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NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski. Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Five best paint schemes for NASCAR's throwback weekend at Darlington

By Ryan McCafferty | Last updated 5/9/24

The spring race weekend at Darlington Raceway is NASCAR's annual throwback event, where teams and drivers will honor the legends of auto racing's past with special paint schemes.

There's plenty of good ones to choose from between all three of NASCAR's top series, so let's take a look at five of the best.

5. Brad Keselowski

Keselowski went a bit outside the box with his throwback, honoring the Castrol TOM's Supra ride from Japan's Super GT series.

Paying homage to an iconic ride @keselowski | @CastrolUSA pic.twitter.com/faPYXqJ1aB
— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) April 30, 2024

With Castrol as his sponsor, Keselowski had a choice between this car as well as ones driven by Casey Atwood in the NASCAR Busch Series (now Xfinity) and NHRA legend John Force. He picked the Supra, and it's a sleek look.

4. Parker Retzlaff

Xfinity Series driver Parker Retzlaff will be paying homage to the legendary Harry Gant on Saturday by replicating his iconic Skoal Bandit paint scheme with everything minus the sponsor.

Handsome indeed! This Saturday @Parker79p’s @FunkAway ride reflects back on Harry Gant’s historic 1991 season, when he notched four consecutive wins in September starting with @TooToughToTame. It’s an honor to pay tribute to the legends who built our sport! pic.twitter.com/OWV4s70UT6
— Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport (@JARnascar) May 8, 2024

Gant won four consecutive races in 1991 with this scheme, so perhaps it could bring Retzlaff some good luck as he searches for his first victory.

3. Chase Elliott

NASCAR's current Most Popular Driver throws it back to its former Most Popular Driver, honoring one of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s most iconic wins in the 2014 Daytona 500.

Chase Elliott throwback for Darlington honoring Dale Jr. pic.twitter.com/rgL4UT4LZh
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 20, 2024

It's a full-circle moment for Elliott, who drove for Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series that season and won the championship as an 18-year-old rookie.

2. Kyle Larson

From one Hendrick Motorsports driver to another, Larson upstaged his teammate by giving Terry Labonte's legendary Kellogg's Corn Flakes scheme a modernized twist.

Kyle Larson’s Throwback Paint Scheme for Darlington is a beauty. pic.twitter.com/ebreN1Qq5l
— Austin Konenski (@AustinKonenski) April 24, 2024

Though still sponsored by HendrickCars.com, the car is otherwise identical to the one Labonte made famous during the 1990s. It was one of the most iconic schemes on the grid during its time, and is sure to run up front on Sunday. Yet one driver still managed to upstage it.

1. Shane van Gisbergen

There was an obvious route for van Gisbergen to take with his throwback, and the New Zealand native didn't disappoint, paying tribute to another driver who crossed over to NASCAR from Australia's Supercars series.

Really pumped to be able to recreate this iconic Marcos Ambrose design for SVG!

This scheme was part of one of the most entertaining finishes in #NASCAR history! pic.twitter.com/H68Zlbi6DI
— Kyle Sykes (@ksykes_creative) May 7, 2024

Marcos Ambrose was a two-time champion down under, winning the Supercars title in 2003 and 2004 before moving to the states a few years later. He ran this paint scheme when he earned his only two NASCAR Cup Series wins, both at Watkins Glen International, including this thrilling finish in 2012.

These five vehicles, as well as the rest of the fields in NASCAR's Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series, will all take to the track between Friday and Sunday.

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