Cruz Pedregon’s funny car. A+

Joey Logano #22 Shell/Pennzoil Indy 500 Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2015, designed to match Helio Castroneves’ Indy 500 car. A+

BK RACING #23

J.J. Yeley #23 Dr. Pepper/Maxim Fantasy Sports Toyota Camry-New sponsor for the Daytona 500. Black on top, white on the bottom, red stripe in between, Dr Pepper style logo on the door number.-B-

JJ Yeley #23 Dr Pepper Toyota Camry–Slight redesign for 2015, car keeps the red on top, new number design, and white on bottom. B-

J.J. Yeley #23 American Cancer Society Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2015, white, red and blue with a supplanted design on the blue, and a thunderbolt motif. C-

Alex Bowman #23 Dr. Pepper Throwback Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2015, all red with some sublimated I’m a Pepper logos and vintage Dr. Pepper and I’m a Pepper logos on the quarter panel. A+

JJ Yeley #23 We Salute You Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2015, white, with a patriotic motif on the sides and back. Donation of $10 will get a fallen soldier’s name on the hood and quarter panel. A+

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #24

Jeff Gordon #24 3M Chevy SS-New design for 2015, silver, with red accents and numbers, with a white hood design that extends over the roof and deck-lid. A+

Jeff Gordon #24 Axalta Chevy SS–No Change A+

Jeff Gordon #24 Pepsi Chevy SS-No Change A+

Jeff Gordon #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy SS–Much simpler redesign, with new hood logo and same color scheme A+

Jeff Gordon #24 Panasonic Toughbook Chevy SS–No Change A+

Jeff Gordon #24 Axalta/Fix Auto Chevy SS–Same basic Axalta scheme, but with Fix Auto on the side. A+

Jeff Gordon #24 Axalta/Penn State Chevy SS-New scheme for 2015, all blue with a slight blue twist design on the sides. B+

Jeff Gordon #24 Red Cross Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, all black with red accents. A

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #25

Chase Elliott #25 NAPA Chevy SS-New sponsor and car number for 2015, blue is the primary sponsor, with a yellow design on the side. B

BK RACING #26

Jeb Burton #26 Live Deals Ford Fusion-New sponsor for the Daytona 500, will have similar design as JJ Yeley, but with orange, black, and white. B-

Jeb Burton #26 Maxim Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2015, white with black lettering. A+

Jeb Burton #26 Maxim Red Toyota Camry–Red redesign of the white Maxim scheme, with BK Racing letter circle. A-

Jeb Burton #26 Estes Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2015, black on top, red stripe down the middle, yellow stripes on bottom. D+

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #27

Paul Menard #27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menard’s Chevy SS–No change A

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Serta Chevy SS–Same basic scheme as 2014, but with more blue on the sides than last year. C+

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Peak Chevy SS–Some slight changes to the stripes, and roof F

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Duracel Chevy SS–New scheme for 2015, using a black, yellow, and gold version of the Menard’s template. A+

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Quaker State Chevy SS–No change C

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/FVP Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, standard Paul Menard Template with silver designs for FVP. A

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Sylvania Chevy SS-Red and yellow version of the Menard’s template. D-

RAB RACING #29

Justin Marks #29 American Born Moonshine Toyota Camry-New sponsor for the Daytona 500, has a wood finished look, with white lettering. A+

TMG RACING #30

Ron Horniday #30 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevy SS-New team and sponsor for 2015. Two-tone green design with white lettering and yellow accents. C-

Ron Horniday #30 Toyota Camry-Matte black with blue and white lettering. A+

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #31

Ryan Newman #31 Cat Chevy SS–Same color scheme, but the car as a whole has been redesigned A+

Ryan Newman #31 Quicken Loans Chevy SS–No change A

Ryan Newman #31 Granger Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, green, red and white, with some designs on the side. B +

Ryan Newman #31 Caterpillar Throwback Chevy SS-Yellow with black stripes up the center and vintage logos. A+

Ryan Newman #31 Wix Filters Chevy SS–No Change. F

GO FAS RACING #32

Go FAS Racing #32 Keen Parts Ford Fusion–Simpler redesign and a much simpler color scheme. B+

Go FAS Racing #32 C&J Energy Services Ford Fusion–Same color scheme, but with a different and much more complex side design F

Mike Bliss #32 Draft Demons Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, red and black diagonal stripes with a fire motif at the bottom. A

Mike Bliss #32 King Taco Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, red, gold and white, with a circular design on the sides, and vintage lettering on the quarter panels and hood. B+

Mike Bliss #32 Keen Parts/Corvetteparts.net Ford Fusion–New design for 2015, light blue has been eliminated entierly, replaced with black and grey. Cutting edge design replaced 1960’s design. F

Mike Bliss #32 Rimrock Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, black with red and green designs on the side. F

Mike Bliss #32 Texas Tech Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, red fade to black with a large Texas Tech logo on the back. A

Mike Bliss #32 Alpha Floors/JoeUSA.com Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2015, all white with logos on the hood. A+

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING/CIRCLE SPORT RACING #33

Ty Dillon #33 Yuengling Brewery Chevy SS-New sponsor, red, white, and blue is the primary color scheme. A+

Ty Dillon #33 Cheerios Chevy SS-New sponsor for the Daytona 500, based on Austin Dillon’s Cheerios scheme, but with a Kroger’s logo on the hood. A

Brian Scott #33 White Tail Lodge Chevy SS–No change. D-

Alex Kennedy #33 Dream Factory Chevy SS–No Change. B

Michael Annett #33 Pilot/Flying J Chevy SS-This one requires an explanation. At Atlanta, Michael Annett didn’t get his car through inspection in time, and didn’t get to qualify. Brian Scott offered his ride to Annett that weekend, and so the car was repainted. A+

Alex Kennedy #33 Honor and Remember Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, red, yellow, and white, diagonal stripes up the sides, and a flag motif on the hood. B-

Ty Dillon #33 Nexium Chevy SS-Blue and yellow color scheme, yellow on hood, with a right angle design that extends to the door. A-

Ty Dillon #33 Plankton Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, pink with the character’s face on the hood, which fades to blue towards the back. Krabby Patties are located behind the door number, and the character is depicted behind the rear wheel. F

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #34

David Ragan #34 KFC Ford Fusion–Redesign for 2015, all white front, KFC style stripes on the back. A+

David Ragan #34 CSX Ford Fusion–Same basic scheme, though the word bubble on the hood has been replaced with a CSX logo. A+

David Ragan #34 Southern Belle Seafood Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, blue, white, and red, follows the “Front Row Motorsports Template” with a stripe that curves above and around the door number, that separates the colors of the car. A+

Chris Buescher #34 A&W Ford Fusion–No Change. A+

Brett Moffitt #34 Dockside Logistics Ford Fusion–No change. A+

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #35

Cole Whitt #35 Speed Stick Gear Ford Fusion–No Change A

Cole Whitt #35 Rinnai Filters Ford Fusion–Same scheme as 2014, different team. A+

Cole Whit #35 Sprouts Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, red and blue, with a fruit design on the side. A+

Cole Whitt #35 Ford Fusion-All white with orange and black letters. A+

Cole Whitt #35 Standard Plumbing Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2015, all white with red oval Standard Plumbing logos. A+

Cole Whitt #35 Tweaker Energy Shot Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015. All black with Tweaker Energy Shot logos on sides and hood. A+

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #38

David Gilliland #38 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Fusion–No change A

David Gilliland #38 MDS Ford Fusion–Same scheme as 2014, but different team. A-

David Gilliland #38 The Pete Store Ford Fusion–Almost the same as last year, with a slight change in the curve behind the driver letters. A+

David Gilliland #38 Farm Rich Ford Fusion–New team for Farm Rich, same scheme as last year. A+

David Gilliland #38 Love’s Support the Troops Ford Fusion–No change. F

HILLMAN-SMITH MOTORSPORTS #40

Landon Cassill #40 Snap 24-7 Fitness Chevy SS–Slight redesign from last year, with the black quarter panel replaced with red. A+

Landon Cassill #40 Cars For Sale Chevy SS–No Change C-

Landon Cassill #40 CRC 1-Tank Renew Chevy SS–No Change. B-

Landon Cassill #40 Percon Chevy SS-All red with Percon logos on the hood and sides. A+

Landon Cassill #40 Newton Business Supplies Chevy SS–New team, same scheme. B-

Landon Cassill #40 CRC Knock’er Loose Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, green with red lettering and a black design on the hood and designs. F

Landon Cassill #40 Link-Belt Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, all black with Link-Belt logos on the sides and hood. A+

Landon Cassill #40 Snap Fitness Patriotic Chevy SS-New scheme for 2015, battered American Flag motif. A+

CHIP GANASSI RACING TEAM #42

Kyle Larson #42 Target Chevy SS– Same basic design as 2014, but with some sponsor changes on the quarter panel. B-

Kyle Larson #42 White Target Chevy SS–Same basic design as 2014, but with some sponsor changes on the quarter panel. B-

Kyle Larson #42 Energizer Eco Advanced Chevy SS–New scheme for 2015, different stripe color, fewer logos on the side. D

Kyle Larson #42 Axe White Chevy SS-All white with silver Target logos, and silver Axe logos. A

Kyle Larson #42 Viva Vantage Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, dark blue with white lettering, and a wave pattern across the sides. A+

Kyle Larson #42 Target Camo Chevy SS–No Change. F.

Kyle Larson #42 Target Bullseye Chevy SS-New scheme for 2015, same basic scheme, but with Bullseye the dog on the sides and hood. A+

RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS #43

Aric Almoriola #43 Eckrich Ford Fusion–Same basic design, but with a Nathans logo on the rear. C+

Aric Almirola #43 Smithfield Ford Fusion–No change B+

Aric Almirola #43 Fresh From Florida Ford Fusion–No Change. F

Aric Almirola #43 STP Ford Fusion–No Change. A+

Aric Almirola #43 Smithfield/Cheney Brothers Ford Fusion–Slight redesign of the Smithfield scheme, with a Cheney Brothers logo B+

Aric Almirola #43 United States Air Force Ford Fusion–No Change. A+

TEAM XTREME RACING #44

Reed Sorenson #44 Golden Corral Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, same design as 2015 #36. A

Travis Kvapil #44 Phoenix Warehouse Chevy SS–No Change F

HSCOTT MOTORSPORTS #46

Michael Annett #46 Pilot/Flying J Chevy SS-New car number and design. White is the primary color, with red and yellow accents on the sides and front. A+

Michael Annett #46 Cypress HQ Chevy SS–New team for Cypress in 2015, some slight stripe changes on the quarter panel, and a darker blue. F

Michael Annett #46 Northland Oil Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, red with black design and white lettering. D-

Michael Annett #46 Philmor Chevy SS-New Sponsor for 2015, yellow, orange and red, with a series of differing designs on the front, sides and back. F

Michael Annett #46 Allstate Peterbuilt Chevy SS-Same basic scheme as last year, with some slight associate sponsor changes, and a new rear quarter panel. A

Michael Annett #46 Bene-Fit Chevy SS–New sponsor for 2015, same as Cypress HQ scheme. F

JTG DAUGHTERY RACING #47

AJ Allmendinger #47 Better Than Bullion Chevy SS-New Sponsor for 2015, all black with a gold stripe running down the side. A+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Bush’s Best Chevy SS–Same basic scheme, some logos have changed on the side. B+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Clorox Chevy SS–Same basic scheme, some logos have changed on the side. A

AJ Allmendinger #47 House Autry Chevy SS-New primary sponsor for 2015, Red sides, with blue roof and posts. A+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Bush’s Chilli Beans Chevy SS-New sponsor, yellow to orange to yellow fade across whole car. A

AJ Allmendinger #47 Hungry Jack Chevy SS–Same basic scheme, some logos have changed on the side. A

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kingsford Chevy SS–Same basic scheme, some logos have changed on the side. A

AJ Allmendinger #47 Scott Chevy SS–Same basic scheme, some logos have changed on the side. A

AJ Allmendinger #47 Bush’s Grilling Beans Chevy SS–Same basic scheme, some logos have changed on the side. A

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger Chevy SS–No change A

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #48

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s Chevy SS–New design, bears a resemblance to the old Kobalt tools scheme from 2009. C-

Jimmie Johnson #48 Kobalt Chevy SS–New design, redesigned version of the current Lowe’s scheme. C-

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowes Pro Services Chevy SS-New design for 2015, same as current Lowe’s scheme, but with PRO SERVICES written on hood and quarter panels. C-

HSCOTT MOTORSPORTS #51

Justin Allgaier #51 Brandt Chevy SS–Same primary design, but the door number has reversed colors. A+

Justin Allgaier #51 Switch Hitch/Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevy SS-New sponsor set for 2015, all black with yellow and orange stripes that go around the side of the car. D-

Justin Allgaier #51 Flipping Ships Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, dark blue, with a fade from top to bottom, and a sublimated wave design. B+

Justin Allgaier #51 Auto-Owners Insurance Chevy SS–New scheme for 2015, redesign of the old scheme. White has been mostly replaced with dark blue and black. B+

MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING #55

Brian Vickers #55 Aaron’s Toyota Camry–Same basic design as last year, the nose has been changed, the main blue is slightly darker, and the gold has been replaced with light blue A+

Brett Moffitt #55 Aaron’s 60th Anniversary Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2015, colors are reversed, new logo on the hood. A+

Brian Vickers #55 Janssen Toyota Camry-Blue, yellow, and orange with a wave pattern across the side. A+

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

David Ragan #55 Aaron’s/Spongebob Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2015, blue to purple fade, yellow on the quarter panel, with Spongebob on the hood. D-

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #62

Brian Scott #62 Shore Lodge Chevy SS-New sponsor for the Daytona 500, Black with white lettering and silver designs. B-

Brendan Gaughn #62 Diathrive Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, black, with a blue and white arch up the side. C+

Brendan Gaughn #62 Chevy SS-Black with red and yellow numbers, A+

Brendan Gaughn #62 Vydox Plus Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, white with a blue fade on the hood and roof, with a red oval on the bottom of the quarter panel. A

Brendan Gaughn #62 Low T Central Chevy SS-All black with Low T Central logos on the hood and quarter panels. A+

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #66

Mike Wallace #66 Crazy Vapors/X8 Energy Gum Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2015, Hood has Crazy Vapors green stripe design, side has X8 abstract design. F

FURNITURE ROW RACING #78

Martin Truex Jr. #78 Furniture Row Chevy SS–No Change A+

BK RACING #83

Johnny Sauter #83 Dustless Blasting Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2015, green stripes up the hood and roof, white design with Dr Pepper style door numbers. B-

Matt Dibenedetto #83 Burger King Toyota Camry–Slight redesign for 2015, black takes over as primary color, Dr. Pepper design around door numbers. B-

Matt Dibenedetto #83 Dr Pepper Toyota Camry-Same as Burger King. B-

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #88

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Nationwide Chevy SS–No Change B+

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevy SS–No major changes,except a Nationwide logo replaces the National Guard logo. D-

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Kelly Blue Book Chevy SS–Same basic design but blue has replaced white as the primary color. B

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Mountain Dew Dewshine Chevy SS-New scheme for 2015, green background with gold lettering and white front bumper. A+

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Mountain Dew Baja Blast Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, silver front, with black wave pattern on the quarter panel. D-

LEVINE FAMILY RACING #95

Michael McDowell #95 Thrivent Financial Ford Fusion–Redesign of last year’s scheme, another example of logo as a stripe pattern. A

Michael McDowell #95 K-Love Ford Fusion–Template has been redesigned, and the city outline on the rear quarterpanel has been removed. A

Michael McDowell #95 Thrivent Financial Silver Ford Fusion-Redesign of Thrivent Financial scheme, with the logo on the sides removed, and silver replaces the red on the sides. A

Michael McDowell #95 WRL Contractors/Thrivent Financial/Larry the Lobster Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, white with blue and purple stripes on the hood and sides, yellow quarter panel with Larry the Lobster. D-

PHIL PARSONS RACING #98

Josh Wise #98 Phoenix Construction Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, all white with red lettering, and red and black numbers A+

Josh Wise #98 Mike Curb 200th Start Ford Fusion-Same as Phoenix Warehouse, but with a different quarter panel and hood design. A+

Josh Wise #98 Ford Fusion-White with black and red lettering, A+

Josh Wise #98 Steve Byrnes Tribute Ford Fusion-Simple dedication to the memory of Steve Byrnes, who passed away from cancer this season. A+

Josh Wise #98 Royal Teak Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2015, all white with black and blue letters.  A+

May 27, 2015
Categories: auto racing, paint scheme tracker . . Author: dgf2099 . Comments: Leave a comment

The Driver Suit Blog-My Thoughts On Why Pizza Rules!

By David G. Firestone

I don’t know when pizza became the go to dish in the United States, and I don’t care. I do know this about pizza, it began with the ancient Greeks, followed by the Romans. In 1889, it gained a new dimension when Raffaele Esposito created the Pizza Margherita for Queen Margherita, using mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and basil to represent the colors of the Italian flag. Italain imigrants brought their recipies for pizza to the new world, and in 1905, at  53½ Spring Street, Lombardi’s Pizza, the first pizzaria in the United States opened. in 1984,it moved to the corner of Spring Street and Mott Street in New York City, where it still serves pizza to this day, 110 years later, the humble pizza is big business.

The New York Style vs. Chicago Style argument will always rage, but both sides can agree that pizza really is awesome. What makes pizza awesome is its simplicity, and the fact that you can get yours in the style that fits you perfectly. For example, I love bacon and mushrooms on a pan crust. My dad likes onions on a crispy crust. No matter how you like it, pizza is truly a food for the ages.

Versatility really is great too. Pizza can be good for a quick lunch, dinner at home, dinner out, a late night snack, served at a party, served at work as a reward, no matter how you eat it, you love to eat it. In closing, pizza rules!

May 26, 2015
Categories: auto racing, my thoughts on . . Author: dgf2099 . Comments: Leave a comment

The Driver Suit Blog-A Funny Car Design Quirk I Never Noticed Before.

capps-12By David G. Firestone
Just a quick post, I didn’t want to rewrite the My Thoughts On article for tomorrow, so I’d just cover it today. So I committed a sin on Sunday…I fell asleep during the NHRA Lucas Oil Kansas Nationals. It was at about 1:30 in the morning, and I was tired. I had it on the DVR, so no big loss. I was watching it this afternoon, and I noticed something about funny cars I had never noticed before. It is an interesting design tick that proves that people really are paying attention to all aspects of car design, especially when it comes to sponsors.
This is an older model Ron Capps NAPA Dodge from a few years ago. capps-12Pay specific attention to the rear end of the car. capps-12 - CopyWhy in the world would those decals be diagonal? What sense does that make? It makes perfect sense. Funny cars don’t have doors or hoods, the only way to access the engine on the track is to lift the body up like so: capps-13 - CopyNow let’s zoom in on those decals. capps-13Now that makes sense. Interestingly, every funny car team in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series uses this design tick. It is pretty cool.
Come back tomorrow when I discuss how awesome the institution of pizza is!

May 25, 2015
Categories: auto racing, Other . . Author: dgf2099 . Comments: Leave a comment

The Driver Suit Blog-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.

May 23, 2015
Categories: auto racing, paint scheme grades . Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Author: dgf2099 . Comments: Leave a comment

The Driver Suit Blog-Taylor Motorsports Proudcts, An Introduction Part 2

westerfieldBy David G. Firestone

Last week, I covered Shea Holbrook in her Taylor Motorsports Prodcuts driver suit, this week, I’m gonna cover Shane Westerfield in his Taylor Mototsports driver suit. Shane is a former drag boat racer, who has moved to Top Alcohol Funny Car or TAFC. He has a couple of event wins, including two in national events, one at the 2013 Texas Fall Nationals, and one at the 2014 Spring Nationals, as well as a number of regional wins. In 2012, he started wearing a Taylor Motorsports Products driver suit.westerfieldThis is a natural partnership as Westerfield and Dennis Taylor both got started in drag racing and both raced Top Alcohol Funny Car. Dennis was proud of this suit, displaying it on his Facebook page. The suit is an SFI 3-2A/20 rated. This is a very durable and heavy suit, preferred by drag racers. The suit is very heavy and it weighs about 8 pounds and feels like a 5 layer suit. Westerfield can be seen wearing this design in both his national event wins, but I can’t say for sure he wore them for those wins. It is sponsored by CP Carrillo, which is a high end racing piston manufacturer.

The suit shows light use, with some scuffing of the material.westerfieldThe collar has a Velcro closure design with CP CARILLO embroidered into it. Unlike the Shea Holbrook suit there is a warranty tag.westerfield-collar westerfield-tag

The right chest features an A1 TECHNOLOGIES PERFORMANCE RACING FASTENERS logo.westerfield-rchest

The left chest features SHANE WESTERFIELD embroidered into it, and a Taylor Motorsports logo embroidered below it.westerfield-lchest

The front torso has a CP Carillo logo. I really like this color scheme by the way.westerfield-flogo

The belt is outlined in a light blue, but has no adornment.westerfield-belt

The legs have no adornment whatsoever and they have standard cuffs.westerfield-legsThe shoulders feature unadorned blue and black epaulets, which are unadorned.westerfield-rshoulder westerfield-lshouderThe right sleeve feautres an American flag logo, a TAYLOR MOTORSPORTS PRODUCTS logo, and a CP CARRILLO logo, no television logos, and arm restraints built in, to keep his arms close inside the car. This is a popular modification among dragster drivers.westerfield-rsleeve1 westerfield-rsleeve2 westerfield-rsleeve3

The left sleeve features the same basic design as the right sleeve, but the SFI rating replaces the American flag, and the restraint has an SFI rating on it.westerfield-lsleeve1 westerfield-lsleeve2 westerfield-lsleeve3

The back of the suit is completely unadorned.westerfieldb westerfield-neck westerfield-blogo

Next week, I’m gonna keep the drag racing train rolling, with a piece on Cory McClenathan…see you then!

May 22, 2015
Categories: auto racing, friday feature . . Author: dgf2099 . Comments: Leave a comment

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