Team pays tribute to the past and Hall of Fame legends at Darlington
CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 1, 2016) – Darlington Raceway has long been the home of one of the sport’s most famed events; The Southern 500. Last season the track launched its Tradition Returns NASCAR Throwback weekend. The platform has quickly grown into one of the most popular events of the NASCAR season, with teams paying tribute to the past and the legends that paved the way for where the sport sits today.
No other team has embraced the concept more than the sport’s winningest team – Roush Fenway Racing.
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“The retro ideas and remembering our history and the things that made us proud and got us where we are today are certainly on everybody’s mind, and the things going on at Darlington fall right in line with that,” said Roush Fenway team owner Jack Roush.
“It’s a great event,” added Roush. “To pay tribute to those who have made the sport what it is, and do it in a way that rewards the fans and provides attention for the partners and shines a light on our sport is really an amazing concept.”
With 100 percent buy in, all five of Roush Fenway’s teams will sport throwback schemes this weekend at Darlington. Trevor Bayne’s No. 6 AdvoCare Ford pays homage to NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin and the red, white and blue scheme he helped make famous during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will drive a Darrell Waltrip inspired orange and blue Fastenal Ford; a tribute to Waltrip’s 1975 scheme that he scored his first career victory driving that same year. Greg Biffle will drive a Hooters Ford Fusion, complete with ‘Underbird’ manufacturing markings that salute Alan Kulwicki’s 1992 championship season and his perceived ‘underdog’ status.
On the XFINITY side, Bubba Wallace will power a throwback scheme that mirrors Martin’s 1990 Folger’s scheme, that Martin ran as Roush Fenway began to grow into a perennial championship contender. Ryan Reed will drive a Ford Mustang inspired by Bobby Allison’s 1975 Matador that the Hall of Famer drove to victory at the ‘Lady in Black’. In addition — in a throwback to days gone by — famed NASCAR artist Sam Bass will hand paint a portion of the car at the track this weekend at Darlington. Bass also commissioned an official painting of the car, and prints will be given away via social media to fans.
Earlier this week the team held a photoshoot in front of the iconic fountain at its corporate headquarters in Concord, N.C., featuring each of the five throwback cars. The team also photographed Wallace’s throwback, alongside an original No. 6 Thunderbird that was driven by Martin during the 1990 season. Click here for photos.
For Roush Fenway, the throwbacks have not been limited to just the track. Members of Roush Fenway’s marketing and management staff will wear retro ‘70s style’ Jack Roush Performance shirts and hats this weekend at the track. The No. 16 and No. 17 crews will wear special throwback uniforms at the track, with the 17 team’s outfit including vintage white high-top Converse sneakers that Stenhouse personally purchased for the team. All three Cup teams will sport retro ‘80s style ‘trucker’ hats.
In addition, the team has also launched a robust content plan across its award-winning social channels, highlighting several moments in the team’s celebrated history through pictures, video and various stories.
Roush Fenway is also offering fans a chance to win an authentic Mark Martin firesuit, that the driver wore during the final season of his famed career at Roush Fenway.
