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The Driver Suit Blog-My Thoughts on Writer’s Block

David G. Firestone
When you have to write for a blog, or working on a book, writer’s block sucks. You need to write, you want to write, but you can’t find a way to put words on paper, literally or metaphorically. On Monday, I did three things, get some lunch, wait for the FedEx guy, and try to come up with a My Thoughts on piece. Lunch was awesome, FedEx guy came and left, but I couldn’t come up with anything I really wanted to write about. Not even the wide world of the internet could give me inspiration. So this is all I’m gonna do for this week.

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-May 2, 2015

Jamie McMurray #1 Cessna/Dixie Chopper Chevy SS-Same scheme as Cessna/Beechcraft scheme, same A grade.

Jamie McMurray #1 Energizer Eco Advanced Chevy SS-Same as #42 Energizer scheme, same D+ grade.

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite 1998 Throwback Ford Fusion-An amazing throwback scheme will always earn an A+.

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite 2007 Gold Throwback Ford Fusion-I’m a big fan of metallic gold, but the white hood and blue border on the numbers takes an A grade down to a B-.

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite 2010 Throwback Ford Fusion-A decent scheme, but the white wheels and the white beer can on the side take an A grade down to a B-.

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

Brad Keselowski #2 Avaya Ford Fusion-The Penske template doesn’t always work, but with the right color combination it works very well. A+

Kevin Harvick #4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevy SS-Green is not always a good color, and with an awful design it gives this scheme an F.

Alex Bowman #7 DOC 360 Chevy SS-Good smooth design with a good color scheme earns an A+.

Alex Bowman #7 Chevy SS-Good smooth design with a good color scheme earns an A+.

Casey Mears #13 Geico/Squidward Chevy SS-Horrible color scheme, and an extremely over designed scheme will always earn an F.

Greg Biffle #16 Cheez It/Patrick Starr Ford Fusion– Horrible color scheme, and an extremely over designed scheme will always earn an F.

David Ragan #18 Pedigree Toyota Camry-Good smooth design with a good color scheme earns an A+.

Joey Logano #22 Snap On Ford Fusion-A great fade gives the car a good look, and the great color scheme earns an A+.

Jeb Burton #26 Estes Toyota Camry-It’s an overdone scheme with too many different shades of yellow, and the whole thing looks overdone. D+.

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Sylvania Chevy SS-The orange and yellow scheme is horrid, the design doesn’t work with this color scheme, and the whole thing earns a D-.

Alex Kennedy #33 Honor and Remember Chevy SS-The color scheme is good, the overall design is good, but I think the door numbers are the the wrong colors, and the hood is a bit overdone. B-

Ty Dillon #33 Nexium Chevy SS-My only complaint is that the yellow doesn’t extend all the way to the back, but it’s a minor complaint, it’s still a good scheme. A-

Brett Moffitt #34 Dockside Logistics Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

David Gilliland #38 The Pete Store Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

David Gilliland #38 Farm Rich Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same A+ grade.

Landon Cassill #40 Link-Belt Chevy SS-Good smooth design with a good color scheme earns an A+.

Aric Almirola #43 Smithfield/Cheney Brothers Ford Fusion-The scheme would be better without the bright yellow rear. It takes an A+ grade down to a B+

Michael Annett #46 Bene-Fit Chevy SS-Same scheme as Cypress HQ, same F grade.

David Ragan #55 Aaron’s/Spongebob Toyota Camry-I hate cars that look like two different people designed parts of the car, and this is one of them. The quarter panel and sides look like two different people designed them, and it just looks awful. It does have a good color scheme, so I will give it a D-.

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

Brendan Gaughn #62 Vydox Plus Chevy SS-I like fades, and the color scheme works well, it’s a bit overdone, but it still earns an A.

Brendan Gaughn #62 Low T Central Chevy SS-Good smooth design with a good color scheme earns an A+.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Mountain Dew Baja Blast Chevy SS-The color scheme is decent, but the design is overdone, and awful. I’ll give it a D-.

Michael McDowell #95 WRL Contractors/Thrivent Financial/Larry the Lobster Ford Fusion-I hate cars that look like two different people designed parts of the car, and this is one of them. The quarter panel and sides look like two different people designed them, and it just looks awful. It does have a good color scheme, so I will give it a D-.

Josh Wise #98 Steve Byrnes Tribute Ford Fusion-A fitting tribute to a tragic death. A+

The Driver Suit Blog-My Thoughts on Why I HATE The Craft Beer Market.

By David G. Firestone

I’m going to say something that I guarantee will tick people off, but I don’t care. I’ve put up with this for quite some time, and I’m sick of it. I HATE the craft beer market. Yup, I said it, I hate the craft beer marker. “But Dave,” I can hear you saying, “You are a sports uniform blogger! You have to like it!” First off, no I don’t, second off, it has given birth to beer snobs. You know the kind of people I’m talking about. They only drink craft beer. They have their favorite beer, and if you don’t like that kind, you are an imbecile and a philistine.

That isn’t what beer is supposed to be! Beer is supposed to UNITE us, not divide us! The pilgrims got off the Mayflower to make a beer run! Many great leaders not only drank beer, but brewed beer. The neighborhood tavern was and is the place for people to get together after work, have a few beers, forget about the problems of life for a little while, and have a good time. The classic neighborhood get together, especially the ones in my neighborhood, always have to have beer, and there is always a lot of fun at them.

I hate the craft beer market because it took everything beer really is supposed to be, and ruined it. What I would like to say to the beer snobs is that nobody likes that attitude. I call it Lisa Simpson Syndrome. Lisa Simpson has a high IQ, is a talented musician, and is a vegetarian and as a result she thinks that it makes her better than most of the people. The problem is that this attitude makes her come across as snobby and stuck up, when she is a very likeable person. If you accept the fact that everyone has their favorite kind of beer, and they like theirs as much as you like yours, I would have no problem with the craft beer market. If there were no snobs, I would embrace the craft beer market, but due to the snobs, I can’t stand the craft beer market.

The Driver Suit Blog-Oakley…Not Just For Sunglasses Anymore-Revisited

By David G. Firestone

Editor’s note, I had a post ready to go this week, but because of the pit fire at the Xfinity Series Race on Friday, I will revisit an article I did last year on pit crew suits.

When you say “driver suit” you think of names like Simpson, Sparco, Impact!, OMP, Stand 21, and Momo, you don’t automatically think of Oakley. Oakley started in 1975 as a sunglasses company by Jim Jannard in his garage in Foothill Ranch California. He got the name from Oakley, his English Setter. He went from working in his garage to one of the biggest sunglasses companies in the world. They design eyewear for athletes, the military, skiers, and, starting in the late 2000’s, motorsports apparel.

Oakley makes a number of racing items, the most prominent being driver suits. IndyCar drivers Justin Wilson, Ed Carpenter, Mike Conway, and Josef Newgarden all wear Oakley driver suits as do Alex Bowman, Ryan Truex, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Michael Waltrip, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in NASCAR and Tony Schumacher in the NHRA. While they make suits for the top drivers in the sport, for some reason they don’t seem to sell suits through their own site, you have to go to a third-party site to buy their racing suits…which to me seems odd, because no one else ever does that. This particular suit was worn by Jason Romesburg, who was the rear tire changer for Paul Menard in 2010. Menard had a decent season, with a top 5, and 6 top 10’s and 17 laps led. The suit shows heavy use, with the right cuff on the pant leg destroyed. In addition to the damage to the pant leg, what strikes me about this suit is that the material seems so light. While it is safety certified, it does not feel like a Nomex suit. It is very light for a suit of its size.

The suit is a two-piece and the jacket does not show as much wear as the pants, and I understand the reason. The logo about the Menard’s logo is for Mastercraft Doors. Paul Menard races with Menard’s on the quarter panel and a rotating set of sponsors on the hood. Mastercraft Doors was on the hood for 3 races in 2010, the Brickyard 400, the Carfax 400 at Michigan, and the Ford 400 at Homestead. While the jacket doesn’t show as much wear, it does show some staining on the sleeves. There are stains on the white area of the sleeves. Since Romesburg was a tire changer, this is to be expected.

The two piece suit is very popular with pit crews because it has the same fire protection as a one piece but with less restriction than a one piece. If you have ever worn a one-piece jumpsuit you know that it does restrict movement, as opposed to a jacket and pants of the exact same size. So when you are changing 4 tires in 14 seconds, you need every edge you get. What I don’t see on the jacket are arm gussets. These would be used to add movement without subtracting fire protection. I have two theories on this, either the suit fit well enough that they weren’t needed, or because the crews were switching jackets so often that expense or time dictated that arm gussets couldn’t be used.

One detail I love are the television logos on the sleeves. The dual logos on the sleeves look good and actually work well for both sponsors. The suit actually looks pretty good, but I do not like the quilt pattern on the legs, because it isn’t represented on the jacket, and it does look pretty odd in this respect. It does look like the two were designed and made by different people. I’m also amazed by how lackluster the warranty label is… That is the shortest warranty label I have ever seen on a modern suit. Let’s compare it to a Simpson tag…Wow that is a short warranty label, also, I don’t think a skull and crossbones don’t belong on this kind of suit, but it does say what it needs to say, just in a much shorter form than most driver suits.

In short, Oakley is making decent suits, and they are doing what they are designed to do, protect the driver from fire. I think Oakley suit could catch with minor league racers, provided they start marketing them better. The fact that they don’t sell them through their own website, and provide more info on the drivers who wear their suits make it hard to sell them to the general public. Puma, which has a lot of talent on its roster too, does not want to sell through its own website. Why they don’t is a mystery, as there is a lot of money in these suits, and people will pay for high quality suits made by a reputable company.

The Driver Suit Blog-The Driver Suit as A Promotional Tool

By David G. Firestone

The driver suit has become much more than a safety feature. It has become a marketing tool. So much so that it leaves the track and moves to television, magazine ads, and corporate events. If you look at driver suit design circa 1990, the suits have big sponsor logos, and the smaller logos are thrown on any which way they can. Fast forward to today, and, when it comes to race suits, every logo is in a specific place, nothing is left to chance.

Fisher Price makes toys for babies and infants, and apparently they had a race car during the late 1980’s to early 1990’s. This promotional driver suit was made for that team. It’s made of the polyester and has the feel of a wind breaker. There are a number of auto part logos, but they are patches with sublimated logos instead of sewn logos. There was some thought to the design.

There are a number of race suits that were created for promotional purposes. This example comes from AOL circa 2003. AOL hosted an event at Laguna where a number of clients got to drive race cars. Each driver was issued one of these denim suits. It has a small AOL logo on the front chest, and a larger logo on the back torso. Other than that, there are no logos anywhere else on the suit.

When Bobby Labonte was sponsored by Ask.com in 2009, a series of these replica driver suits based on Labonte’s driver suit were produced, possibly for a commercial. This suit was made by Simpson Race Products, but isn’t made of Nomex, and it has a warranty label stating as such. Aside from the Ask.com logos, and the Peel Me design, there are no logos, but it is obvious there was a lot of thought that went into the design.

DGF2099 Productions-Introduction to Sports Memorabilia-Racing Replica Helmets

NASCAR and NHRA Replica helmets, which are collected by fans, are featured this week.

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Tracker-March 29, 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-

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+

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+

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+

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-

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-

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+

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

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 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

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+

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.

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-

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 sublamnted I’m a Pepper logos and vintage Dr. Pepper and I’m a Pepper logos on the 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+

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

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-

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+

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+

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

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+

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

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+

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+

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

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+

My Thoughts On Pit Road Fires

By David G. Firestone
I try to keep things light and fun here on The Driver Suit Blog, but sometimes an on-track situation requires discussion. Last Friday, at Richmond, one of those situations occured. During the Toyotacare 250 at Richmond, there was a huge fire on pit road during a round of pit stops, where three crew members were injured. I will let the footage speak for itself.A total of three crew members were hurt, and NASCAR has stated that they will fully investigate what happened and will make sure this won’t happen again.
While the crew members were hurt, it could have been so much worse. If the rules about pit crew safety were as lax as they were in the 1990’s, this would not have a happy ending. Watching some of these older videos, and there are plenty of them on the internet, it’s amazing there aren’t more dead pit crew members. I’ve seen pit stops where the crew members were wearing little more than what I wear to my job.
The crew members in question were wearing two piece fire suits, triple layer, which took the brunt of the damage. The crew members did have to go to the infield car center and then the hospital, but they will live to tell their tale. These suits might not be the most comfortable things to wear, but they will save your life. Nomex was a Godsend to racing in 1967, and 38 years later it is still the go to material for driver and pit crew suits.
My thoughts and prayers are with the crew members. I had a post ready for Friday, but I’m gonna revisit a pit crew suit post I did last year because of the incident at Richmond.

The Driver Suit Blog-The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race

By David G. Firestone

The 2015 Toyota Pro/Celebrity race is behind us. It was a good one for sure. It had a decent amount of talent, including:

Antron Brown (NHRA veteran, Top Fuel driver)

Brett Davern (2014 champion)

Donna Feldman (model/TV host/actress)

Willie Gault (former NFL WR, Olympic athlete)

Nathan Kress (actor)

James Maslow (musician)

Steve Mason (ESPN Radio host)

Mark McGrath (lead singer, Sugar Ray)

Raul Mendez (actor)

Joshua Morrow (actor)

Dave Pasant (Producer)

Robert Patrick (actor)

Mekhi Phifer (actor)

John Rzeznik (guitarist/Goo Goo Dolls frontman)

Alfonso Ribeiro (two-time race winner)

Dara Torres (Olympic swimming legend, 2002 race winner)

Rutledge Wood (NBC Sports Group NASCAR/motors contributor and 2013 race winner)

In a 10 lap race that saw some crashes and some great racing, Alfonso Ribeiro was the overall and pro winner, with Dave Pasant wining the celebrity category.

When you race in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity race, you get to keep your driving gear. I discussed this in my Steve Lundquist article. He won two gold medals in the 1984 Olympics in swimming, then came back and raced in the 1985 event. The competitors are given special training and safety instructions. Even though there have been a decent number of crashes, no serious injuries have occurred.

This single layer suit shows heavy use, with stains and scuff marks on the arms. It has a nice vintage look to it.

The cowl contains an older version of the Simpson warranty label.

the right chest features a VALVOLINE logo and STEVE LUNDQUIST embroidered into it. The left chest features a vintage racing stripe design, with TOYOTA MOTORSPORTS, BRIDGESTONE, GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH and ND SPARK PLUGS patches on the stripes.

As there are no primary sponsors of the cars, there are no logos on the torso as primary sponsors.

The rights shoulder does not have an epaulet, or any adornment.

The right sleeve has an EARL’ S patch and a BLISTEN SHOCK ABSORBERS patch. There are no logos at the end of the sleeve, and heavy wear on the back of the sleeve.