We’ve made it. My favorite week on the NASCAR schedule — throwback weekend.
This year is bringing some heaters to the plate, too, especially on the NASCAR Xinity Series side of things, and as your purveyor of all commentary Xfinity, I’m happy to take up this yoke for your amusement.
Let’s ride.
5. Matt Mills – Herbie Scheme
Oh, yeah.
Everyone’s favorite Beetle is taking on Dover Motor Speedway. Matt Mills and Emerling Gase Motorsports are bringing everyone’s favorite early 2000’s library class period movie character to life this weekend with this crisp scheme.
The actual scheme from the movie lends itself to a fantastic racing scheme on any platform, but the red, white and blue stripes just lend themselves so well to a stock car that it can’t be ignored. I designed this same car in every NASCAR video game I could, and now, I finally get to see it on track.
Thanks, Matt. This is a win for the kid in all of us.
4. Jeremy Clements – Geoff Bodine tribute
Jeremy Clements Racing is throwing it back to one of the greatest to ever sit behind the wheel — Geoff Bodine’s 1985-1989 Levi Garrett ride. I, personally, am never a huge fan of yellow race cars. They look like safety cars or track equipment to me, but this two-tone scheme has enough old school punch-you-in-the-face swagger to make any race fan get rowdy.
My favorite detail here is the star on the side. Despite the obviously different sponsors, Clements and his team have put together one heck of a throwback with that specific piece, and it makes the car for me.
3. Sage Karam – CRC Chemicals throwback
Alpha Prime Racing did not come to play around. Oh my goodness. The crisp lines stretching from the cowl back to the spoiler. The simple color scheme and the fast shapes. This is gorgeous, and I had to grit my teeth only putting it at No. 3 on my list. (Also, the old school APR logo? Crisp.)
2. Brett Moffitt – Tim Richmond throwback
I dare you to tell me that gold doesn’t make cars go faster. Please. I’ll simply point to this No. 25 1986/’87 Tim Richmond throwback that Brett Moffitt is running this weekend and let you argue with that.
The blocky numbers remind me of some of the great Wood Brothers Racing schemes we’ve seen throughout the years and should remind us all of a time where cars just straight up looked better. If only they could toss chrome wheels on this one. Great job AM Racing and Moffitt.
1. Ryan Ellis – Kevin Harvick, Goodwrench throwback
Sweet Baby Jesus. It has silver wheels. It’s in the right font. It’s got the right shape. It’s beautiful. Ryan Ellis, Alpha Prime and KeenParts.com came together for this beautiful Quicksilver throwback to Kevin Harvick’s iconic 2005 scheme, and did they ever nail it.
If this thing rolls out on the track this weekend with those same silver wheels, I might shed a few tears of joy.
Those aren’t the only teams throwing it way back this weekend, but they are my absolute favorites. If you have more, tweet them to me @tanner_marlar. Let’s have a throwback weekend, race fans.
About the author
Tanner Marlar is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated’s Cowbell Corner, an AP Wire reporter, an award-winning sports columnist and talk show host and master's student at Mississippi State University. Soon, Tanner will be pursuing a PhD. in Mass Media Studies. Tanner began working with Frontstretch as an Xfinity Series columnist in 2022.
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