How many people remember that William Byron actually started driving full-fledged Stock Cars, not on a computer as the popular misnomer goes but actually with Daniel Hemric?
Sure, the Byron story began in earnest because of the success he enjoyed on iRacing but there is so much more depth to his journey to the Cup Series than what always gets brought up.
That is what gives the latest Throwback Weekend concept at Darlington Raceway so much potential. After nine years of throwing back, in principle, to various eras in NASCAR history, the track is dedicating its spring weekend in 2024 to the grassroots.
Every driver has a story about their rise through grassroots/local track racing that led them to one of NASCAR’s national series, and they will each have the opportunity to celebrate their ascent with paint schemes that harken back to the beginning of their racing careers. Drivers will simultaneously be able to utilize Throwback Weekend to amplify their ongoing efforts to support grassroots racing and tell their story.
NASCAR and Darlington Raceway will also showcase historic local racetracks and drivers in the region for long-time fans to appreciate and new fans to discover. Throughout the weekend, those in attendance can expect several displays and events that highlight the history and importance of grassroots racing across the country.
Darlington Raceway press release
The reaction has been decidedly mixed.
For those who don’t follow anything other than NASCAR or the Cup Series, the concept doesn’t resonate nor does it seem viable, as many of them do not even understand the level of professionalism or competition that takes place in non-mainstream motorsports.
Some say the paint scheme options would be too bland compared to running something from NASCAR in the 70s, which doesn’t make a lot of sense in face value either.
On the other hand, racing enthusiasts who follow a more diverse portfolio of disciplines were generally enthusiastic about the concepts Cup teams and drivers could lean into.
Like, people forget (or never knew) that Tyler Reddick is the youngest winner in Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series history and the youngest pole winner for both a World of Outlaws race and the World 100 at Eldora. That is a story than can be told this spring on the way down to the South Carolina Pee Dee.
Hemric himself, before winning the Xfinity Series championship on the way back to the Cup Series, was one of the most decorated Super Late Model drivers of the early 2010s with championships in the CRA JEGS Tour and Southern Super Series.
The weekend can spotlight all the ways Kyle Larson and FloRacing continues to spotlight his grassroots disciplines of choice.
Every single driver, across all three national tours, before they were racing on televisions each come from some subset of the grassroots community. If everyone participates in the theme, and that is a challenge in and of itself, there is so much ground to cover leading up to the Goodyear 400.
NASCAR itself has a partnership with the FloRacing streaming platform that it can leverage to tell these stories. FloRacing is the broadcast home of NASCAR’s regional and weekly touring series events. It’s also the home of the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series, High Limit Sprint Car Series and USAC.
The Cup Series teams own the Racing America streaming platform and media entity that broadcasts the Snowball Derby and most ASA races and can be a vehicle to tell grassroots stories leading up to the week.
All told, a snapshot of ideas can be found below.
Kyle Larson
Kyle Larson has a multifaceted partnership with FloRacing that extends to a partnership on both the Sprint Car and Late Models he drivers. Maybe that partnership can extend to Darlington with a Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 that is wrapped like the Rumley Racing Enterprises No. 6.
Chase Elliott
Before becoming a Cup Series champion, Chase Elliott enjoyed a really successful but short full-time stint in Super Late Models where he won the Snowball Derby twice, the All American 400, Winchester 400 and World Crown 300. Maybe Aaron’s can’t return for a one off but this wrap on a NextGen would look pretty cool.
William Byron
While it’s not the flashiest of designs, William Byron and Hendrick Motorsports could choose to run something that looks like his Anthony Campi Racing Super Late Model. They could use the platform and opportunity to promote the Racing America streaming vertical, which the Cup Series teams own and operate.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
The defending Daytona 500 champion is good for one NOS sponsored Cup race a year at JTG Daugherty Racing. Maybe the throwback race could present an opportunity for Stenhouse to tout his ownership stake in the Stenhouse Jr Marshall Racing team that competes in World of Outlaws with Sheldon Haudenschild.
Daniel Hemric
So this is a two for one throwback. The Super Late Model that Daniel Hemric drove for years was owned by Jake and Deanna Carswell, who operate the popular Summer Jam christian concert tour. But they first entered the sport by purchasingc cars owned by the legendary Jody Ridley. The blue 98 has raced in this discipline for decades. It’s iconic.
Corey Lajoie
It’s probably unlikely that Spire Motorsports would be allowed to run a No. 07 instead of the plain No. 7 but this is the general look that a driver nicknamed ‘Supershoe’ ran for years while trying to make a name for himself as both a driver and crew chief on the way to making to the Cup Series level. It’s a chance for Lajoie to remind everyone of his journey toward the top.
Austin Dillon
Oddly enough, Austin Dillon still runs Cup schemes that look like the Late Model designs he raced 15 years ago. There are all sorts of ways Dillon, Richard Childress Racing and Bass Pro Shops could tie into their grassroots passions.
Todd Gilliland
Now that Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick and Justin Marks own it, everyone seems to know about the CARS Tour and what an important short track series it has evolved into. What people forget, or once again didn’t know, is that the Todd Gilliland won the first ever race at Southern National Motorsports Park.
Brad Keselowski
Once again not the most dynamic scheme but there is a degree of number synergy for Brad Keselowski to lean into while detailing his personal genesis of driving outlaw style wedge Late Models in Michigan and Ohio while working his way up the ladder.
Justin Haley
Justin Haley emerged as a NASCAR prospect in a big way during the 2016 K&N Pro Series East season, driving this car for HScott Motorsports against the likes of Noah Gragson, Harrison Burton, Kyle Benjamin and Spencer Davis.
Josh Berry
This car was an absolute terror for Late Model Stock teams to see show up on any given weekend. With Speedco sponsorship, Josh Berry won track championships at Hickory Motor Speedway, Motor Mile Speedway and the CARS Tour title for JR Motorsports. The 2013-2015 era was where everyone really learned to take this combination very seriously.
Denny Hamlin
Hamlin threw back to this Mini Cup design for the 2018 Southern 500 but that was a different generation of Cup Series car. Run it back with the NextGen.
Tyler Reddick
Before moving to pavement, Tyler Reddick was a gasser in Dirt Late Models, who probably could have become one of the greats in that discipline had he stayed just based on the trejectory of racking up wins and accolades as a teenager.
John Hunter Nemechek
A tribute to the rich history of NEMCO Motorsports, John Hunter Nemechek could throw back to his tenure as a Super Late Model shoe who won the Snowball Derby, Snowflake 100 and All American 400. A neat tie-in for this weekend is that a Legacy Motor Club No. 42 car chief Austin Pollak served in that role for Nemechek in his Late Model days too. It’s a reunion.
Ryan Blaney
The defending Cup Series champion began his career in earnest in the Pro All Stars Series where he won five times against the likes of Daniel Hemric, Corey Lajoie, Brandon McReynolds, Andy Loden, Jay Fogleman and Preston Peltier. He won the 2009 PASS South championship.