SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – On the eve of Bass Pro Shops’ 50th Anniversary, Bass Pro Shops and Richard Childress Racing announced that driver Austin Dillon will celebrate the legendary roots of Bass Pro Shops and Bass TRACKER, as well as pay tribute to NASCAR pioneer Fireball Roberts, with his No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series throwback race on Sunday, May 9, at Darlington Raceway.
Dillon’s ride will sport a retro paint scheme that reflects one driven by 33-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner and Hall of Fame inductee Fireball Roberts, emblazoned with the original Bass Pro Shops and Bass TRACKER logos from the 1970s. The iconic throwback logos on Dillon’s No. 3 car harken back to Bass Pro Shops’ founding nearly 50 years ago in 1972, when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling fishing tackle on eight-square-feet of space in the back of his father’s Brown Derby liquor store in Springfield, Mo.
In the early days of Bass Pro Shops, the now-famous logo featured a leaping bass wearing a brown derby hat, an agreement between Johnny and his father, John A. Morris, to highlight both Bass Pro Shops and its Brown Derby liquor store. Six years later in 1978, Johnny Morris revolutionized the boating industry by introducing Bass TRACKER, the original factory direct boat, motor and trailer package. Although the Bass Pro Shops and Bass TRACKER logos have evolved through the years, the companies’ shared reputation for superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service remain. Though the logos have evolved, both brands remain highly regarded as leaders in the outdoors.
The original Bass Pro Shops logo (left) when Johnny Morris founded Bass Pro Shops in the back of his father’s Brown Derby liquor store in 1972, and the original Bass TRACKER logo (right) when the company began selling the first-ever factory direct boat, motor and trailer package in 1978.
“NASCAR’s Throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway has produced some of my favorite paint schemes over the years and this weekend’s race is no different,” said Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Bass TRACKER Chevrolet. “It’s an honor to work with Johnny Morris to pay tribute to his legendary outdoor brands while saluting Fireball Roberts. We’re going to do our best to channel the Fireball spirit and win this won for Johnny and all the Bass Pro Shops and Tracker team members.”
“Seeing the original Bass Pro Shops and Bass TRACKER logos on Austin’s No. 3 Chevrolet reminds me of how far we’ve come, the friends we’ve made, and the positive impact we have all had on conservation,” said noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, an avid racing fan. “I’m thankful to Austin and Richard for their continued support of conservation and our company, as well as our years of friendship. We are looking forward to making another great memory this weekend in Darlington.”
Fans can watch Dillon and the throwback No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats car in action by tuning in to the Goodyear 400 this Sunday, May 9, at 2:30 p.m. CT on FOX Sports 1.
About Bass Pro Shops®
Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”
