In NASCAR’s throwback weekend in 2019, the #24 Chevrolet Camaro of Hendrick Motorsports emerged to be an absolute crowd-pleaser. It was so not for its blistering speed on the track or the final position it reached the flag in, but for the gorgeous yellow and green paint scheme that it sported. William Byron had chosen to use the weekend to pay tribute to the Hollywood blockbuster film “Days of Thunder” and the titular character Cole Trickle with the scheme.
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The car ended up being one of the most loved ones since the throwback weekends came into play in 2015. But did it have the very best scheme in Cup Series history?
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When Throwback Weekend first came into the picture, it was considered the pinnacle of entertainment innovation. The Southern 500 went from being just another race to an entertaining weekend that focused on racing history.
Byron’s scheme in 2019 was along the same lines celebrating NASCAR and its proud history. The 1990 film “Days of Thunder” featuring Tom Cruise is set in a NASCAR-back drop. Moreover, the film was set into motion and supported throughout its making by Hendrick Motorsports. Byron had chosen for his car to resemble one of the ones that Cruise’s character Trickle drives in the movie.
The best Throwback Weekend schemes that rival Byron’s #24 Camaro
The very first Darlington Throwback Weekend saw Aric Almirola cruising the track in his #43 Ford which resembled the #43 Dodge that Richard “King” Petty drove in 1972. Almirola even grew a mustache similar to the one Petty had to support his portrayal.
See you tomorrow good lookin… pic.twitter.com/3wikD9rxme
— Aric Almirola (@Aric_Almirola) September 4, 2015
In 2016, Greg Biffle and Roush Fenway Racing paid an ode to Alan Kulwicki’s ride that won the 1992 championship. The team’s #16 Ford Fusion sported the iconic orange-white colors and also the Hooters sponsorship. Bringing back Hooters sent a strong wave of nostalgia down the stands and made the scheme the year’s best.
#16-Greg Biffle will honor the late Alan Kulwicki by running a Hooters throwback scheme at Darlington #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/x7fwIuvQ3R
— Jayski (@jayski) August 23, 2016
In the 2023 Throwback Weekend, Kyle Larson sported the colors that Tony Stewart drove in during his 2009 Xfinity Series win at Daytona. The # 80 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet had a black-blue scheme that left many impressed.
Bringing the heat.
Check out all the angles of the No. 5 https://t.co/c8UD8QZHvc #NASCARThrowback scheme.
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) May 9, 2023
These schemes are just a few of the many that have impressed fans over these last few years. Going outside the boundaries of the Throwback Weekend, several other schemes like Kyle Busch’s Indiana Jones theme in 2008 and Dale Jr.’s Dark Knight Rises theme in 2012 have sent the fandom into a frenzy. Put against the 2019 scheme of Byron they sure do pose a strong contest.
