Now that the 2018 NASCAR seasons has come to an end, I chose to take a look at the Top 10 Best NASCAR Paint Schemes. I felt it was only fair then to breakdown the top 10 worst NASCAR paint schemes of 2018 as well. While Darlington had some of the coolest and most controversial cars this year, I chose to exclude any throwback paint schemes from my list as they weren’t original to the 2018 season. Although there were plenty of ugly options in 2018 to choose from, here is my list of the top 10 worst.
10) Ryan Blaney #12
Menards/Libman paint scheme
- Make: Ford
- Model: Fusion
- Team: Team Penske
Not only in his driving ability, Ryan Blaney has been making a name for himself with his bright yellow paint schemes that are impossible not to notice. Although some times fairly cool looking, occasionally Blaney will get stuck in an eyesore. Penske managed to do a number on the No. 12 Ford Fusion this year with the addition of the Libman sponsorship. Although yellow, red and green can work fine together, it was the lack of blending that ruined this paint scheme. It was like the bold-green hood was meant for a completely different car rather than the bright yellow it was attached too.
9) Kevin Harvick #4
Busch Beer Flannel paint scheme
- Make: Ford
- Model: Fusion
- Team: Stewart-Haas Racing
With a season-long sponsor of Busch beer, Kevin Harvick can usually be counted on to have some pretty sleek looking cars. Stewart-Haas Racing however, managed to make even Harvick hard to look at in the Busch Beer Flannel paint scheme. I get Busch was using flannel as a marketing scheme at the time but covering the No. 4 Ford Fusion in flannel, or any race car for that matter, simply doesn’t work.
8) Austin Dillon #3
Scooper Cat paint scheme
- Make: Chevrolet
- Model: Camaro
- Team: Richard Childress Racing
Driving Dale Earnhardt’s classic No. 3 car, Austin Dillon has the luxury of inheriting a beloved paint scheme that requires little alteration. That’s why RCR’s decision to slap a flying cat on their Camaro, with a design that looks like an outdated infomercial from a cat litter sponsor, was hard to understand. To make matters worse, this ridiculous design that looks like Richard Childress would sell his soul for a sponsor, was representing the team at the Talladega 500. I decided to start a GoFundMe with the goal of sponsoring Austin Dillon all season just to keep the Dale Earnhardt Quicksilver paint scheme he used at Darlington.
7) Ross Chastain #15
Caddy’s paint scheme
- Make: Chevrolet
- Model: Camaro
- Team: Premium Motorsports
Premium Motorsports has done a great job of keeping the No. 15 as boring as possible but took this paint scheme a bit too far. To be fair; after further research, Caddy’s is a restaurant chain in Florida so their sponsorship at Daytona actually makes perfect sense. Not to mention, their obscure paint scheme surely drew attention to their business. Hell, it made me type in Caddys.com. That being said, Ross Chastain did not look cool in his beach themed No. 15 Camaro.
6) Chris Buescher #37
Scott ComfortPlus paint scheme
- Make: Chevrolet
- Model: Camaro
- Team: JTG Daugherty Racing
If I had to list the worst color combinations for NASCAR; orange, light blue and hot pink would rank fairly high. Once you add swirls and what looks like some sort of flower design instead of something like flames, Chris Buescher’s No. 37 Scott ComfortPlus paint scheme was easily one of the worst. Although there were uglier cars, JTG Daugherty Racing managed to make their Camaro one of the least attractive to a NASCAR audience.
5) Danica Patrick #7
GoDaddy.com paint scheme
- Make: Chevrolet
- Model: Camaro
- Team: Premium Motorsports
Whether you love or hate her, Danica Patrick in the GoDaddy.com paint scheme has become as recognizable in NASCAR as Kyle Busch in an M&M car. Although her bright green cars have looked fairly catchy in the past, her final race in NASCAR was in the laziest looking No. 7 Camaro yet. GoDaddy.com seemed to have given up about as much as Danica in her final race with this boring design. I chose a fitting photo of Danica in this car because it wouldn’t be a complete Danica Patrick paint scheme without a lot of paint missing.
4) Matt DiBenedetto #32
PlanBSales.com paint scheme
- Make: Ford
- Model: Fusion
- Team: Leavine Family Racing
As I previously mentioned Chris Buescher’s No. 37 Scott ComfortPlus paint scheme being one of the least attractive to a NASCAR audience, Matt DiBenedetto took that title to a new level. With the pink PlanBSales.com paint scheme on the Leavine Family Racing No. 32 Ford, I’m not really sure who they were trying to impress. Was Plan B hoping to hit that emerging demographic of sexually active female NASCAR fans who love pink? If so, mission accomplished.
3) Chris Buescher #37
Bush’s throwback paint scheme
- Make: Chevrolet
- Model: Camaro
- Team: JTG Daugherty Racing
Unfortunately for Chris Buescher, he is the only driver listed on this top 10 worst NASCAR paint schemes of 2018 more than once. Nothing against him personally but boy did JTG Daugherty Racing do a number on his No. 37 Camaro this year. I know I mentioned that I wouldn’t included throwback cars from Darlington but this car was completely original to 2018. Unfortunately run during the throwback race that presented fans with the absolute best paint schemes of 2018, Buescher had the pleasuring of honoring the Bush’s can design from the 1930s instead of a legendary driver. Having to race against Jeff Gordon’s rainbow warrior, Rusty Wallace’s Miller and Dale’s Quicksilver, Buescher actually managed to look exactly as exciting as a can of beans.
2) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17
Little Hug Fruit Barrels paint scheme
- Make: Ford
- Model: Fusion
- Team: Leavine Family Racing
First of all, I did even know Little Hug Fruit Barrels were still a thing so at least this paint scheme reminded me of a cheerful childhood. That being said, Ricky Stenhouse Jr’s No. 17 Fusion looked as childish as the fruit barrels on the car with the purple and yellow paint scheme. While most NASCAR paint schemes try to look at least somewhat intimidating, the only thing this Leavine Family Racing Ford managed to accomplish was being eye-catching in the worst way.
1) Timmy Hill #66
Rewards.com paint scheme
- Make: Chevrolet
- Model: Camaro
- Team: MBM Motorsports
MBM Motorsports isn’t notorious for having the coolest paint schemes but at least they try. This No. 66 Rewards.com paint scheme however might have been the result of trying too hard. When a team doesn’t have a driver that will receive enough attention in a race, it can be a good idea to create a striking car that gets plenty of notoriety. I suppose that was the mindset for using green, pink, blue and black on their Camaro. Unfortunately for Timmy Hill, the result was an random cluster of colors that had no semblance of blending together. Due to this fact, I have no idea what Rewards.com is and cant help but associate that website with a hideous design.
