Ever since its’ inception in 2015, NASCAR teams have embraced the idea of “throwback weekend.” With that has come a slew of incredible paint schemes to commemorate moments in NASCAR history.
The question then becomes, which ones are the best? We at Daily Downforce have the top 10 best throwback schemes in the history of throwback weekend overt he first eight seasons (2015-2022) of throwback weekend.
One of the best and very few surprise paint scheme reveals in NASCAR history came from Dale Earnhardt who drove a silver car in the All-Star race in 1995. Austin Dillon brought the scheme back for the 2018 Southern 500, and it was just as beautiful as in 1995.
Throwing back to Dale Earnhardt is always going to strike a nerve. However, on a day that tributes great paint schemes, throwing it back to a scheme that was a story in and of itself is a great way to throw it back.
The Pennzoil scheme is one of the most iconic color schemes in NASCAR particularly of the last 25 years or so. Sure, Steve Park did not have a hall-of-fame type career, but his paint scheme was iconic. It also was a scheme he drove to his iconic Rockingham win in 2001.
As pure looks go, this is, personally, my favorite version of the Pennzoil scheme. Add to it the significance it has to Northeast racing fans with Logano being from Connecticuit and Park from New York, it is a cool scheme.
To celebrate the 25th season for Joe Gibbs Racing, they threw it back to the original Joe Gibbs Racing paint scheme. Dale Jarrett put the team on the map in this scheme thanks to iconic moments such as the 1993 Daytona 500.
This scheme simply looks awesome. The green and black Interstate Batteries colors are at iconic as they are beautiful. I would argue it is the best iteration of the Interstate Batteries car.
In 2020, Hendrick Motorsports paid tribute to arguably their greatest driver, Jimmie Johnson. All three of Johnson’s teammates ran throwback schemes with Bowman and Elliot donning the iconic blue, silver, and black with the neon yellow numbers.
While yes they are different schemes, they are both cut from the same cloth as they were paying tribute to the same driver from the same era. Therefore, I counted it as one entry. The blue Lowe’s colors are forever entwined with Jimmie Johnson.
I will freely admit that some personal bias does apply here, as someone who grew up a Jeff Gordon fan. However, this was a scheme that Gordon had a tremendous amount of success in. He won his fourth Cup Series Championship in 2001, his third Daytona 500 in 2005, and set a Cup Series record with 30 top-ten finishes in 2007.
While it is not the Rainbow Warriors scheme of the 1990s, those who came to NASCAR during its’ boom during the 2000s remember Jeff Gordon for running this paint scheme. Plus it is simply a sleek look with the red flames combining with the blue accents.
There are plenty of Rusty Wallace throwbacks that Brad Keselowski ran while he was with Roger Penske. However, throwing it back to the scheme that Wallace had in his best season with Penske takes the cake of those.
The scheme still looks good even to this day. Sure the “Blue Deuce” was iconic for its’ own reasons, but the gold and black has a throwback look to it as it is. It’s the type of color scheme that was used on many NASCAR cars throughout the years. A perfect color palate for throwback weekend.
On the original throwback weekend, Kyle Larson threw it back to one of the 42’s best drivers. Kyle Petty enjoyed his best seasons in the Mello Yello car with two fifth place points finishes in 1992 and 1993.
The reason this scheme gets a nod is not only because of the beauty of the scheme, but also the use of original logos. Whenever original logos are used, it makes the throwback schemes that much more cool. Especially for more niche schemes like this with sponsors that are not quite as iconic.
Throwing it back to one of the most iconic moments at the track that hosts throwback weekend will always be a win. Even though he came up on the short end of the stick, Kurt Busch still appreciates how great this race was to this day.
Now sentimental value is cool, but the unique red and silver combination is not something that has been seen in quite this way that much on the race track. Due to this, this scheme gets a high spot on this list.
What could be better than Kurt Busch throwing it back to that iconic finish in 2003? Matt Kenseth and Tide throwing it back to the car who won that race.
The Tide ride is one of the most iconic schemes in NASCAR history. Darrell Waltrip made it famous, and Ricky Craven penned his own chapter with his 2003 win at Darlington. Throwing it back to an iconic moment in the history of the track is perfect for throwback weekend.
As Jimmie Johnson prepared for this final throwback weekend in 2020, he decided to pay tribute to the other two seven-time champions in Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. The scheme combined the most iconic elements of Earnhardt’s black Goodwrench scheme and Petty’s blue and red STP car.
Combining schemes can be a risky move, but this blended together incredibly well. The symbolism combined with simply incredible way they implemented both schemes makes this the best throwback scheme of all time.
This list could be miles long with all of the amazing throwbacks that have been run at Darlington. Which ones that will be run this weekend may be added to the list, and which schemes could be run in the future that should be added?
NASCAR certainly has an outspoken fanbase. But after the 2026 Daytona 500, one fan seemed to cross a line and set off a social media firestorm. During post-race interviews, an unidentified individual walked up to Daniel Suárez, interrupted his interview with Fox Deportes on pit road, and patted the Mexican-American driver’s shoulder while he was live on air.
Described as a “guest” on pit lane, the person slapped Suárez on the shoulder and yelled, “47, 47 baby.” The clip spread quickly, and backlash followed. Media figures, including Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, called for a lifetime ban, saying the sport cannot let it slide.
On the “Hauler Talk” podcast, NASCAR managing director of communications Mike Forde addressed the matter, noting that Tom Bryant from NASCAR security was on it. “He (Tom Bryant, NASCAR security) is aware and is working with the security team. If we do find out who this person is, it’s certainly not going to end well for this particular person.” He added, “We’re looking into it. TBD if we’re able to find out if the person is. But certainly an unfortunate incident that we’re taking seriously and looking into.”
Suárez, who had finished P13 in the race, kept his cool and did not react, but the moment lit up a debate about pit road access and how far a fan can go in a space meant for drivers and crews. Following the same, NASCAR opened an investigation into the guest who disrupted the interview.
Many fans read the “47” chant as a political reference to President Donald Trump, the 47th President of the United States, while others saw it as a shout-out to Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the No. 47 car, who finished P2 in the race.
NASCAR senior director of racing communications Amanda Ellis confirmed that operations and security are working to identify the individual. Officials have made it clear that once a name is connected, consequences will follow, with many insiders, including Jeff Gluck, asking for a ban from all events to be on the table. That’s because the incident has put a spotlight on security gaps and fan conduct at races.
The controversy has widened into a debate over how pit road credentials are handed out, with reporters such as Gluck and Joseph Srigley warning that behavior like this could tighten the ropes for everyone.
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NBA legend Michael Jordan matched Tyler Reddick step for step after the latter’s first win in the Daytona 500. In Victory Lane, MJ lifted the Harley J. Earl Trophy with his No. 45 23XI Racing driver, soaking in the moment like he once did after title runs on the hardwood, and shared the celebration with Reddick’s family. But chatter took a turn when a clip showed MJ pinching Reddick’s son, Beau, and brushing his fingers across the back of the child’s legs, sparking debate online despite no sign of wrongdoing. The Hall of Famer soon found himself in the crosshairs over the interaction.
Reddick later stepped in to bat for his boss, saying MJ has long been close to his family and that he saw nothing out of bounds in the moment. Speaking with Stephen A. Smith on his podcast, the #45 driver said, “I mean, from my perspective, I’ve gotten to know Michael and his family very well over the years I’ve been here with 23XI, and I don’t see what other people see when it comes to this.”
The No. 45 Toyota driver stressed the setting, pointing to the weight of the win for everyone tied to the team, including members of MJ’s circle who were present for the milestone. He framed it as a once-in-a-lifetime moment shared by two families standing shoulder to shoulder. “For me, it’s a huge moment. This is the biggest moment of my career. It’s a huge moment for my family and for his family. And I put that off to the side and just think about how I think about the look on Avet’s face. And the whole family and his whole group when they got to victory lane, too. And just how happy and everybody was celebrating together. So, that’s where I’m at with it.”
Many simply brushed it off as a storm in a teacup, arguing the clip was merely being taken out of context. In fact, one theory floated that some ice had slipped under the child’s shorts during the celebration, and MJ was just trying to shake it loose. Podcaster Bubba The Love Sponge Clem echoed that sentiment, saying critics were likely making a mountain out of a molehill.
Others, however, tied the moment to wider chatter in the public sphere and labeled the gesture out of line, fueling online debate and prompting inquiries to MJ’s camp, NASCAR, and the team.
Reddick noted that MJ’s bond with Beau runs deep. The families go back years, with Reddick’s father-in-law, MLB pitcher Jose DeLeon, having crossed paths with MJ decades ago. With that shared history, the moment likely came from familiarity within an extended racing circle. Reddick told The Athletic that there may even be a photo of MJ holding his wife, Alexa, as a baby.
On his show, Smith also sided with Reddick’s comments, stating that the child is someone MJ knows well and cares about deeply, framing the whole scene as a personal exchange amid a career-defining win rather than something meant to raise eyebrows.
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The Daytona 500 and Speedweeks may be over, but that doesn’t mean the chaos will cool off for the stars of NASCAR’s three National Series, as they roll into Hampton, Georgia, to the high banks of EchoPark Speedway for one of the schedule’s most unique race weekends.
Note: This article will be updated as more information about the weekend comes out.
