Month: December 2023

2023 Paint Scheme Leaderboard Part 4-The Grand Finale:

By David G. Firestone

Well, all the votes have been counted, and the final Paint Scheme Leaderboard is complete. Without further ado, the final post of 2023:

 

#1-Hendrick Motorsports #9

Rank Last Year: 4 of 45

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 4.00

 

#2-Stewart Haas Racing #29

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 4.00

 

#3-Richard Childress Racing #33

Rank Last Year: 13 of 45

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 4.00

 

#4-The Money Racing Team #50

Rank Last Year: 40 of 45

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 4.00

 

#5-Rick Ware Racing #51

Rank Last Year: 11 of 45

Number of Schemes: 11

GPA: 3.94

 

#6-Hendrick Motorsports #5

Rank Last Year: 12 of 45

Number of Schemes: 4

GPA: 3.83

 

#7-Team Penske #22

Rank Last Year: 1 of 45

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 3.78

 

#8-Front Row Motorsports #36

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 4

GPA: 3.75

 

#9-Stewart Haas Racing #10

Rank Last Year: 10 of 45

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 3.60

 

#10-Team Penske #12

Rank Last Year: 7 of 45

Number of Schemes: 22

GPA: 3.60

 

#11-Richard Childress Racing #8

Rank Last Year: 21 of 45

Number of Schemes: 16

GPA: 3.58

 

#12-Team Penske #2

Rank Last Year: 19 of 45

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 3.54

 

#13-Joe Gibbs Racing #11

Rank Last Year: 3 of 45

Number of Schemes: 11

GPA: 3.52

 

#14-Joe Gibbs Racing #54

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 6

GPA: 3.33

 

#15-Stewart Haas Racing #41

Rank Last Year: 14 of 45

Number of Schemes: 14

GPA: 3.28

 

#16-Roush-Fenway Racing #17

Rank Last Year: 26 of 45

Number of Schemes: 15

GPA: 3.24

 

#17-Wood Brothers Racing #21

Rank Last Year: 22 of 45

Number of Schemes: 6

GPA: 3.22

 

#18-Kaulig Racing #16

Rank Last Year: 8 of 45

Number of Schemes: 14

GPA: 3.21

 

#19-Front Row Motorsports #34

Rank Last Year: 27 of 45

Number of Schemes: 14

GPA: 3.19

 

#20-Hendrick Motorsports #24

Rank Last Year: 9 of 45

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 3.17

 

#21-Front Row Motorsports #38

Rank Last Year: 37 of 45

Number of Schemes: 18

GPA: 3.11

 

#22-Richard Childress Racing #3

Rank Last Year: 15 of 45

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 3.10

 

#23-Roush-Fenway Racing #6

Rank Last Year: 16 of 45

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 3.05

 

#24-Rick Ware Racing #15

Rank Last Year: 18 of 45

Number of Schemes: 30

GPA: 3.05

 

#25-Kaulig Racing #13

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 3.00

 

#26-Stewart Haas Racing #14

Rank Last Year: 17 of 45

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 2.97

 

#27-Stewart Haas Racing #4

Rank Last Year: 23 of 45

Number of Schemes: 22

GPA: 2.90

 

#28-Joe Gibbs Racing #19

Rank Last Year: 28 of 45

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 2.89

 

#29-Legacy Motor club #43

Rank Last Year: 42 of 45

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 2.89

 

#30-JTG Daugherty Racing #47

Rank Last Year: 30 of 45

Number of Schemes: 32

GPA: 2.87

 

#31-Kaulig Racing #31

Rank Last Year: 34 of 45

Number of Schemes: 10

GPA: 2.83

 

#32-Legacy Motor club #42

Rank Last Year: 33 of 45

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 2.75

 

#33-Legacy Motor Club #84

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 3

GPA: 2.67

 

#34-23XI Racing #23

Rank Last Year: 31 of 45

Number of Schemes: 22

GPA: 2.59

 

#35-23XI Racing #45

Rank Last Year: 29 of 45

Number of Schemes: 22

GPA: 2.52

 

#36-Spire Motorsports #7

Rank Last Year: 39 of 45

Number of Schemes: 15

GPA: 2.52

 

#37-Live Fast Motorsports #78

Rank Last Year: 35 of 45

Number of Schemes: 19

GPA: 2.40

 

#38-Joe Gibbs Racing #20

Rank Last Year: 10 of 45

Number of Schemes: 16

GPA: 2.36

 

#39-Trackhouse Racing #1

Rank Last Year: 38 of 45

Number of Schemes:

GPA: 2.13

 

#40-23XI Racing #67

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 2

GPA: 2.00

 

#41-Beard Motorsports #62

Rank Last Year: 25 of 45

Number of Schemes: 3

GPA: 2.00

 

#42-Trackhouse Racing #99

Rank Last Year: 43 of 45

Number of Schemes: 14

GPA: 1.90

 

#43-Spire Motorsports #77

Rank Last Year: 36 of 45

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 1.68

 

#44-Trackhouse Racing #91

Rank Last Year: 45 of 45

Number of Schemes: 2

GPA: 1.50

 

#45-Hendrick Motorsports #48

Rank Last Year: 24 of 45

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 1.30

 

Next Week, back to regular grades.

 

2023 Paint Scheme Leaderboard Part 3-Toyota

By David G. Firestone

The 2023 Paint Scheme Leaderboard rolls on, this week, it’s the Toyota teams time to shine!

 

#1-Joe Gibbs Racing #11

Rank Last Year: 1 of 8

Number of Schemes: 11

GPA: 3.52

 

#2-Joe Gibbs Racing #54

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 6

GPA: 3.33

 

#3-Joe Gibbs Racing #19

Rank Last Year: 5 of 8

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 2.89

 

#4-23XI Racing #23

Rank Last Year: 7 of 8

Number of Schemes: 22

GPA: 2.59

 

#5-23XI Racing #45

Rank Last Year: 6 of 8

Number of Schemes: 22

GPA: 2.52

 

#6-Joe Gibbs Racing #20

Rank Last Year: 4 of 8

Number of Schemes: 16

GPA: 2.36

 

#7-23XI Racing #67

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 2

GPA: 2.00

Next Week, The Grand Finale!

2023 Paint Scheme Leaderboard Part 2-Ford

By David G. Firestone

This week, the 2023 Paint Scheme Leaderboard shifts focus to the blue oval. Ford’s rankings are up for this week.

 

#1-Stewart Haas Racing #29

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 4.00

 

#2-Rick Ware Racing #51

Rank Last Year: 2 of 17

Number of Schemes: 11

GPA: 3.94

 

#3-Team Penske #22

Rank Last Year: 1 of 17

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 3.78

 

#4-Front Row Motorsports #36

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 4

GPA: 3.75

 

#5-Stewart Haas Racing #10

Rank Last Year: 14 of 17

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 3.60

 

#6-Team Penske #12

Rank Last Year: 3 of 17

Number of Schemes: 22

GPA: 3.60

 

#7-Team Penske #2

Rank Last Year: 9 of 17

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 3.54

 

#8-Stewart Haas Racing #41

Rank Last Year: 5 of 17

Number of Schemes: 14

GPA: 3.28

 

#9-Roush-Fenway Racing #17

Rank Last Year: 12 of 17

Number of Schemes: 15

GPA: 3.24

 

#10-Wood Brothers Racing #21

Rank Last Year: 10 of 17

Number of Schemes: 6

GPA: 3.22

 

#11-Front Row Motorsports #34

Rank Last Year: 13 of 17

Number of Schemes: 14

GPA: 3.19

 

#12-Front Row Motorsports #38

Rank Last Year: 16 of 17

Number of Schemes: 18

GPA: 3.11

 

#13-Roush-Fenway Racing #6

Rank Last Year: 6 of 17

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 3.05

 

#14-Rick Ware Racing #15

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 30

GPA: 3.05

 

#15-Stewart Haas Racing #14

Rank Last Year: 7 of 17

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 2.97

 

#16-Stewart Haas Racing #4

Rank Last Year: 11 of 17

Number of Schemes: 22

GPA: 2.90

Next Week, the Toyota Leaderboard

By David G. Firestone

It’s that time of year again!  The snow is on the ground, holiday music and decorations are abound, and the 2023 Paint Scheme Leaderboard is here! Here’s how the process works. I will rank all of the Cup Series teams by their paint scheme GPA. I will rank them by manufacturer, then all of them in one final list. There is no committee this year, as Zoe chose to skip the proceedings. Here is the Chevy list:

 

#1-Hendrick Motorsports #9

Rank Last Year: 2 of 20

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 4.00

 

#2-Richard Childress Racing #33

Rank Last Year: 5 of 20

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 4.00

 

#3-The Money Racing Team #50

Rank Last Year: 17 of 20

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 4.00

 

#4-Hendrick Motorsports #5

Rank Last Year: 4 of 20

Number of Schemes: 4

GPA: 3.83

 

#5-Richard Childress Racing #8

Rank Last Year: 8 of 20

Number of Schemes: 16

GPA: 3.58

 

#6-Kaulig Racing #16

Rank Last Year: 7 of 20

Number of Schemes: 14

GPA: 3.21

 

#7-Hendrick Motorsports #24

Rank Last Year: 3 of 20

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 3.17

 

#8-Richard Childress Racing #3

Rank Last Year: 6 of 20

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 3.10

 

#9-Kaulig Racing #13

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 1

GPA: 3.00

 

#10-Legacy Motor club #43

Rank Last Year: 18 of 20

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 2.89

 

#11-JTG Daugherty Racing #47

Rank Last Year: 11 of 20

Number of Schemes: 32

GPA: 2.87

 

#12-Kaulig Racing #31

Rank Last Year: 13 of 20

Number of Schemes: 10

GPA: 2.83

 

#13-Legacy Motor club #42

Rank Last Year: 12 of 20

Number of Schemes: 8

GPA: 2.75

 

#14-Legacy Motor Club #84

Rank Last Year: N/A

Number of Schemes: 3

GPA: 2.67

 

#15-Spire Motorsports #7

Rank Last Year: of 20

Number of Schemes: 15

GPA: 2.52

 

16-Live Fast Motorsports #78

Rank Last Year: of 20

Number of Schemes: 19

GPA: 2.40

 

17-Trackhouse Racing #1

Rank Last Year: of 8

Number of Schemes:

GPA: 2.13

 

18-Beard Motorsports #62

Rank Last Year: of 20

Number of Schemes: 3

GPA: 2.00

 

19-Trackhouse Racing #99

Rank Last Year: 19 of 20

Number of Schemes: 14

GPA: 1.90

 

20-Spire Motorsports #77

Rank Last Year: 14 of 20

Number of Schemes: 13

GPA: 1.68

 

#21-Trackhouse Racing #91

Rank Last Year: 20 of 20

Number of Schemes: 2

GPA: 1.50

 

#22-Hendrick Motorsports #48

Rank Last Year: 9 of 20

Number of Schemes: 9

GPA: 1.30

 

Next Week, the Ford Leaderboard

 

By David G. Firestone

Well, it’s that time again! We have the annual Paint Scheme Awards for the 2023 season. As per the usual, every year, I pick the best and worst paint schemes and award them the Paint Scheme. This was done using the Driver Suit Blog executive committee for paint scheme analysis and consists of me and Driver Suit Blog assistant, my cat Zoe, and uses the following standards:

*Color Scheme:How the colors look, and how they work with each other.

*Overall Design:How good the design itself looks, is there too much, or not enough.

*Primary Sponsor Logos: How the primary sponsor logos look on the car

*Originality: How original is the scheme.

All of the above can work for or against a scheme, and all will be taken into consideration.

Let’s get the bad Paint Scheme Awards out of the way…

First, the Paint Scheme Award for Worst Regular Season Single Paint Scheme.

The nominees are:

Ross Chastain #1 Worldwide Express/Advent Health Chevy Camaro

Ross Chastain #1 Advent Health Chevy Camaro

Brad Keselowski #6 Solomon Plumbing Patriotic Ford Mustang

Ryan Blaney #12 Cherry Lime Body Armor Patriotic Ford Mustang

Riley Herbst #15 Mechanix/Monster Ford Mustang

Mike Rockenfeller #42 Sunseeker Resort Chevy Camaro

Tyler Reddick #45 Jordan Brand Toyota Camry

Tyler Reddick #45 Jordan Brand Toyota Camry

Tyler Reddick #45 Jordan Brand Toyota Camry

Tyler Reddick #45 Jordan Brand Toyota Camry

The 2023 Paint Scheme Award for Worst Regular Season Single Paint Scheme goes to:

Tyler Reddick #45 Jordan Brand Toyota Camry

The next Paint Scheme Award is for Exhibition or Throwback Paint Schemes. This category is a little different, as the Scheme will go to the best and worst throwback. For this category, all exhibition race and throwback paint schemes qualify automatically.

The 2023 Paint Scheme Award for Worst Exhibition or Throwback Paint Scheme goes to…

Kevin Harvick #4 Rheem “Chasing a Cure” Ford Mustang

The next award of 2023 is the Paint Scheme for Worst Paint Scheme Set of 2023. This is based on the total GPA of the individual grades for paint schemes. The nominees are:

Stewart Haas Racing #4 Ford Mustang

Stewart Haas Racing #14 Ford Mustang

Rick Ware Racing #15 Ford Mustang

Joe Gibbs Racing #20 Toyota Camry

23XI Racing #45 Toyota Camry

Hendrick Motorsports #48 Chevy Camaro

23XI Racing #67 Toyota Camry

Spire Motorsports #77 Chevy Camaro

Trackhouse Racing #91 Chevy Camaro

The 2022 Paint Scheme Award for for Worst Paint Scheme Set goes to…

Hendrick Motorsports #48 Chevy Camaro

Now after talking about the bad, we discuss the good. Here are the winners in the best category…

First, the Paint Scheme Award for Best Regular Season Single Paint Scheme.

The nominees for the 2023 Paint Scheme Award for for Best Regular Season Single Paint Scheme are:

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Light Ford Mustang

Kyle Larson #5 Hendrickcars.com Chevy Camaro

Chase Elliott #9 NAPA Chevy Camaro

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry

 

The 2023 Paint Scheme Award for for Best Regular Season Single Paint Scheme goes to…

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Light Ford Mustang

The next category is Paint Scheme Award is for Best Exhibition or Throwback Paint Schemes, and it should come as no surprise that the competition was strong this year.

The 2023 winner for best throwback is:

William Byron #24 Axalta Throwback Chevy Camaro

 

The final award of 2023 is the Paint Scheme for Best Paint Scheme Set. Like the Worst Set, this is based on the total GPA of the individual grades for paint schemes. The nominees are:

Hendrick Motorsports #9 Chevy Camaro

Joe Gibbs Racing #11 Toyota Camry

Joe Gibbs Racing #19 Toyota Camry

Team Penske #22 Ford Mustang

Stewart Haas Racing #29 Ford Mustang

Kaulig Racing #31 Chevy Camaro

Richard Childress Racing #33 Chevy Camaro

Rick Ware Racing #51 Ford Mustang

Joe Gibbs Racing #54 Toyota Camry

The 2023 Paint Scheme Award for for Best Paint Scheme Set goes to…

Hendrick Motorsports #9 Chevy Camaro

That’s it for the Schemes, next week, the Paint Scheme Leaderboard begins with Chevy!