Tag: nascar sprint cup series

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-September 10, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Ryan Blaney #21 SKF Ford Fusion-White works quite well with the Penske template, and the red bordered blue looks really good. All in all, a great scheme. A

Chase Elliott #24 Red Cross Chevy SS-White and red is always a solid color scheme, and the design here looks really good. A

Josh Wise #30 Incredible Bank Dale Earnhardt Throwback Chevy SS-It’s a good throwback, but I’m wondering why the US Army would pick orange and blue for a color scheme. Then again, it’s from 1976. Still, it looks good, and earns an A

Matt DiBenedetto #83 EJ Wade Construction Toyota Camry-Reversing the color scheme can sometimes improve the scheme, in some cases it can make the scheme worse. This scheme is the same B- scheme as the black scheme.

Ty Dillon #95 Death Wish Coffee Chevy SS-The subtle designs look good, and the color scheme is great. I give it an A.

Cole Whitt #98 Carolina Skiff Throwback Chevy SS-Another in the line of great throwbacks from the Southern 500. A great design, with a great scheme will always earn an A.

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-September 3, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Brad Keselowski #2 Miller Lite/Careers for Veterans Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Clint Bowyer #15 Five Hour Energy Benny Parsons Throwback Chevy SS-Picking a good Benny Parsons scheme is like picking a race to watch on the weekend. They are all good, but in different ways. This scheme, based on the #72 Chevy is great, and the tribute isn’t overdone, and looks great. I give it the A it deserves.

Jeffery Earnhardt #32 Keen Parts/Corvette Parts Ford Fusion-I usually hate Keen/Corvette Parts schemes, but this scheme looks great and it works well. Can’t complain about this one. A

Landon Cassill #38 MDS Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same A- grade.

Brian Scott #44 Twisted Tea Fan Photo Ford Fusion-It’s amazing how one moron can wreck a great concept, and Twisted Tea is that moron. We’ve had many great throwback schemes for the Southern 500, but Twisted Tea can’t understand the concept of “throwback” so they are running their standard scheme, but with a fan photo on the quarter panels. Even teams that don’t have old logos came up with throwback concepts. As such, I’m going to give this one an F for failing to understand the concept.

Michael Annett #46 Pilot Throwback Chevy SS-I rarely talk about this aspect of the paint scheme, but the one part of this scheme I don’t like is the door numbers. I don’t like how thin they are. It’s a great scheme otherwise, I just hate the door numbers. Still the scheme is worth an A- for a good throwback scheme. The color and design schemes are great, aside from the door number.

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-August 27, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Kasey Kahne #5 Liftmaster Throwback Chevy SS-The shade of red used is all kinds of wrong, and it takes the whole look down. The sad part is that if the right shade of red was used, this scheme will earn an A, but the bad shade takes it down to a B+.

Greg Biffle #16 Hooters Ford Fusion-The second car representing Alan Kulwicki is a great tribute, with the correct sponsor. There is nothing bad I can say about this car, and I give it an A

Chase Elliott #24 Mountain Dew Chevy SS-There are a lot of things that irritate me about this car. The green and grey numbers look bad, and mix too well with the background color. I don’t like the subtle Mountain Dew logos on the sides. To top that off, the gray used on the numbers looks out of place. It could be a better scheme, and the color scheme is decent, but it’s basically a C+ look.

Ryan Newman #31 Cat/Freighliner Chevy SS-Looks good, good design, and a great color scheme. I give it an A.

Chris Buescher #34 Love’s Truck Stops Throwback Ford Fusion-It’s a design that works well, and the color scheme is good too. I also like the throwback numbers. Its an A scheme for sure!

Kyle Larson #42 Target Throwback Chevy SS-So this scheme is based on the first IndyCar scheme Target ever ran. I’m trying to figure out why the the hood design is a separate design and older logo than the original one. I’m not saying it a horrible scheme, but if you want to commit to an IndyCar scheme, you can’t bail, and start using logos that weren’t used on the original. I’ll give it a B-, though it’s worth noting that with accurate logos it would get an A

Michael Annett #46 Pilot/Flying J/Battle of Bristol Chevy SS-I like the team motif logos on the sides of an already good logo. It works very well, and earns an A

Martin Truex Jr. #78 Bass Pro Shops/NRA Museum Toyota Camry-If the patriotic motif were much more subdued, the grade would be higher. There is too much going on here, and it just looks like a jumbled mess. C-

Martin Truex Jr. #78 Tanger Outlets Toyota Camry-Get rid of the green, it’s out of place. Also, the cutting edge design works well, if it isn’t overdone. This scheme is overdone. This scheme could be so much better than what it is. I’ll give it the C- it deserves since the design, and the color schemes aren’t terrible.

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Vector Security Toyota Camry-The color scheme is great, and the design looks, good, and its an A scheme.

Cole Whitt #98 Carolina Skiff Chevy SS– A good simple design with a good color scheme will always accept an A.

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-August 20, 2016

 

By David G. Firestone

Jamie McMurray #1 McDonald’s Mac Tonight Throwback Chevy SS-This is the worst McDonald’s scheme EVER! This scheme came around in 1997. The blue and white color scheme looks out of place, and it clashes with the yellow door numbers, and stripe. McDonald’s has always been known for a good shade of red and a good shade of yellow. The red isn’t used, except in the door number drop shadow, and the bottom stripe. It’s just not a good look at all. F

Kevin Harvick #4 Busch Beer Hunting Chevy SS-The orange motif with a landscape design isn’t good, because the design scheme clashes with the design scheme. Changing either would work. The amazing thing is that both the design, and color schemes on their own aren’t bad, they just don’t work together. I’ll give it a C.

Kasey Kahne #5 Drive to End Hunger Chevy SS-It’s a simple design, with a very bold look, and a really great color scheme. I give it an A.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17 Fastenal Brian Clauson Tribute Ford Fusion-Fastenal has had a lot of good schemes, and this tribute to the late Brian Clauson is no exception. It’s a great look, with good color and design schemes. A

Matt Kenseth #20 Tide Pods Toyota Camry-There is nothing bad I could every say about this paint scheme. A

Ryan Blaney #21 Virginia Tech Ford Fusion-If the stripe was straight across the whole car, I could give it a higher grade, but with the awkward look, it goes down to a B+.

Landon Cassill #38 MDS Transportation Ford Fusion– Orange can be iffy on the side of race car, but this shade works well, and the rest of the car works with it. I can’t give this scheme less than an A.

Kyle Larson #42 Huggies Chevy SS-The design scheme is mediocre at best, and the color scheme is dreadful. Put them together and you have a D+ scheme.

Brian Scott #44 Jacob Construction/Medallion Ford Fusion-Same scheme as Medallion Bank, same A grade.

Martin Truex Jr. #78 Auto-Owners Insurance Throwback Toyota Camry– It’s a modern-looking throwback, which is odd looking, but has a great color scheme. I’ll give it a C+.

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-August 13, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Trevor Bayne #6 Advocare Spark Ford Fusion-The cube design is a bit overdone, but I do like the color scheme. B-

Regan Smith #7 APC Donald “Dutch” Hoag Throwback Chevy SS-A great throwback to a legend. The attention to detail is great, and the car looks good as a whole. A

Denny Hamlin #11 SportClips Throwback Toyota Camry-Another great throwback. I like the attention to detail here, and the gold numbers. I really wish NASCAR would allow teams to have chrome numbers, but sadly, they don’t. That said, this is a great scheme that earns an A.

Tony Stewart #14 Coca Cola Throwback Chevy SS-If Tony had used proper numbering, and replaced the modern logos with classic logos, I would give this scheme an A, but the lack of attention to detail takes it down to an A-.

Greg Biffle #16 Ford Eco-Boost Ford Fusion-Same scheme as #17 Eco-Boost, same B+ grade.

Kyle Busch #18 Snickers Crispier Toyota Camry-Mediocre color scheme, and I like the design scheme on the sides, but why does there appear to be a Snickers wrapper at the top of the hood? It’s visually distracting, and it’s confusing. I’ll give it a B-.

Josh Wise #30 SBC Construction Chevy SS-It’s a simple design with a smooth look and a great color scheme. A

Josh Wise #30 Vision RV Chevy SS-See above. A

Joey Gase #32 Diesel Sales/Sparkz Ford Fusion-See above. A

Boris Said #32 Genesee Beer Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowes Earnhardt Throwback Chevy SS-I LOVE THIS SCHEME! The attention to detail in the lettering and numbers works well, and the car as a whole is great. I give it an A.

Alex Kennedy #55 Chevy SS-Same scheme as Carport Empire, same A grade.

Matt DiBenedetto #83 EJ Wade Construction Toyota Camry-The cutting edge motif doesn’t work with the white and orange, even though I like the color scheme. It had potential for an A scheme, but the poor execution takes it down to a B-.

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Mass Markets Toyota Camry-The only thing keeping this scheme above a D grade is the color scheme. Other than that, I can’t say anything good on this scheme. The design is over done and horrible. I’ll be generous and give it a C-.

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-August 6, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Olympics Chevy SS-Reversing colors on a paint scheme can work, but this one just missed. I think that it would be better with the Olympics and a Patriotic theme. It’s not horrific though, and looks decent so I’ll give it a B-.

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Mycogen Seeds Chevy SS-The color scheme works well, but the design doesn’t work with the color scheme. If I was doing a field motif, green and brown would work, but this just looks odd. Again, like the Olympic scheme, it isn’t awful, and I’ll give it a B-.

Regan Smith #7 Mario Fiore Teddy Bear Pools Chevy SS-I’m a sucker for a great throwback, and this is a great throwback. It’s an obscure one, but it works well. I don’t understand naming a business “Teddy Bear Pools” but I’ll ignore it. A.

Denny Hamlin #11 FedEx Chevy SS-The team allowed Denny to design his own car for the Coke Zero 400, and it’s obvious he had some help. This scheme is bad for a number of reasons. First, the hood logo should match the red, not the white. Second, it looks like the team used SportClips for the basis. Third, it might not be the greatest idea to drive an all black car, with an all-black firesuit in Florida in July. It’s an overused look, that just didn’t work. The color scheme is decent, so I will give it a D-.

Tony Stewart #14 Haas Automation Chevy SS-The fade could be a bit more pronounced, but it’s still a great scheme. A-.

Tony Stewart #14 Mobil 1/Chevy Summer Selldown Chevy SS-Same as Mobil 1, same A grade.

Clint Bowyer #15 5 Hour Energy/Knoxville Nationals Chevy SS-Same scheme as 5-Hour Energy, same A grade.

Greg Biffle #16 KFC Ford Fusion-I think the names on a race car trope is getting a bit out of hand, but that is my only complaint about this otherwise great KFC scheme. A-.

Greg Biffe #16 NESN Fuel Ford Fusion-NESN’s color scheme is great, but the designs are overused, and need some simplifying. It could work, better with a smoother design, but it’s not horrific. I give it a B-.

Carl Edwards #19 Arris Tony Stewart Throwback Toyota Camry-The Tony Stewart tribute is a great idea on paper, and in practice it works perfectly. It’s a great throwback, and since the color scheme is identical, it works very well. A.

Carl Edwards #19 SportClips Toyota Camry-Same as Denny Hamlin’s #11, same C grade.

Matt Kenseth #20 DeWalt/Flexvolt Toyota Camry-Get rid of DeWalt, and it would be an A scheme, but with the two different color and design schemes clashing, it takes an A grade down to a C-. The two different schemes by themselves work, but the combo doesn’t.

Ryan Blaney #21 Quicklane/Trading One Uniform For Another Ford Fusion-Replacing the traditional Wood Brothers red roof with a light blue one was a bold move, but I have to say that it looks really good. It doesn’t look like it would work, but it works perfectly. A

Ryan Blaney #21 Motorcraft Throwback Ford Fusion-Even for The Wood Brothers, this is an amazing scheme! I love a great throwback, and I think this might be the best throwback of the year. I can’t give it anything but an A.

David Ragan #23 Dr. Pepper Throwback Toyota Camry-Granted it’s more of a cop out of a throwback scheme, but it’s not terrible. I wish that Dr. Pepper and BK Racing would work a little harder with the scheme. Still it’s not a bad scheme, and it’s worth a B+.

David Ragan #23 Flaming Leprechaun Toyota Camry-Black with dark red flames could be hit or miss, and this is a hit. It works well, and looks good. Nothing wrong here. A

David Ragan #23 Brandies Machinery Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

David Ragan #23 Dr. Pepper/USA Network Toyota Camry-Same basic scheme as Dr. Pepper, same A grade.

Chase Eliott #24 NAPA Patriotic Chevy SS-It could work as a patriotic scheme, but it’s overdone, and it needs work. If the white roof was eliminated, and the patriotic elements condensed, it would work better, but as of right now, it earns a C+.

Paul Menard #27 Menard’s/Sylvania Chevy SS–I’ve had a lot of good things to say about the Menard’s Template, but that ends with this scheme. The orange does not work with the yellow, and the whole car just looks awful. I can’t pass this scheme, so I’ll give it an F.

Paul Menard #27 Valvoline Throwback Chevy SS-While I like throwback schemes for the most part, this scheme just doesn’t work. Based on Al Unser’s 1993 Daytona 500 scheme, this is one of those instances where the color scheme is mediocre, that silver is just not good, and a design that just doesn’t work. As much as I get what was trying to be done, it was based on a terrible scheme in its first incarnation, and I have to give it an F.

Bobby Labonte #32 One Orlando Ford Fuson–Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Eddie McDonald #32 Bentley’s Saloon Ford Fusion-New sponsor for 2016, orange, red, silver, and black with a series of modern designs up sides. F

Jeb Burton #32 Erie Insurance Ford Fusion-My only complaint is that the wave form is a bit overdone, which messes up the whole look. Other than that, its not a bad scheme at all, if not for being a tad overdone. B+

Kyle Larson #42 Energizer Chevy SS-It’s a decent scheme, but if the white were replaced by black, I would like it more. The design looks forced, and it doesn’t work as well. I’ll give it a C-.

Brian Scott #44 Shaw’s/Heinz Ford Fusion-Same scheme as Alberston’s, same A grade.

Michael Annett #46 St Jude’s Hospital Chevy SS-The silver background doesn’t work, but changing it to white would work very well. Other than that, it’s a really good scheme. B+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger/Outshine/Drumstick Chevy SS-Same scheme as Kroger, same A grade.

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger/Clorox/Scott Chevy SS-Same scheme as Kroger, same A grade.

AJ Allmendinger #47 Scott’s Chevy SS-Same scheme as Kroger, same A grade.

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s/Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevy SS-The black with stars works very well, but why in the world would you go with that door design? That design is just awful. Above and beyond that, why would you have nearly invisible stars on the sides and hood? It just looks awful! I give it an F.

Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe’s Red Vest Chevy SS-Rather than replacing the blue elements with red, as in 2015, there was a whole new design for 2016, which is overdone, and just looks odd. I’m not sure what they were going for, but they missed. It’s ugly and confusing, and has earned an F.

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Anest Iwata Toyota Camry-Its a simple design, with a great color scheme, and it has a smooth look. I give it an A.

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Orange Crush Throwback Toyota Camry-Orange and blue can be hit or miss, depending on what shades are used, but this design, and this color scheme works very well, and earns an A

Matt DiBenedetto #83 Science Logic Toyota Camry-It’s never a good sign when I can compare a paint scheme to cheap hotel carpeting, but for this scheme, its spot on. The only thing giving this scheme a D+ is a good color scheme.

Ty Dillon #95 Chevy Summer Selldown Chevy SS-It could be better when it comes to the design, sunburst is finicky on race cars. The color scheme is great, so I’ll give it an B-.

Michael McDowell #95 Thrivent Financial Richard Childress Throwback Chevy SS-It’s a great throwback, and it is very faithful to the original. It can’t get any grade less than an A.

Cole Whitt #98 Speed Stick Reversed Chevy SS-As shown with the Olympic Dow scheme above, reversing the colors doesn’t always work. But this scheme shows that it can. Silver looks good as a background, and the blue works well. It earns an A.

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-July 2, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Austin Dillon #3 Dow/Utility Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Austin Dillon #3 NRA Museum Chevy SS-Like everything else in life, patriotic schemes work when they aren’t overdone. This one is much too overdone. It’s not good, and the black background doesn’t do this scheme any favors. F

Kasey Kahne #5 Great Clips Chevy SS-For the first time in a while, Great Clips has a good looking scheme! The red and blue work well, the car is well designed, and the scheme earns an A

Regan Smith #7 Advance Auto Parts/Quaker State Chevy SS-It’s a bold look. The stripe fade motif works well, and the color scheme is really good. I like this, and am going to give it an A.

Tony Stewart #14 Bass Pro Shops Ducks Unlimited Chevy SS-I rarely do this, but I’m going to waive the “camo is an automatic one grade deduction” rule, because this scheme is actually not bad. In fact, the removal of orange works much better. My only issue with this scheme is that there is a little too much camo. But still, it earns a B-.

David Ragan #23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry-Same scheme as black Dr. Pepper, but with Frontline on decklid, same A grade.

Ryan Newman #31 Florida Lottery Chevy SS-The teal looks good, the orange looks decent, and that’s the only good thing I could say about this scheme. The design scheme is AWFUL! It’s overdone, and ugly! If the black was replaced by something lighter, then I could give it something higher than the D I’m giving it.

Jeffery Earnhardt #32 Keen Parts Dale Earnhardt Throwback Ford Fusion-This is a great throwback, and if I have to explain why, then I give up! A

Chris Buescher #34 Love’s Truck Support The Troops Ford Fusion-Same scheme as last year, same F grade.

Landon Cassill #38 Taco Bell Ford Fusion-I would have kept this scheme higher, if not for the door numbers. I like the scheme as a whole, but in this picture, the door numbers are very hard to see. It just looks bad, and it takes an A scheme down to a B+.

Michael Annett #46 Pilot/Flying J Chevy SS-It’s a good scheme to begin with, and the patriotic motif is bold, but not overdone, and the end result is an A grade.

Reed Sorenson #55 Royal Teak Toyota Camry-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Cole Whitt #98 RTIC Coolers Chevy SS-Same scheme as black RTIC, same A grade.

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-June 25, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Kevin Harvick #4 Mobil 1 Chevy SS-Same scheme as Mobil 1 #14, Same A grade.

Greg Biffle #16 Kleen Performance Plus Motor Oil Ford Fusion-Good color scheme, black looks good, and the silver, yellow, and white works well. The design is mediocre at best. The “cutting edge” design is over and done, and just looks blah. It averages out to a B- .

Ryan Newman #31 Grainger Chevy SS-White works a lot better than green for the Grainger scheme. This scheme just looks better, and it earns an A+ as a result.

Brian Scott #44 Albertsons’/Blu Emu Ford Fusion-Same scheme as Albertson’s, same A grade.

AJ Allmendinger #47 Kroger/Crisco/Hungry Jack Chevy SS-Same scheme as Kroger, same A grade.

AJ Allmendinger #47 Ralph’s/Kingsford Chevy SS-Same scheme as Kroger, same A grade.

Cole Whitt #55 Vydrox Plus Chevy SS-Same scheme as #98 Vydrox Plus, same A grade.

Cody Ware #55 Carport Empire Chevy SS-The design could be seen as a tad overdone, but it’s not tht much, and the color scheme is great, so I give it an A.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 Axalta/University of Michigan Chevy SS-Michigan has a really good color scheme, and a really unique helmet design, and they translate very well to Dale’s car. This scheme works well, and deserves an A+.

Dylan Lupton #93 Bell Brothers/Elk Grove Toyota Toyota Camry-The color scheme as a whole is decent, but the design looks like they took the ugly door design, and expanded it to the entire car. It just looks bad. C-

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-June 11, 2016

By David G. Firestone

Austin Dillon #3 Dow Patriotic Chevy SS-I like the curve up the side, a-la Clint Bowyer, but the filling of stars does not look good. If it were a bit more subdued I could get more into it. Other that that, its a decent design, though I would prefer white as opposed to silver as the background color. C+

Kevin Harvick #4 Outback Bloomin’ Monday Chevy SS-This wasn’t a great scheme to begin with, The white hood and roof design clashes with the rest of the car. The car looks like it was designed by two different people, and thoses designs are never good. I can’t give this scheme anything but an F.

Aric Almirola #43 STP Throwback Ford Fusion-I am a sucker for a great throwback, and since this is a throwback to the 1919 Daytona 500, this is a great throwback. It doesn’t deserve anything less than an A+

Brian Scott #44 Albertson’s/Devour Ford Fusion-Same basic scheme as Albertson’s, same A+ grade.

AJ Allmendinger #47 Bush’s Grilling Beans Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Ty Dillon #95 Nexteer Chevy SS-Curves up the sides of cars are hit or miss, this one is a hit. The design scheme is great, and the color scheme works well. I give it an A+.

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Scheme Grades-June 4, 2016

 

By David G. Firestone

Austin Dillon #3 Dow/StemAmbasadors Chevy SS-Same scheme as Dow, same B+ grade.

Danica Patrick #10 Nature’s Bakery/Fox Sports Go Chevy SS-New scheme for 2016, same as Nature’s Bakery, but with Fox Sports Go on quarter panels. A+

Joey Logano #22 Shell Throwback Chevy SS-I didn’t really like this scheme the first time around, and the lack of accuracy in terms of the Pennzoil logos takes it from a B+ down to a B-

David Ragan #23 Weaver Media Toyota Camry– While I do like the color scheme and paper motif, I think they overdid the paper motif. I’m willing to give it a B+, since it is a decent scheme.

Ryan Newman #31 Kalahari Resorts Chevy SS-The color scheme is good, but the design scheme is horrid. The background color is good, but the stripes up the sides are awful, and the needless addition of red on the stripes doesn’t do the scheme a lot of favors. The good and the bad average out to give this scheme a C-.

Jeb Burton #32 Rocky Ridge Custom Trucks Ford Fusion-Not the best scheme I’ve seen, but the new mountain design is a much needed improvement on the old design. I give it a B+

Jeffery Earnhardt #32 Can Am Ford Fusion-This is a much needed improvement over the old scheme. It looks great, and looks amazing. It has great color and designs schemes, and has earned an A+.

Brian Scott #44 Medallion Bank Ford Fusion-One of the worst schemes from last year is now one of the best schemes this year. I like the shade of yellow they used, and the checkered flag pattern looks really good too. I give it an A+

AJ Allmendinger #47 Bush’s Grilling Beans Chevy SS-Same scheme as last year, same A grade.

Ty Dillon #95 BVT/Blake’s Snow Shack Chevy SS-The white stripes don’t look good, and the Blake’s logo contrasts with the design, and looks forced on. Still, it’s not that bad of a scheme, so I’ll give it a B+.

Cole Whitt #98 Carolina Skiff/Fun Chaser Chevy SS-No complaints about this one! Great color and design schemes will always earn an A+.