Month: March 2016

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-March 5, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Intellifresh Chevy SS-Same scheme as Dow Energy and Water, same B- grade.

Regan Smith #7 Nikko Street Bratz Chevy SS-Much too over designed, and with a mediocre paint scheme to boot. F

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Ford Eco-Boost Ford Fusion-The red on top is an amazing improvement, the car just looks better than it did in 2015. Still, the design is a little overdone, but I’ll give it a B+.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Sunny D Ford Fusion-Hmm…let’s see how many different colors and design schemes we can put into car until it will make you motion sick while you are standing still. This car is beyond over designed, and it looks AWFUL! F

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Dutch Boy Chevy SS-What better way to promote the quality of your paint than by running a scheme showing it chipping off the side of the car. I’m giving it an F just for that!

Landon Cassill #38 MDS Ford Fusion– It’s a simple, smooth and great scheme with a great color scheme. A+

Aric Almiroa #43 U.S. Air Force Ford Fusion-It’s the same basic scheme from 2015, with lightning added, which is a great look too. A+

Michael McDowell #95 Monte Carlo Casino Chevy SS-Same scheme as WRL Contractors, same A+ grade.

The Driver Suit Blog-One of the Greatest Families in Drag Racing

pedregon-1By David G. Firestone

When “Flaming” Frank Pedregon passed away in 1981, he had no idea his sons would become some of the most respected drivers in Funny Car. Fast forward to 2016, and one son Tony has 43 event wins, third on the all time win list, and two championships, and the other Cruz has 33, and two championships, including the only Funny Car championship not won by John Force. The Pedregons have gone down as one the greatest families in the history of drag racing.

The first brother to have real success in Funny Car was Cruz. He started racing in 1987 in a top alcohol dragster, moved to top alcohol funny car, then to top fuel in 1991, and in 1992 won the Funny Car championship. The biggest rivalry in drag racing in the 1990’s was John Force vs. Cruz Pedregon. Both were driving Pontiac Firebirds for a while, with Cruz driving this Interstate Batteries/Hot Rod car, represented by this 1/32 die-cast.pedregon-1 pedregon-2 pedregon-3 pedregon-4 pedregon-5 pedregon-6 pedregon-8 pedregon-9 pedregon-10 pedregon-11John Force was not going to be denied, and decided to get in Cruz’s head by hiring Tony as a driver. By 1993, both Pedregon brothers were racing in full time funny cars Tony and John did not have the best of relationships. Both John and Tony were racing the same design car, but Tony would have to, on occasion, throw a race for John. This is a 1:24 scale mock-up of his Castol funny car from his days with John Force.tpedregon-1 tpedregon-2 tpedregon-4 tpedregon-5 tpedregon-6 tpedregon-7 tpedregon-8 tpedregon-9 tpedregon-10 tpedregon-11In 1998, Tony won 2 events, one at Texas, the other at Denver. During that season, he wore these Simpson Holeshot drag boots.pedregonboots-1These boots are unlike most racing shoes because they are designed to cover both the shoe, and the end of the leg of the driver suit. Why would funny car drivers wear such boots? Well, to answer that, let’s look at the design of the inside of a funny car. This is a Ron Capps diecast, but it shows how the car is set up.capps-15The driver sits almost on top of the rear axle, with the 10,000 horsepower engine, and nitromethane fuel tank directly in front. Should there be an engine explosion, which isn’t uncommon, the fire would blow back into the driver. There are firewalls in place, but those can’t always be counted on to protect the driver from the full effects of fire in the time it takes to get a funny car stops. That’s where these boots come in. They will give that little extra bit of help to the driver in exiting the car.pedregonboots-1 pedregonboots-2 pedregonboots-3 pedregonboots-5 pedregonboots-7 pedregonboots-9They are rated 15, not bad for 1998 standards, but would have a 20 rating in 2016. Both boots have been signed by Pedregon and he added the inscription “’98.”pedregonboots-4 pedregonboots-8Both have Simpson warranty tags, and the right boot has an SFI tag 3/3 tag.pedregonboots-6 pedregonboots-10 pedregonboots-11In 2002, the Pedregon brothers formed Cruz Pedregon Racing, Inc., and both have had driver duties. This visor was used by one of the brothers, and autographed by both. It’s designed for a Simpson Bandit-style helmet. The Pedregon brothers didn’t use “The Clydesdale Effect” with this visor.pedregonvisor-1 pedregonvisor-2 pedregonvisor-3The last item is a parachute bag used by Frank Pedregon Jr. It’s designed to hold the parachute on the back of the car, and was from the car when Frank hit Scotty Canon.pedregonbag-1 pedregonbag-6 pedregonbag-5 pedregonbag-4 pedregonbag-3 pedregonbag-2The Pedregon brothers are unique individuals in the history of the NHRA. Next week, we will look at some stuff from one of the most unique characters in the history of ARCA.

The Driver Suit Blog-Throwback Thursday-Bobby Allison-1987

By David G. Firestone

Hall of Famer Bobby Allison racing in his 1987 Miller Buick is our subject:

Red and white is a great color scheme, and the design looks decent. I don’t like the star motif on the stripe across the back of the car. The yellow Pennzoil logo is an issue, as it needlessly added to the sides, where it sticks out like a sore thumb. It’s visually distracting, and clashes with the color and design scheme.

When it comes to the car itself…how many bars does one need on the windshield? There is no way that isn’t distracting to the driver. I do like the chrome wheels, the color appropriate window net, and I’m still fascinated by the low angled spoiler. I’m also wondering why that green dot is on the top of the windshield.

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Tracker-March 2, 2016

By David G. Firestone

CHIP GANASSI RACING TEAM #1

Jamie McMurray #1 Cessna/Beechcraft Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, blue top, reverse wave formation across sides, white bottom, with silver accents. B+

Jamie McMurray #1 Sherwin Williams Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, main design has been moved slightly to the rear. 150’th anniversary logo added to hood.B+

Jamie McMurray #1 McDonald’s Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, red and yellow front with a spike transition to rear. A+

Jamie McMurray #1 McDonalds/Cessna Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, red and blue amalgamation of McDonald’s and Cessna. B-

Jamie McMurray #1 Credit One Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, blue, purple and white, with a series of designs across whole car. F

TEAM PENSKE #2

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion–Same basic scheme as 2015, but Miller has been removed from hood, similar 2014. A+

Brad Keselowski #2 Alliance Truck Parts Ford Fusion–No Change. A+

Brad Keselowski #2 Wurth Ford Fusion–No Change. A+

Brad Keselowski #2 Auto Trader Ford Fusion–New sponsor for 2016, same as #22 Auto Trader. D-

Brad Keselowski #2 SKF Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, similar to 2015 scheme, but fits to Penske Template. A+

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #3

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Chevy SS–Same basic scheme, but the hood logo is slightly larger. B+

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

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

STEWART-HAAS RACING #4

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, designed around a Busch throwback can. A+

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Light Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, designed around a Busch Light can. A+

Kevin Harvick #4 Jimmy John’s Chevy SS–No change. A+

Kevin Harvick #4 Outback Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, mountain design starts near brake duct, instead of at front of car. B+

Kevin Harvick #4 Ditech Chevy SS–No change. A+

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1 Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, white background, with the Pegasus wing starting at the side of the front, extending to the door numbers. A+

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #5

Kasey Kahne #5 Farmers Insurance Chevy SS–No Change. C+

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

Kasey Kahne #5 Liftmaster Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, geometrical designs on side changed. C

Kasey Kahne #5 Panasonic Toughbook Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, blue fade to black, with a couple of wave stripes, and some fade designs on side. A+

Kasey Kahne #5 Quicken Loans Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, red with hockey stick designs on sides, as well as geometrical designs on front and back. C+

ROUSH-FEWNAY RACING #16

Trevor Bayne #6 Advocare Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, white with blue line and checkered flag on bottom. A+

TOMMY BALDWIN RACING #7

Alex Bowman #7 Road Rippers Chevy SS-New scheme for 2015, shark motif on front, fades to fire motif and logo on back. F

Regan Smith #7 Golden Corral/Niko Toy State Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, amalgamation of Golden Corral and Niko Toy State. F

STEWART-HAAS RACING #10

Danica Patrick #10 Nature’s Bakery Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, blue with white lettering on sides, white and black stripe across hood and roof. A+

Danica Patrick #10 TaxAct Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, white front, red TaxAct X logo, gray back. A+

Danica Patrick #10 Nature’s Pride Pumpkin Spice Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, same basic scheme as Nature’s Pride, but with orange and red color scheme, and some slight redesigns on the side. A+

Danica Patrick #10 Mobil 1 Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, Bass Pro Shops has left, so the Mobil 1 scheme features a white background, with the Pegasus wing starting at the side of the front, extending to the door numbers. A+

Danica Patrick #10 Aspen Dental Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, similar to Clint Bowyer’s template, but with a Post-It esque design. F

JOE GIBBS RACING #11

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry–Slight redesign for 2016, hood logo moved slightly to the right, side stripes wider. A+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry–Slight redesign for 2016, hood logo moved slightly to the right, side stripes wider. A+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry–Slight redesign for 2016, hood logo moved slightly to the right, side stripes wider. A+

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Office Toyota Camry–Slight redesign for 2016, hood logo moved slightly to the right, side stripes wider. A+

GERMAIN RACING #13

Casey Mears #13 Geico Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, much more subdued version of the 2015 scheme. A+

Casey Mears #13 Geico Millitary Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, black with camo motif across car. F

STEWART-HAAS RACING #14

Tony Stewart #14 Mobil 1 Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, the Mobil 1 scheme features a white background, with the Pegasus wing starting at the side of the front, extending to the door numbers. A+

Tony Stewart #14 Code 3 Associates/Mobil 1 Chevy SS–Slight redesign, removal of Bass Pro Shops logo, cleaner rear end of the car. A+

Tony Stewart #14 Rush Truck Stops/Mobil 1 Chevy SS–Slight redesign, removal of Bass Pro Shops logo, cleaner rear end of the car. A+

Tony Stewart #14 Bass Pro Shops Chevy SS–No Change. C+

HSCOTT MOTORSPORTS #15

Clint Bowyer #15 Five-Hour Energy Chevy SS–New scheme for 2015, the front stripe has been moved up to the top of the side, and the roof matches with the design. A+

Clint Bowyer #15 Peak Chevy SS–New scheme for 2015, Blue with white geometrical designs on side. A+

Clint Bowyer #15 Visine Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, same as 5-Hour Energy, but with black, white, and blue color scheme. B+

Clint Bowyer #15 Aaron’s Chevy SS–No Change. A+

ROUSH-FEWNAY RACING #16

Greg Bffle #16 Cheez-its Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2015, stripe has been extended down tot he bottom of the car, some slight rearangment of the crackers on the side of the car. A+

Greg Biffle #16 KFC Nashville Hot Ford Fusion–New sponsor for 2016, all red with fire designs on quarter panel, and KFC stripes on roof. A+

Greg Biffle #16 Kleen Performance Products Ford Fusion–No Change. B+

Greg Biffle #16 Roush Performance Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, black with red and white check pattern design on side. A+

ROUSH-FEWNAY RACING #17

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fastenal Ford Fusion–No Change. A

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Ford Eco-Boost Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, much simpler design, with red added on top. B+

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Sunny D Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2016, orange front, rainbow sunburst pattern across sides, blue hood, roof, and decklid. F

JOE GIBBS RACING #18

Kyle Busch #18 Interstate Batteries Chevy SS–Slight redesign for 2015, stripes are wider, black stripe on bottom gone. F

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

Kyle Busch #18 M&M’s Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2016, similar to 2014 scheme, but with vintage characters to celebrate M&M’s 75th anniversary. A+

Kyle Busch #18 M&M’s Throwback Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2016, vintage look with vintage characters, yellow, with brown letters. A+

JOE GIBBS RACING #19

Carl Edwards #19 Stanley Toyota Camry–No Change. B+

Carl Edwards #19 Stanley Toyota Camry–Slight redesign for 2016, logos are bigger, outlines are bolder. A

Carl Edwards #19 Subway Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2016, green replaces black, box motif replaces stripe motif. B+

JOE GIBBS RACING #20

Matt Kenseth #20 Dollar General Toytota Camry–Slight redesign for 2016, black stripe across bottom now gone. A+

Matt Kenseth #20 DeWalt USA Toyota Camry–No Change. A+

WOOD BROTHERS RACING #21

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

TEAM PENSKE #22

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

Joey Logano #22 AAA Ford Fusion–No Change. D

Joey Logano #22 Auto Trader Ford Fusion–No Change. D-

Joey Logano #22 AAA of Southern California Ford Fusion–No Change. D

Joey Logano #22 Pennzoil Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, all yellow, with some lighter yellow geometrical designs across car. A+

BK RACING #23

David Ragan #23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2016, white hood, different designs on sides. B+

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #24

Chase Elliott #24 NAPA Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2015, blue with white stripes across side which start at brake duct. A+

Chase Elliott #24 3M Chevy SS–New scheme for 2015, black and white replaces silver, extra geometrical designs on sides. B+

Chase Elliott #24 Kelly Blue Book Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, same basic color scheme but gold has been removed. Scheme has been redesigned into a more haphazardly designed stripe pattern. C+

BK RACING #26

Robert Richardson #26 Stalk It Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2016, black with large blue and white stripe across sides, and Stalk It logos on hood and sides. A+

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #27

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Moen Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, black front, extending into Menard’s template, yellow rear. B-

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Peak Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, redesigned to match Clint Bowyer’s Peak Chevy. A+

Paul Menard #27 Valvoline/Menard’s Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, follows new Menard’s template, white Valvoline front, yellow Menard’s rear. F

THE MOTORSPORTS GROUP #30

Josh Wise #30 Toyota Camry-Plain white with blue, black, and white numbers. A+

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING #31

Ryan Newman #31 Cat Chevy SS–Slight redesign for 2016, yellow stripes are narrower, and hood logo is slightly larger. A+

Ryan Newman #31 Granger Chevy SS–No change. B +

GO FAS RACING #32

Jeffery Earnhardt #32 Can-Am/Kappa Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2016, black, green, and yellow, with a series of geometrical designs across whole car. F

Jeffery Earnhardt #32 Keen Parts/Corvette Parts Ford Fusion–New sponsor for 2016, black, white, and yellow, with a series of geometrical designs across whole car. F

Bobby Labonte #32 C&J Energy Services Ford Fusion–No Change. F

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #34

Chris Buescher #34 Love’s Truck Stops Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, Front Row Template has been reversed, red replaces back as secondary color. A+

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #35

David Gilliland #35 Ford Fusion-White with black and red letters. A+

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #38

Landon Cassill #38 Florida Lottery Ford Fusion–No Change. C+

Landon Cassill #38 FR8 Auctions Ford Fusion–No Change. A+

HILLMAN RACING #40

Reed Sorenson #40 CRC Brakleen Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, black replaces red as primary color. D-

STEWART-HAAS RACING #41

Kurt Busch #41 Monster Energy Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, black with yellow and white numbers and lettering. A+

Kurt Busch #41 Haas Automation Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, red front, fades to black rear end. A+

Kurt Busch #41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, red front, fades to black rear end. A+

Kurt Busch #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, same as Monster Energy, but with Haas on rear. A+

CHIP GANASSI RACING TEAM #42

Kyle Larson #42 Target Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, vertical fade from red to white replaces side fade from 2015. A+

RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS #43

Aric Almirola #43 Smithfield Ford Fusion–Slight redesign for 2016, roof numbers turn from yellow to red. B+

Aric Almiroa #43 U.S. Air Force Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, same basic scheme, but with more lightning. A+

RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS #44

Brian Scott #44 Twisted Tea Ford Fusion–Aside from the number change, no significant changes for 2016. A

Brian Scott #44 Albertsons’s Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2016, all blue with white hood. A+

HSCOTT MOTORSPORTS #46

Michael Annett #46 Pilot/Flying J Chevy SS–No Change. A+

JTG DAUGHERTY RACING #47

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger/Stoffer’s/Lean Cuisine Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, same as Kroger/Scott, minus the stars. A+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger/Scott Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, same as Kroger/Scott, minus the stars. A+

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #48

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s Chevy SS–Slight redesign for 2016, stripes are narrower, and hood logo is slightly forward. C-

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Chevy SS–Slight redesign for 2016, stripes are narrower, and hood logo is slightly forward. C-

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s Pro Services–Slight redesign for 2016, stripes are narrower, and hood logo is slightly forward. C-

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s/Superman Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, designed to look like Superman’s suit. A+

Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Red Vest Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, Jimmie Johnson Foundation logo replaces the Lowe’s Template. D-

CIRCLE SPORT/LEAVINE FAMILY RACING #59

Michael McDowell #59 Thrivent Financial Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, same as #95, with door numbers reversed. B+

FURNITURE ROW RACING #78

Marin Truex Jr. #78 Furniture Row Toyota Camry–Other than the switch from Chevy to Toyota, there are no major changes. A+

Martin Truex Jr. #78 Auto Owner’s Insurance Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, vertical fade from bottom to top, light blue fades up to dark blue. A+

Martin Truex Jr. #78 Bass Pro Shops Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, orange with trace amounts of black and camo. F

BK RACING #83

Michael Waltrip #83 Maxwell House Toyota Camry–No Change. A+

Matt DiBendetto #83 Sewanee University Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2016, blue with white and gold logos on quarter panels, gold stripe on bottom, blue designs on side. B+

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS #88

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 TaxSlayer Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, red top and front, white bottom and back, gold designs separate the two. A+

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Nationwide Chevy SS–New scheme for 2015, reminiscent of old Mountain Dew/Amp Energy scheme. A+

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Axalta Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, red top, fade to yellow bottom, across whole car. A+

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Nationwide/Batman Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, designed to look like Batman’s armor. A+

BK RACING #93

Matt DiBenedetto #93 Dustless Blasting Toyota Camry–No Change. B–

CIRCLE SPORT/LEAVINE FAMILY RACING #95

Ty Dillon #95 Cheerios Chevy SS–New sponsor and manufacturer for 2016 for Leavine Family Racing, after having merged with Circle Sport, and aligned with RCR. Aside from the new number, and a larger Kroger’s logo, no change. A+

Michael McDowell #95 Thrivent Financial Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, looks similar in design to the 2014, with a black, red, and white color scheme. B+

Michael McDowell #95 K-Love Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, simpler template. A+

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #98

Cole Whitt #98 Premium Motorsports RTIC Coolers Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2016, black with RTIC Coolers logo on sides and hood. A+

Cole Whitt #98 Tweaker Energy Chevy SS–No Change. A+

The Driver Suit Blog-My Thoughts On A Bad Day

By David G. Firestone

We’ve all had days where nothing goes right, and Friday was one of those for me. Friday SUCKED! I knew it was going to ahead of time, but when it actually got to Friday, it was worse. But there was one aspect that I really looked forward to.

I had gotten info that starting at 9AM, the power would be out, because ComEd, our power company here in Chicago would be doing work near my house. This meant that from 9AM to 1PM I had no heat, no power, no stove, and no microwave. I decided to spend the day getting errands done.

After getting the errands done, I had lunch at Chili’s, and then tried to get to a medical appointment on time. Since I use public transportation, this is easier said than done, and I was late for my medical appointment. After suffering through my medical appointment, I had to get to work, which, at the end of the terrible day I was having, was just insult to injury. After work, I go home, try to have dinner, and I notice my George Forman grill had died. Just another kick to the groin.

It was an awful day, but there was a bright silver lining. We’ve all had days where the world is against us, and the best part of those days is the fact that you get the best sleep ever after the day ends. I don’t know what it is, but you get an amazing night of sleep after an awful day, and you feel better for the next day, come what may.