Darlington Raceway’s Throwback Weekend has become a fan-favorite tradition, celebrating NASCAR’s rich history through retro paint schemes. Each year, drivers and teams unveil tributes to iconic designs from past eras, honoring legends of the sport. From classic sponsor liveries to historic race-winning looks, these schemes connect past and present. This list highlights the top 10 throwback paint schemes that captured attention at Darlington, blending nostalgia, history, and creativity in one of NASCAR’s most anticipated weekends.
10. No. 11 Denny Hamlin – 2006 Carl Edwards Office Depot Scheme. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin ran his No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota in the red, white and black colors of Carl Edwards’ 2006–2007 Office Depot car . Edwards’s Office Depot sponsor livery was one of the more recognizable designs of that era, and Hamlin embraced the tribute. He later said he was “super proud to represent Carl and that paint scheme”. The throwback carried Hamlin to a win at Darlington, giving the scheme extra prominence.
9. No. 2 Austin Cindric – 1980 Dale Earnhardt Rod Osterlund Scheme. Team Penske’s Austin Cindric ran a blue-and-yellow Freightliner Ford throwback based on Dale Earnhardt’s No. 2 scheme from the 1979–1980 Rod Osterlund Cup seasons. Cindric said the goal was “to pay tribute to a legend” and to highlight the history of the No. 2 car in NASCAR. The scheme mirrored Earnhardt’s iconic paint job from the moment he won his first championship (Earnhardt’s 1980 season). Cindric worked with sponsor Freightliner and Team Penske to ensure the retro livery stood out, noting he hoped the car “stands out for fans at the track and those tuning in”
8. No. 12 Ryan Blaney – 2006 Dave Blaney Xfinity Scheme. The No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford of Ryan Blaney honored his father’s 2006 Xfinity Series paint scheme. The car featured the same number font and general layout that Dave Blaney ran when he won at Charlotte in a #19 car in 2006, with only minor color changes for the new sponsors. Blaney said he “love[d] to see what people come up with” for Throwback Weekend and that it was special to see his father’s old colors on the Cup car. The scheme was a surprise reveal by Team Penske; Blaney noted it “meant a lot to my dad” to have the family connection honored
7. No. 22 Joey Logano – 1976 Cale Yarborough Holly Farms Scheme. Joey Logano’s No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang paid tribute to Cale Yarborough’s 1976 Holly Farms Ford . The glossy black-and-gold throwback mirrored Yarborough’s championship-winning design, complete with vintage-style numbers and logos. Logano had a personal memory with Cale Yarborough – he once rode as a rookie in Yarborough’s passenger seat at Darlington – and he said seeing the scheme again was “the coolest thing.” Riding with Yarborough in 2009, Logano called it a “full-circle experience” to honor the legend at Darlington
6. No. 5 Kyle Larson – 2003 Terry Labonte Kellogg’s Scheme. Kyle Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet featured the black-and-white Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes scheme that Terry Labonte drove when he won the 2003 Southern 500 at Darlington. The design was Labonte’s last Cup victory scheme and a natural tribute for Darlington’s throwback event. Larson’s team even won the 2025 Darlington Throwback Paint Scheme fan vote with this car Kyle Larson, No. 5 team win Darlington Throwback Weekend paint scheme fan vote.
5. No. 14 Tony Stewart – 1976 Bobby Allison Coca-Cola Scheme. Tony Stewart’s No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford ran a red-and-white Coca-Cola paint scheme inspired by Bobby Allison’s 1976 Southern 500 car The design duplicated the Holly Farms/Coca-Cola look that Allison raced in the mid-1970s. Stewart’s throwback was so well received that it won NASCAR’s official “best throwback paint scheme” vote in 2016. NASCAR noted that Stewart drove a “classic Coca-Cola, Bobby-Allison inspired look” on his No. 14 during throwback weekend . It remains one of the most celebrated Darlington throwback designs.
4. No. 10 Danica Patrick – 1991 Robert Yates Motorcraft Scheme. Danica Patrick’s No. 10 Ford returned to the famed gray, white and blue Motorcraft colors of the early-1990s Yates Racing team. The throwback honored Robert Yates (Hall of Fame owner) and the combination of (NASCAR Hall-of-Famer) driver Ernie Irvan. NASCAR reported that Patrick’s scheme was named the best throwback paint scheme for 2017 by a mix of fans and Hall of Fame voters . The blue-and-white Motorcraft look (last raced by Yates drivers like Irvan and Dale Jarrett) generated a nostalgic buzz at Darlington, commemorating Yates Racing’s legacy.
3. No. 10 Clint Bowyer – 1970s Buddy Baker Texaco Scheme. Clint Bowyer’s No. 10 Stewart-Haas Toyota revived the Texaco/Holly Farms Ford livery of Buddy Baker’s mid-1970s rides. The scheme was a tribute to the late Buddy Baker (Hall of Famer) who won Darlington races in that paint. NASCAR’s curator noted that “Clint Bowyer’s Toyota paid homage to the recently departed Buddy Baker,” running a design similar to Baker’s 1970s Texaco Ford . Fans remember Baker as Darlington’s “Gentle Giant,” and Bowyer’s faithful recreation of Baker’s car – complete with Texaco star and classic stripes – was widely praised for honoring Darlington history.
2. No. 43 Aric Almirola – 1972 Richard Petty STP Scheme. Aric Almirola’s No. 43 Ford was painted in the Petty Blue and Day-Glo Red colors made famous by Richard Petty’s 1972 Dodge . This is often cited as the quintessential throwback design. NASCAR’s historian observed that “one of the most iconic paint schemes in NASCAR history” was from 1972 when STP sponsored Petty’s #43, and Almirola’s 2015 Southern 500 car brought that exact scheme back to life . Almirola even grew a Fu Manchu mustache for the event to complete the homage. That striking Petty livery is frequently ranked among the greatest Darlington throwbacks ever.
1. No. 42 Kyle Larson – 1991 Kyle Petty Mello Yello Scheme. The very top Darlington throwback is widely regarded as Kyle Petty’s bright yellow Mello Yello scheme from the early 1990s, revived by Kyle Larson in 2015. Larson piloted the No. 42 Chevrolet in Days of Thunder era colors – a nod to Kyle Petty’s famous livery. Chip Ganassi’s co-owner Felix Sabates, who originally ran the scheme, said seeing it “on track again…help[s] add to the excitement” .Larson himself said he loved the scheme’s movie pedigree (“Days of Thunder is one of my favorite racing movies”) and predicted “the fans are really going to like it” . That vivid yellow-and-black design is an all-time Darlington classic, making it our No. 1 pick.
News in Brief: Darlington’s Greatest Throwbacks Ever
NASCAR’s top Darlington throwback paint schemes honored legends like Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt, and Richard Petty. Drivers including Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Blaney revived iconic liveries, celebrating NASCAR history. Larson’s 1991 Mello Yello scheme topped the list, highlighting fan-favorite designs that captured the sport’s nostalgic spirit.
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