Throwback Weekend Brings Back Memories

By ESPN

The attempts to connect to the past during the throwback weekend of paint schemes for the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway helps bring back memories, and maybe even a wish to watch those races from 30 or more years ago.

The theme for the Southern 500 this year is 1985-89. Why the track wants themes is a little strange -- it should just be a free-for-all every year. No one is going to want to do a real big repeat of what they did in the past -- what's the fun in that (especially if it could also hurt merchandise sales)?

The good news is 2018 and 2019 won't have "eras" as themes, because 2018 will mark the 70th anniversary of NASCAR and 2019 will mark the 70th Southern 500.

That should allow for some extra creativity in the already difficult paint-scheme arena because numbers and sponsors and manufacturers change. The teams truly have a tough time finding a really good paint scheme that totally brings back memories.

Here are the five that I'm most looking forward to this weekend at Darlington. It's pretty simple: I like the ones that make me think about watching former drivers in those rides.

Here's my list, by car number:
No. 2 Brad Keselowski

Keselowski's Miller Genuine Draft car is pretty much identical to the one Rusty Wallace drove.

For those who watched Wallace race in that scheme, they can see a little bit of Wallace in the way Keselowski handles the wheel.

Rusty, beer and memories. What else could one want from a paint scheme on Labor Day weekend in Darlington?
No. 3 Austin Dillon

Yeah, yeah, yeah, the sponsor isn't remotely the same. There can't be anything much more different than American Ethanol and Wrangler.

But the colors and the number style make this car. The blue and the yellow not only remind fans of Dale Earnhardt Sr., but it also brings back memories of Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning that Xfinity race at Daytona in a Wrangler car in 2010.

For all the cars without the actual sponsor, this one works best.
No. 13 Ty Dillon

OK, I'll admit it. I just like the rebel nature of paying tribute to Smokey Yunick.

I'm not sure if I'll even like it when I see it in person. But I like the idea of it.

The fact that it is a 1963 replica also is neat.

Yeah, it doesn't fit into the theme. But didn't I say I liked the rebel nature of it?
No. 21 Ryan Blaney

Maybe second on the list of the best paint scheme where the sponsor doesn't match is the Blaney car that pays tribute to the Kyle Petty victory in the 1987 summer race at Daytona.

The team (Wood Brothers), the number (21) and the blue-and-white color scheme are the same. That's enough to make it a must-see.

The Wood Brothers have it tough because they don't have their sponsor from back in the day, but as a team that has been around since the start, expectations are high.
No. 43 Aric Almirola

Much like Keselowski, this one comes off fairly authentic down to the sponsor, the colors and the car number.

Thankfully STP still has an association with Richard Petty that allows for this sponsorship to work. The car celebrates Petty's 200th victory in the 1984 Firecracker 400.

Everyone will want a photo of Petty hanging out by that car. Some might wish he would drive it just so they could see him wheel it one more time.