Month: May 2016

The Driver Suit Blog-From Nomex to Polyester…My NFL Draft Experience

nfldraft-14By David G. Firestone

The Vest Project is waiting taking a back seat this week, and will pick back up next week. As I teased on Tuesday, I went to the NFL Draft in Downtown Chicago on Thursday. I decided to trade Nomex for Polyester as I decided not to think about racing and driver suits for one day, and enjoy the festivities. I had a “seat-filler” ticket, so I had a chance to go in, but sadly, there were too many fillers, and not enough seats. So while I didn’t get to see any of the Draft itself, I did have fun wandering around Draft Town in Grant Park.

Draft Town was billed as a “900,000 square foot celebration of the Draft” and a “three-day football festival” and it was, but it was also a chance for the sponsors to put their names out there, and to promote their products. That is what it was, a football festival that was promoting products the entire time…Why else would the full name be Draft Town presented by Oikos Triple Zero.

I wanted to see what kinds of uniforms and memorabilia would be on display. My first stop was the NFL Museum. One of the biggest displays was a history of the Chicago Football Uniform, including the Chicago Cardinals, and a history of Chicago Bears game-used uniforms, including the rare 1992 throwback.2016-4-28-7 2016-4-28-3 2016-4-28-4 2016-4-28-1 2016-4-28-2They also had the busts from the 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class, and a display concerning the jacket and rings given to the inductees.2016-4-28-5 2016-4-28-6The best display there was the history of the Super Bowl Ring, which had examples of every ring from Super Bowl I-XLIX. I shot a video of them.

My next stop was the College Football Hall of Fame tent, which had its own display of game-used and historical items.2016-4-28-12 2016-4-28-13 2016-4-28-14 2016-4-28-17 2016-4-28-18 2016-4-28-16 2016-4-28-15 2016-4-28-10 2016-4-28-92016-4-28-29There were also a number of mannequins that were wearing various uniforms of collegiate teams. I do have to give them credit where credit is due. I thought they would all be Nike, but every manufacturer is represented.2016-4-28-19 2016-4-28-20 2016-4-28-21 2016-4-28-22 2016-4-28-23 2016-4-28-25 2016-4-28-24 2016-4-28-28 2016-4-28-27 2016-4-28-26My next stop was the area next to Buckingham Fountain, where I watched the ESPN live broadcast. It’s important to note that the weather was awful, mid 40’s, and I noticed that two of the male anchors had blankets on their laps due to the weather.2016-4-28-30 2016-4-28-31I then went to the NFL Store, and saw the mannequins representing the teams of the NFL in their home uniforms. Facing the back of the store, the AFC is on the left side, and the NFC is on the right side.2016-4-28-34 2016-4-28-33Again, I was wondering about the promotional items at Draft Town.  Anyone who knows me knows that I used to be a liaison between The DePaul University Ministry and ChariTees, and that I have been to a promotional products trade show as a result. So I was curious as to what kinds of products were being given away at the event. The event did not disappoint.

Koozies were a big giveaway, as I got 3 in total. I got two can koozies, one from the Pro Football and College Football Halls of Fame, and a jersey-shaped bottle koozie from NFL Sunday Ticket.nfldraft-3 nfldraft-4 nfldraft-5 nfldraft-6 nfldraft-1 nfldraft-2Keeping with the beer theme, Courtyard at Marriott gave out Seahawks green sunglasses with bottle openers attached. Despite being overcast, more and more people were wearing these as the day progressed. Why they went with this color I don’t know.nfldraft-9 nfldraft-10Hyundai went a bit more piratical and was giving away mini-flashlights. This was in addition to photographs that were used to make a custom video. As I’m not sure about copyright issues, I won’t post the photos or video.

When I got to Bridgestone’s tent, they had an interesting setup. They were giving away wrist-bands with the appropriate logos. I think they should have gone with black instead of gray to match the prodcuts. They also had a photo op where you could catch a pass, and get a towel, so I took advantage. I landed hard on my left leg, and as of Monday, it was still sore.nfldraft-11 nfldraft-13 nfldraft-12The NFL Auctions tent was giving away old Super Bowl programs, so I got a program from Super Bowl XXIV. I’m not sure why they were giving these away, but it was a cool thing to get.nfldraft-25The most unique of the giveaways came from New Era. This was one of the more complex ideas for a give away I’ve seen. Before walking up to this machine, you take a selfie of yourself in a New Era hat, and post the image to Twitter and Instagram, with two custom hashtags.The machine then finds the pictures and hashtags, and if you do one of the two, it gives you a lanyard that doubles as a cap measurement.nfldraft-16 nfldraft-17If you post to both, it gives you a mini NFL Draft cap, half the size of a real cap. I got a Panthers version.nfldraft-19 nfldraft-20 nfldraft-21 nfldraft-22 nfldraft-23 nfldraft-24Once you checked in, and got through all of that, you were given…an NFL Draft 2016 towel. Slightly bigger than the Bridgestone towel. Even those of us, and there had to be over 400 of us, who didn’t get in got towels. I had hoped for a little more, but what can you do.nfldraft-14 nfldraft-15One thing I didn’t mention is that the NFL had it’s own app for Draft Town. It worked kind of like Swarm, where you check in at what booth you were at. The number of check ins earned you shots at prizes, and I wanted a football. As I was walking away from the auditorium, I got a text message that I had won the football. I went to the Wilson test, and got my mini-football. nfldraft-7It’s half the size of a regulation football, well made from a compsite material, and has all the teams printed on the side.nfldraft-7It was fun switching Nomex, steel and rubber for polyester, grass and leather, if only for a day, and I was disappointed that I didn’t get into the Draft itself, but I still had fun. Now I have to get back to what I do best, racing. Next week, I will pick up where I left off with The Vest Project.

The Driver Suit Blog-Throwback Thursday-Hut Stricklin-1989

By David G. Firestone

Hut Stricken is running with his needle in the red in his 1989 Heinz Pontiac Grand Prix.

Red, white, and gold is a good color scheme, and I like the gold stripe up the side. The diagonal Heinz logo on the side looks decent. The second Heinz Ketchup logo is a bit unnecessary, but it does look good. The gold wheels look a bit odd, and out of place on a red car. Red wheels would work much better.

Paint Scheme Tracker-April 4, 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

Jamie McMurray #1 Bad Boy/Beechcraft Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, same as Beechcraft, but with Bad Boy on the hood. B+

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+

Brad Keselowski #2 Thomas Build Buses Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2016, Penske Template, red front, black back. 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-

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Intellifresh Chevy SS–New sponsor for 2016, same as Dow Energy and Water. B-

Austin Dillon #3 AAA Chevy SS–New sponsor for 2016, similar to Robert Hight’s funny car, but with colors rearranged. D+

Austin Dillon #3 Dow FlexoLyt Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, same as Intellifresh B-

Austin Dillon #3 Bass Pro Shops/Ranger Boats Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, black with camo and orange diagonal triangle on side. B+

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+

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Throwback Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, based on Cale Yarborough’s 1979 Daytona 500 Scheme. A

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Fishing Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, blue top, white side, huge bass motif across sides. 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+

Kasey Kahne #5 Mountain Dew Pitch Black Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, black with blue trident inspired design on sides, oval design on roof, and Vortex design on hood. D-

Kasey Kahne #5 Drive to End Hunger Chevy SS–New sponsor for 2016, dark red with light red stripes and white letters on sides. A+

ROUSH-FEWNAY RACING #6

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

Trevor Bayne #6 Advocare Mark Martin Throwback Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, based on the paint scheme Mark Martin ran in 1996 and 1997. 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

Regan Smith #7 Nikko Street Bratz Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, blue and white with a series of designs across sides. F

Regan Smith #7 Chevy SS-Black with white and blue numbers and stripe across bottom. A+

Regan Smith #7 APC Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, black with white and blue numbers and stripe across bottom, APC logo on hood. A+

Regan Smith #7 AIPAC Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, black with white and blue numbers and stripe across bottom, AIPAC logo on hood. A+

Regan Smith #7 Fire Alarm Services Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, black with yellow hood, and orange city motif on sides. A+

Regan Smith #7 Nikko/Road Rippers Alan Kulwicki Throwback Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, based on the “Underbird” design used by Kulwicki in 1992. C+

Regan Smith #7 Golden Corral Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, all black with white lettering. A+

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

Danica Patrick #10 Nature’s Bakery Brownies Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, blue, white and brown scheme, stripes start on hood, and extend to the rear of the side. B-

Danica Patrick #10 Aspen Dental Tooth Fairy Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, dark blue and silver, similar to Clint Bowyer’s schemes. A+

Danica Patrick #10 Nature’s Bakery/April O’Neil Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, comic book motif across whole car with April O’Neil on hood and Turtles on sides. 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+

Denny Hamlin #11 SportClips Toyota Camry–No Change. C-

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+

Brian Vickers #14 Janssen Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, simple curve replaces the wave pattern from 2015. A+

Brian Vickers #14 TaxAct Millitary Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, similar to TaxAct but with camouflage motif. C+

Tony Stewart #14 Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, same as Mobil 1, but with Advanced Fuel Economy on sides. A+

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+

Clint Bowyer #15 AccuDoc Solutions Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, all black with yellow and white lettering and a series of yellow stripes across sides. B-

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

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Zest Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, much simper design, with soap motif. C+

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fastenal Throwback Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, based on Darrell Waltrip’s 1975 scheme. A+

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fifth-Third Bank Ford Fusion–No Change. A+

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+

Kyle Busch #18 Banfield Pet Hospital Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2016, blue with diagonal logo on hood, EKG motif on sides, injured cute pet pictures on quarter panel. A+

Kyle Busch #18 Pedigree Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2016, green is brighter, side and hood logos are larger, and blue stripe on bottom has been removed. A+

Kyle Busch #18 Skittles/Marvel Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2016, red Skittles front and green Marvel and Skittles rear. B-

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+

Carl Edwards #19 Comcast Business Toyota Camry–No Change. D-

Carl Edwards #19 Xfinity Toyota Camry–No Change. 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+

Matt Kenseth #20 DeWalt 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+

David Ragan #23 Sweet Frog Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2016, green and pink stripes across sides, white hood with Sweet Frog logo. F

David Ragan #23 Schuler Systems Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2016, same as #83. D-

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+

Chase Elliot #24 Sun Energy Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, black background with solar flare inspired design fades to blue towards wheel well, and finishes with red gradient on back. F

Chase Elliott #24 Dewcision Mountain Dew Baja Blast Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, black with blue trident inspired design on sides, oval design on roof, and Vortex design on hood. D-

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

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Dutch Boy Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, Menard’s template, with peeling blue and white paint design. F

Paul Menard #27 Richmond/Menard’s Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, same basic color scheme with new Menard’s template. A+

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/FVP Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, New Menard’s template with FVP colors. A+

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Libman Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, Menard’s 2016 template with green Libman motif on front, Menard’s on back. A+

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Rockstar Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, Menard’s template with black Rockstar front. A+

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Tarkett Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, Menard’s template with blue front for Tarkett. A+

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Duracel Chevy SS–No Change. A+

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Moen Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, commits to new Menard’s Template, but with light blue and black stripes, and light blue numbers. C-

THE MOTORSPORTS GROUP #30

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

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

Josh Wise #30 Crawfest/City of New Braunfels Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, same as all black with Crawfest/City of New Braunfels logo on hood. 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 +

Ryan Newman #31 Wix Filters Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, one large multi-colored stripe replaces the multi-stripe on the sides, design extends to hood. F

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

Joey Gase #32 JT Concrete Inc Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2016, white with blue and white lettering. A+

Joey Gase #32 Donate Life Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, all white with Donate Life logo on hood, and Allo-Source logo on quarter panels. A+

Jeffery Earnhardt #32 Visone/Corvette Parts Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2016, same as Corvette Parts. F

Bobby Labonte #32 Rimrock Devlin Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, based on C&J from 2015.  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+

Chris Buescher #34 Dockside Logistics Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, all white with Dockside Logistics logos on sides and hood. A+

Chris Buescher #34 CSX Play it Safe Ford Fusion–No Change. A+

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

Chris Buescher #34 Love’s/CSX Play It Safe Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2016, same as Love’s but with Play It Safe on sides and hood. A+

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS #35

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

David Gilliland #35 Southern Belle Seafood Ford Fusion–Except for car number, no change. 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+

Landon Cassill #38 MDS Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, all white with MDS logos on sides and hood. A+

Landon Cassill #38 Snap Fitnaess Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2015, all red with Snap Fitness logos on sides and hood. 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+

Kurt Busch #41 State Water Heaters Chevy SS–No Change. B+

Kurt Bush #41 Hass VF1/Monster Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, similar in design to Danica’s Brownie scheme, with Haas VF1 on hood, with stripes fading to black and Monster rear. B+

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+

Aric Almirola #43 STP Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2014, STP colors with stripes that correspond to the door logos. B-

Aric Almirola #43 Waffle House Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, yellow replaces patriotic motif. D-

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

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+

Brian Scott #44 Vonn’s Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2016, same as Albertson’s, but with Vonn’s on the hood.. A+

Brian Scott #44 Goody’s Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2016, blue with a honeycomb pattern, with yellow stripes on bottom and front. B+

Brian Scott #44 Go Bowling Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, bowling ball motif returns, blue sides, and white lettering. A+

Brian Scott #44 Albertson’s/Tom Thumb Ford Fusion-New scheme for 2016, Tom Thumb debuts on sides, other than that, same as Albertson’s. A+

Brian Scott #44 Shore Lodge Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, same as 2015 scheme, but with side stripe removed, and Petty door design on sides. C+

HSCOTT MOTORSPORTS #46

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

Michael Annett #46 Pilot/Flying J Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, all red with white front. A+

Michal Annett #46 Pilot/Flying J/Battle of Bristol Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, same as white design, but with Battle of Bristol on hood. 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+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Food For Less Chevy SS–No Change. A+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Louisiana Hot Sauce Chevy SS-New sponsor for 2016, dark red, with flames on sides. A+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger/Coffee Mate/Butterfinger Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, same as Kroger, but with Coffee Mate and Butterfinger logos on sides and hood. A+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Bush’s Baked Beans Chevy SS–No Change. B+

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-

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s Chevy SS– New scheme for 2016, same as basic scheme, yellow numbers replace white. B+

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s Patriotic Chevy SS–No Change. B+

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s Pro Services Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, same as basic scheme, but with yellow door numbers. A+

PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS #55

Reed Sorenson #55 Chevy SS-All black with white and blue numbers. A+

Michael Waltrip #55 Peak Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, same as Clint Bowyer’s #15. A+

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+

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Cosmo Motors Toyota Camry–New scheme for 2016, all black with Cosmo Motors logos on sides and hood. A+

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Schluter Systems Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2016, cream top, with stripes, and a waffle design on the bottom. D-

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Cosmo Motors Toyota Camry–No Change. C-

Matt DiBenedetto #83 RMC Events Toyota Camry-New sponsor for 2016, black top, white zig-zag line separating black top from red bottom. B-

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Dustless Blasting Toyota Camry-New scheme for 2016, same as #93. 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+

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Nationwide Grey Ghost Chevy SS–New scheme for 2016, based on the Grey Ghost that Buddy Baker used to win the 1980 Daytona 500. A+

Dale Earnhardt #88 Axalta/CarStar Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, same as Axalta, but CarStar is on quarter panel. A+

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Dewcision Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, black with yellow trident inspired design on sides, oval design on roof, and Vortex design on hood. D-

BK RACING #93

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

Ryan Ellis #93 Science Logic Toyota Camry–No Change. D+

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+

Michael McDowell #95 Monte Carlo Casino Chevy SS-New Scheme for 2016, same as WRL Contractors from 2014. A+

Ty Dillon #95 Nexium 24 Chevy SS–Aside from new team, no change. A-

Michael McDowell #95 WRL Contractors Ford Fusion–No Change. A+

Michael McDowell #95 WRL Contractors/MastiClean Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2016, same as WRL, but with MastiClean leaf motif on quarter panels. B-

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+

Cole Whitt #98 Speed Stick Chevy SS–No Change. A+

Cole Whitt #98 Rinnai Ford Fusion–New scheme for 2016, all black with Rinnai logos on sides and hood. A+

Cole Whitt #98 Chevy SS-All black with white and blue numbers. A+

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

The Driver Suit Blog-My Thoughts on Stuff Going On Under the Surface

By David G. Firestone

I’ve been following auto racing for 26 years, and have lived in Illinois even longer than that. If you want to understand why people hate politics, look at Illinois. Our state and city governments are corrupt, and this budget impasse is even worse. But I’m not going to discuss that, what I’m here to do is to discuss the fact that often times, in both politics and auto racing, there is more going on than meets the eye.

Many times in both politics and auto racing, there is something that happens, and an explanation given, or not given, but as time goes on, it becomes clear that there is something deep beneath the surface that is causing what is going on, despite the explanation. I think this is happening with Bob Vandergriff Racing and Mercedes F1 program.

Bob Vandergriff raced in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series from 1994 to 2014. He has three national event wins. He owned Bob Vandergriff Racing. After he retired from driving in 2014, he was still the owner, and in charge of operations…until April 11th, when he unexpectedly shut down all operations in order to retire. The reasoning given for this was the passing of a team friend, and his thinking of the important things in life. He wants to spend more time with his grand-kids and family.

This may be a legit explanation, a very legit one at that, but something tells me that there is more to this story than meets the eye. I could be totally wrong about this, and that may be the legit explanation. If that is, I apologize, and best of luck to Bob. But again, after having lived in Illinois for as long as I have, I have to wonder if something else is going on.

What I really don’t understand is how you could just shut down two full-time top fuel teams on what seems like a whim. I could understand if BVR was undersponsored, low on funds, and couldn’t continue full-time operations. Alan Johnson Racing’s shutdown was understandable in this sense. But both of BVR’s teams were fully sponsored, and had a full support crew. I might even be able to kind of understand the decision if they hadn’t won an event, but that isn’t a factor, as Leah Pritchett won her first top fuel national event at Phoenix.

Again, I could be wrong, and if I am, I am, but nothing about this whole scenario makes any sense. I’m convinced that there is something else going on that will come to the surface later. It could be financial issues, legal issues, PR issues, or something else. Same thing with Louis Hamilton and Mercedes’ F1 team.

I get that power shifts happen in auto racing from time to time, and Nico Rosberg’s rise on the surface isn’t that shocking, he’s a talented driver on a powerhouse team, but the fact that Louis Hamilton has suddenly lost all momentum makes it confusing. Nico has had a great year, and Louis’s year can, at best, be described as disasterous. The Australian Grand Prix and Bahrain Grand Prix were straightfoward enough, Louis started first on the grid, and finished 2nd in both races. Then the Chinese Grand Prix started, and the team made an unscheduled gearbox change. This resulted in a 5 grid place penalty, and after he suffered from a hybrid system failure in the turbo charger. he started 22nd. After a dramatic run, he finished 7th.

Ok, that seems innocent enough, engine parts can fail at any time, so that isn’t too shocking, but fast forward to this last weekend. Before Q3, Hamilton wasn’t going to go out and qualify, due to…him suffering suffering from a hybrid system failure in the turbo charger, or THE SAME EXACT FAILURE THAT PLAGUED HIM DURING QUALIFYING AT THE LAST EVENT. Are you expecting me to believe that this isn’t an issue? Once is a coincidence, twice it’s more than that. I’m not the only one who realizes that. So many people are wondering if there is something else going on.

I can’t believe that this isn’t a coincidence. Typically, mechanical problems impact any team running that equipment. But the fact that these failures seem to be impacting only one driver when the other driver is dominating seems odd. It also seems odd that the driver its impacting is the stronger of the two. It’s also hard to ignore the fact that many F1 fans were getting tired of Louis’ domination as well. Again, this may be a legit thing, and nothing else is going on, but it is kind of odd that this is happening how it is and when it is. I’m cynical, I don’t even try and deny that, and while I don’t put too much stock in conspiracy theores, these two stories are too odd to ignore.

I’m going to just stop for now, because I have something else to discuss. The project that preempted the Paint Scheme Grades this week was when I went to the NFL Draft on Thursday, and I will discuss that on Friday. Stay Tuned!

The Driver Suit Blog-Introduction to Sports Memorabilia-BrandArt Replica Helmets

BrandArt is the official replica helmet maker of NASCAR, and here are a couple of examples, a Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Best Buy helmet, and a Carl Edwards Aflac helmet.