The 5 best Cup Series paint schemes of Darlington throwback weekend

Darlington’s throwback weekend is always one of the most fun Cup Series weekends of the year because of the tribute paint schemes. While some teams don’t do throwbacks — both races since the throwback scheme started in 2015 have been won by cars not participating in the fun — most do.

And if we’re being honest, many of the throwback cars look better than the usual paint schemes. Here are our five favorite cars from the 2017 Darlington throwback weekend.

5. Jimmie Johnson

Johnson’s Lowe’s throwback scheme is a tribute to the paint schemes on the company’s trucks in 1986. Hendrick Motorsports did a great job matching the car to the trucks, and the car simply “looks” like a throwback.

4. Aric Almirola

You can’t go wrong with a No. 43 STP car designed to look like one Richard Petty drove. The scheme Almirola is driving this weekend is a replica of the scheme Petty drove to his 200th win at Daytona in 1984.

3. Danica Patrick

Patrick’s car doesn’t throw back to the 1980s. It’s instead a tribute to the car Dale Jarrett drove for Robert Yates when he won the 1999 Cup Series title. Yates was announced as a 2018 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee earlier this year.

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Junior’s car is also a 1990s throwback. His Nationwide car is designed to replicate the AC Delco No. 3 he drove to Busch (now Xfinity) Series titles in 1998 and 1999. Junior won 13 races over those two seasons before he moved to the Cup Series full-time in 2000.

1. Brad Keselowski

Rusty Wallace’s black Miller Genuine Draft car is one of the most iconic cars in NASCAR. The black scheme with gold trim is classy and simple; the two things a NASCAR paint scheme should be. The recreation on Keselowski’s car this weekend is absolutely perfect.

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Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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