There’s no time like the last week of the regular season to begin a paint scheme review series, yet here we are. In this story, I will break down the week’s best and worst paint jobs in the NASCAR Cup Series.
“Did They Wrap This in the Dark?” Award (Worst Scheme of the Week): Joey Gase in the No. 44 NFPA Chevrolet.
Before I can talk about the premier schemes of the week, I first have to shine a light on the worst design of the week, and unfortunately, the first “winner” of this “distinguished” award is Joey Gase, who’s driving for NY Racing Team Saturday at Daytona.
While I can totally get on board with the National Fire Protection Association’s messaging, I cannot get on board with the strange tan color on the back of this car. This scheme just barely edged out the abomination that the No. 20 team put out, which is saying a lot considering how generally hated the Rheem scheme is amongst fans.
The real tragedy is that Joey Gase Motorsports put out a fantastic scheme for Friday’s O’Reilly race. But this is a Cup Series review, and Gase’s No. 44 for Saturday is a total eyesore.
Fifth Place: Alex Bowman in the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet.
Bowman’s purple Ally machine isn’t a new specialty scheme, but I’m just a sucker for the fresh look that they brought to this car this year.
Fourth Place: Cody Ware in the No. 51 Super.com Chevrolet.
Rick Ware Racing is busting out a very unique scheme for this edition of the fall Daytona race, and one that encapsulates the beach vibes in the surrounding area.
The entire car was turned into a cartoon beach scene, and it looks fantastic.
Third Place: Ross Chastain in the No. 1 Wendy’s Watermelon Lemonade Chevrolet.
The king of elite paint schemes and underwhelming finishes is back at it again with a paint job that could easily be at the top of this list.
We haven’t had the chance to see many watermelon schemes in the Cup Series for the eighth-generation watermelon farmer until now. The Trackhouse partnership with Wendy’s has produced some awesome looks, but this one might just take the cake (or melon).
Second Place: William Byron in the No. 24 Raptor Chevrolet.
Byron and the 24-team have brought back the crisp white car with the red and blue flames that has become one of the more iconic schemes in the Cup Series over the years. This machine just goes hard. There’s really nothing else to say.
Sam’s Scheme of the Week: Todd Gilliland in the No. 34 Grillo’s Pickles Ford.
The hot pickle car is back, baby.
Grillo’s just gets it when it comes to paint schemes. Every single paint job partnership that comes from these dudes is top-notch, and the hot pickle car is no exception.
Congratulations to Gilliland and the 34-team on winning the first-ever Sam’s Scheme of the Week.
