The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-June 19, 2021

By David G. Firestone

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Beer #BuschToThemoon Ford Mustang-The space motif works well, and the color scheme works too, so this gets an A.

Tyler Reddick #8 iCashautos/I Am Second Chevy Camaro-The only thing I like here is the black, other than that, this is just a mess. D-

Ryan Blaney #12 Menards/Wrangler Ford Mustang-This is a great scheme. The shade of blue works, and this car looks great. A

David Starr’s #13 T Top Mfg Toyota Camry-A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A.

James Davison #15 Go FMX/America’s Best Value Inn Chevy Camaro-Recoloring the design isn’t an upgrade, or a downgrade. A-

Matt DiBenedetto #21 Motorcraft Quick Lane Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Bubba Wallace #23 DoorDash Toyota Camry-The gold numbers actually look better here, and this car looks great regardless. A

Austin Cindric #33 Pirtek Ford Mustang-This is a horrible scheme, with the colors all over the place, and a bad design. F

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #47 Kroger/Bush’s Best Chevy Camaro-This is the worst template I have ever seen, because it clashes with every other sponsor, and itself when there is no secondary sponsor. F

Timmy Hill’s #66 Boathouse Bar & Grill Toyota Camry-If it was just the blue, I could give this a higher grade, but with the blue, this gets a B.

Daniel Suarez #99 Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge Chevy Camaro-Getting rid of either the blue or orchid motif would work better, but this isn’t bad, so I’ll give it a B+

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-August 22, 2020

By David G. Firestone

Quin Houff #00 Creek Enterprises Inc. Chevy Camaro-It’s a bold look, but is has a great color scheme. I like this, and it gets an A.

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Beer/National Forest Foundation Ford Mustang-I like the new motif for 2020. The forest design looks good, and the car has a solid look. A

Tyler Reddick #8 Cat App Chevy Camaro-Black is a good color for a race car, and I like the addition of dots and yellow. This earns an A.

Tyler Reddick #8 Cat Power Throwback Chevy Camaro-While I didn’t like this car back in 1994, it has grown on me since then. I think this is a great throwback, and it gets an A.

Kyle Busch #18 Snickers Toyota Camry-I really like this scheme. It’s bold, the shade of brown works well, and the car looks great. A

JJ Yeley #27 NASCAR Heat 5 Ford Mustang-Black with blue flame is a great look. The scheme is smooth, and the car looks great. A

Ryan Preece #37 Purina Chevy Camaro-Get rid of checkerboard motif and the car gets a solid A. This scheme gets a B.

Darrell Wallace Jr. #43 DoorDash Chevy Camaro-This is a solid, smooth, and simple look that always earns an A.

Jimmie Johnson #48 Ally Financial Chevy Camaro-This doesn’t work. White isn’t as good as black here. This change takes a solid A scheme down to a C.

James Davison, #51 Jacob Construction Chevy Camaro-There isn’t really anything wrong here. I just don’ think it’s a great scheme. It’s a meh scheme, and it gets a C

Garrett Smithley #53 Chevy Camaro-It’s a great scheme, and it earns an A.

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-August 3, 2019

By David G. Firestone

Landon Cassill #00 StarCom Fiber Chevy Camaro-A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A.

Landon Cassill #00 Jacob Companies Chevy Camaro-This is a good patriotic motif. Not over designed, good color scheme, unique. This works very well, and I give it an A.

Kurt Busch #1 Global Poker Patriotic Chevy Camaro-Camo doesn’t look good on a race car. This color scheme doesn’t work with the camo. The car doesn’t look good, so I give it an F.

Austin Dillon #3 Behr Ultra Chevy Camaro-The car is a bit over designed for my taste. Wave designs aren’t great, but this isn’t too bad. The front and back designs could be toned down. All things considered, this gets a B+.

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Beer/National Forest Foundation Ford Mustang-The color scheme works very well, and the forest motif is a great look. This is a great look, and it earns an A.

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Beer Gen X Ford Mustang-This is one of the most horrid, awful, and ugly schemes I have seen in some time. It looks like a bad 80’s movie poster. I can’t give this scheme anything better than an F, so I won’t.

Ryan Newman #6 Oscar Meyer/Velveeta Ford Mustang-The dot fade works well, especially with the great color scheme such as Velveeta and Oscar Meyer, this is a great look, and it earns an A.

Ryan Newman #6 Acronis Ford Mustang-The cutting edge design is over designed. The color scheme works, but could be lightened a little. It’s decent, and it earns a B.

Chase Elliott #9 NAPA Patriotic Chevy Camaro-This is a good patriotic motif. Not over designed, good color scheme, unique. This works very well, and I give it an A.

Chase Elliott #9 Mountain Dewnited States Chevy Camaro-Recipe for an F grade: Take a great color scheme and design scheme, and add the ugliest, over designed and horrific mess of a design to the rear. It’s horrific, and I can’t give this a passing grade.

Ryan Blaney #12 Dex Imaging Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Ryan Blaney #12 Pennzoil Throwback Ford Mustang-Mike’s old Pennzoil scheme was simple, it was attractive, and it worked. This faithful replica works well, and earns an A.

Ryan Blaney #12 Menard’s/Sylvania Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #21, same A grade.

Quin Houff #15 The Elease Project Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as Rim Ryderz, same A- grade.

Ross Chastain #15 YVARS Branding.com Chevy Camaro-Replacing blue with black would be a major upgrade. Hell, replacing this blue with a much darker blue would work better. This shade of blue doesn’t work well with red flames. Add in that it is a tad over designed, and you have a B scheme that could have been an A scheme.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Roush/Fastenal Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #6, same A grade.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Acronis Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #6, same A grade.

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Richmond Ford Mustang-This new Menard’s template works well with black. This is a great look, and it earns an A.

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/FVP Ford Mustang-The only good thing I can say is that the yellow looks good. Other than that, this is hideous, and it earns a D.

Paul Menard #21 Quaker State/Menards Steve Kinser Throwback Ford Mustang-It’s a good throwback, with a great design, and that will always earn an A.

Paul Menard #21 Menard’s/Duracel Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #12, same A grade.

William Byron #24 Axalta Patriotic Chevy Camaro-This is a good patriotic motif. Not over designed, good color scheme, unique. This works very well, and I give it an A.

Corey LaJoie #32 Coinlotto.com Ford Mustang-The stripes are very over designed, and that drags the whole design down quite a bit. The color scheme is good, and the lotto balls work well, but the stripes drag the scheme from an A to a B+.

Corey LaJoie #32 Weirs Motor Sales/Adirondack Tree Surgeons Ford Mustang-The color scheme works well, and the car design is bold, but not over done. This is a great scheme that earns an A.

Corey LaJoie #32 Shine Armor Ford Mustang-The paint splatter fade works well here. The car has a great look. It’s bold and distinctive. I give this an A.

Corey LaJoie #32 Keen Parts/Corvette Parts Throwback Ford Mustang-Jarrett’s Nestle scheme is an interesting throwback choice, but it’s well done, very faithful, and earns an A as a result.

Michael McDowell #34 Long John Silvers Ford Mustang-Wave patterns are iffy, this is over done. Add in the wood motif, and the color scheme and you have a B+ scheme.

Matt Tifft #36 Louis Kemp Crab Delights Ford Mustang-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Matt Tifft #36 Ron Jon Surf Shop Ford Mustang-It’s a smooth look with a great color scheme. I also love the Ron Jon logo, especially the lettering. This is a great look, and it gets an A.

Matt Tifft Southwestern Trucking Ford Mustang-Red, black, and silver is a great color scheme. The design is over designed. I don’t like wave patterns anymore. So I’m taking everthing into concern when I give this scheme a C.

Chris Buescher #37 Maxwell House Chevy Camaro-Plain blue with a white stripe on the bottom works well, looks good, and earns an A.

Chris Buescher #37 Planters Chevy Camaro-Plain blue with a yellow stripe on the bottom works well, looks good, and earns an A.

David Ragan #38 Shriners Hospitals for Children Throwback Ford Mustang-David Pearson’s 1969 Torino Cobra is a great look, and this is a great throwback. I can’t give this less than an A.

David Ragan #38 Long John Silvers Ford Mustang-Same scheme as #34, same B+ grade.

David Ragan #38 Compressor World Ford Mustang-Another example of a great color scheme, but an over-designed mess of a design scheme. Toned down, this scheme could be a lot better, but this isn’t great, and earns a C.

Kyle Larson #42 Credit One Patriotic Chevy Camaro-This is a good patriotic motif. Not over designed, good color scheme, unique. This works very well, and I give it an A.

Kyle Larson #42 Ronald McDonald House Charities Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as #34, same A grade.

B.J. McLeod #51 Jacob Companies Patriotic Ford Mustang-This is a good patriotic motif. Not over designed, good color scheme, unique. This works very well, and I give it an A.

Bayley Currey #52 Monarch Crypto Wallet Ford Mustang-A great fade with a great color scheme will ALWAYS look great! This is no exception. A

J.J. Yeley #52 DriveSmartWarranty.com Ford Mustang-Yet another example of a great color scheme, but an over-designed mess of a design scheme. Toned down, this scheme could be a lot better, but this isn’t great, and earns a C.

B.J. McLeod #52 Jacob Companies Patriotic Ford Mustang-This is a good patriotic motif. Not over designed, good color scheme, unique. This works very well, and I give it an A.

Austin Theriault #52 Bangor Savings Bank Chevy Camaro-Wave designs rarely look great. This is a good example. It’s too over designed, and it looks bad. Add in a mediocre color scheme and you have a B-.

Joey Gase #53 Connected Claim Services/Action Restoration Chevy Camaro-Some patriotic motifs are over designed, and this is another example. The torn flag motif could be good, but this needs to be toned down. I’ve seen much worse, so I’ll give this a C-.

Josh Bilicki #53 Chevy Camaro-A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A.

Quin Houff #77 Sleep6/Abt Chevy Camaro-A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A.

Quin Houff #77 Go-Parts.com Chevy Camaro-Blue and white is a great scheme. This shade of orange doesn’t work here. The car is a bit over designed. Still, it’s not over designed so I’ll give it a B-.

Quin Houff #77 #MyTrackMyRoots Chevy Camaro-Black and red works well as a color scheme, and the checkered flag motif works well here too. This is an all-around great scheme, and it earns an A.

Alex Bowman #88 Nationwide Children’s Chevy Camaro-The toned down stripes look amazing, and they take an A scheme and make it much better. This is awesome, and I give it an A.

Matt DiBenedetto #95 Anest Iwata Toyota Camry-A great fade with a great color scheme will ALWAYS look great! This is no exception. A