Overview
- Organizers are no longer encouraging fieldwide throwback paint schemes this year and are shifting the weekend’s emphasis to celebrating former drivers.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. clarified that throwbacks are still allowed and said fans should expect only a handful, endorsing the optional approach as a better fit for teams and sponsors.
- Frontstretch reports RFK Racing will run Greg Biffle tributes across its entries, Ryan Preece’s No. 60 will echo Biffle’s 2009 3M look, and Xfinity’s Dean Thompson will honor Biffle’s 2011 3M scheme with Sam Hunt Racing.
- In the Truck Series, announced nods include Daniel Dye’s 1990s-style Mopar graphics, Brenden Queen’s tribute to the 1952 Cummins Diesel Special, Mini Tyrrell’s Pressley/Lester-inspired red Dodge, and Corey LaJoie’s salute to his father.
- Teams cite sponsor control and creative and Next Gen design constraints as limiting factors, and driver views are split, with Chase Elliott saying the concept lost steam and Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski still embracing it.