Don Prudhomme smokes his 1981 Pepsi Challenger

In February, I said this about the IndyCar version of the Pepsi Challenger:

“Apparently Pepsi didn’t get the piss yellow memo, and here we have another example of why it’s a terrible color for a race car. It’s not just IndyCar, NASCAR and the NHRA also fell victim to the Pepsi Challenger design. Did Pepsi not realize that they have a great color scheme? Red, white, and blue is a color scheme that rarely misses, but for some unknown reason, Pepsi thought that piss yellow was the way to go…which it wasn’t. I’m giving this scheme an F. “

Everything I said about that paint scheme applies to this one as well, including the grade.

October 19, 2017
Categories: auto racing, throwback thursday . . Author: dgf2099 . Comments: Leave a comment

Dale Plude races in his 1981 War Eagle Funny Car

The red design works, but I was a little confused when I first saw this picture of what the designs were. After looking at it again, I saw that it was a feather design. Once I realized that, the scheme made sense, and I like everything about this scheme. The color scheme works very well, the design scheme is good, and the two work well together. I give it an A.

October 12, 2017
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Ron Colson races in his 1981 Kings Hawaiian Bread Funny Car

Our first funny car paint scheme is a good one. The shade of red works well. The subdued Kings Hawaiian Bread logo looks good, but the white stripes and white logo on the hood both are bright and very visible. I have to say, it’s a good look. It’s a solid A scheme for sure!

October 5, 2017
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Cory McClenathan took the 1999 US Nationals, his second title, in his MBNA dragster

Our last Top Fuel entry is this Cory Mac edition from 1999. Black and green could work better if the green didn’t closely resemble the black. It just looks too similar, and it doesn’t stand out as much. The white MBNA logos are good, and they work well with the overall scheme. It’s not a terrible scheme, it needs a little tweaking of the green to make it great. I’ll give it a B+. Next week, we start Funny Car.

September 28, 2017
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Larry Dixon won the 1995 US Nationals in his rookie, driving his Miller Genuine Draft dragster

Another good scheme that uses black and yellow. The yellow stripe across the side works well, and the white lettering on the sides and top looks really good too. It’s a shame that within a few years, Miller would focus more on the Miller Lite brand, and eschew the black and gold for blue and white. Still it’s a good solid A scheme.

September 21, 2017
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After tipping his Coors Light dragster over, Michael Brotherton came back to win in Seattle in 1992

The dark blue era of Coors Light wasn’t great, the car looked decent. The blue didn’t work as well with the black, red, and white of the logos. I also don’t get the silver on the front wing and mud flaps. Coors Light was already known as The Silver Bullet, so why wouldn’t they have a Silver Bullet themed race car? It’s a bad concept, and the scheme is a C- scheme at best.

September 14, 2017
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Darrell Gwynn in his gold 1989 Coors Light Gold won the US Nationals

Two years after the “Bud-liner” Darrell Gwynn was racing a standard dragster, this one painted in metallic gold, red, black, and white. I love everything about this car! This car works very well. The color scheme is great, and the design works perfectly with the color scheme. I give it a perfect 100% A.

September 7, 2017
Categories: auto racing, throwback thursday . . Author: dgf2099 . Comments: Leave a comment