A familiar sponsor will reunite with NASCAR when the XFINITY Series takes to Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, April 29.
Mello Yello, the sponsor that became synonymous with the sport through the 1990 film Days of Thunder and subsequent sponsorships in the 1990s, will adorn the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford driven by Darrell Wallace Jr. when the tour visits RIR’s spring race.
The paint scheme was unveiled at the RFR race shop on Thursday, April 20 and streamed on the team’s Facebook page.
While the paint scheme will look nothing like the paint scheme used by Tom Cruise’ Cole Trickle in the film, it is sure to bring a whirl of nostalgia to longtime fans.
Kyle Petty, who was sponsored by the soda from 1991 to 1994, was on hand to announce the sponsorship with Wallace. RFR posted a picture of the two posing with the car on its Twitter account.
Thanks to @kylepetty for helping us unveil @BubbaWallace's @MelloYello Mustang for Richmond! pic.twitter.com/G7l9afpdl1
— Roush Fenway (@roushfenway) April 20, 2017
Petty enjoyed some of the best years of his career with Mello Yello on the hood of his No. 42 for Felix Sabates. Petty won four of his eight career wins during that time and finished a career-high fifth in the final point standings in 1992 and 1993.
The last time Mello Yello was featured as the primary sponsor in NASCAR was in 2015, when Kyle Larson’s No. 42 paid tribute to Petty during Darlington Raceway’s original throwback weekend.
Wallace took to his Twitter account to show off his new paint scheme with a clever pun.
Here's "MY" Mello Yello car for @RIRInsider! So sick!? pic.twitter.com/OsrDRGjQQf
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) April 20, 2017
For now, it appears that the Mello Yello deal is a one-race agreement. Wallace said on NBCSN’s NASCAR America on April 18 that he only had enough sponsorship through the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.
About the author
Michael Massie joined Frontstretch in 2017 and has served as the Content Director since 2020. Massie, a Richmond, Va., native, has covered NASCAR, IndyCar, SRX and the CARS Tour. Outside of motorsports, the Virginia Tech grad and Green Bay Packers minority owner can be seen cheering on his beloved Hokies and Packers.
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Hopefully Bubba will pick up some more sponsors along the way. He’s an interesting guy, a good driver and adds a lot to the series, I think the term “colorful” would apply to his character though some folks no doubt will get all offended by that.
I really want to see Bubba win a race and get some sponsorship. He’s got talent and crossover appeal. He finally seems to be coming into his own now with Roush in the Xfinity series.