Will NASCAR get rid of throwback paint schemes at Darlington? Denny Hamlin thinks so

Beginning in 2015, Darlington Raceway became home to NASCAR’s throwback weekend with teams honoring iconic paint schemes of the past.

And for the past nine years, we’ve seen many great looks make a return, from Richard Petty’s Petty Blue/STP Day-Glo Red to Jeff Gordon’s Rainbow-Colored ride and everything else in between.

But when it comes to the future of throwback weekend at Darlington, Denny Hamlin isn’t convinced it’ll have staying power much longer. Speaking on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast, Hamlin said he wouldn’t be surprised if this year was the final throwback weekend at Darlington. Hamlin added that the event has “kind of lost its luster.”

“I think the Hendrick cars did an awesome job with their throwbacks. All of them look fantastic,” Hamlin said. “You’re certainly gonna recognize their schemes from different eras, for sure. The throwback thing has kind of lost its luster, in my opinion. Especially when teams are throwing back to different eras, I don’t know. It’s almost more confusing to me than anything else.

“… It was really cool the first year everyone bought in, and it was very similar to eras and certain decades. But it’s all kinda all over the board now so I’d be surprised if this goes past this year.”

Hendrick Motorsports ready for throwback weekend at Darlington

Several race teams have continued to go into the vault for throwback paint schemes, Hendrick Motorsports the most notable of them. Kyle Larson will be in the field at Darlington this Sunday sporting a classic Terry Labonte paint scheme. Chase Elliott is honoring Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his victory in the 2014 Daytona 500.

William Byron, meanwhile, is throwing it back to another Gordon paint scheme. Alex Bowman is rocking a Jimmie Johnson paint scheme that the seven-time Cup Series champion used early in his career at Hendrick.

Hendrick Motorsports 2024 Darlington throwback:

-Terry Labonte 1994-1999 Kellogg’s
-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2014 Daytona 500
-Jeff Gordon 2009-2011 DuPont
-Jimmie Johnson 2002-2005 Lowe’s pic.twitter.com/gCzgGBh6sG

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“This is such a cool scheme that’s so special to fans, it’s really a part of history. And so is Terry,” Larson said of his throwback paint scheme. “Getting to surprise somebody like that, who’s done so much for the sport, is going to be really cool.”