Trackhouse Racing, Coca Cola will throwback to Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jr. 1998 paint schemes at Darlington Cup race

 

Trackhouse Racing

    Coca Cola, along with Trackhouse Racing, will be turning back the time clock for the 2022 Darlington Throwback race. Both the No. 1 and 99 Chevrolet Camaros, driven by Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez, will have a primary sponsorship from the Coca Cola Company.

“We wanted to do something that honors the legacy of the sport, recognizes our valued partners at Trackhouse Racing and something that fans can get behind,” said Trackhouse Founder and Owner Justin Marks. “We think this is the right combination marrying the history of the Earnhardt's who are both (NASCAR) Hall of Famers, acknowledging our support from Coke and Chevrolet, plus supporting the fans excitement for Throwback Weekend in Darlington.”

Trackhouse Racing, in its second year, has visited victory lane twice in 2022 with Chastain winning at Circuit of the Americas on March 27th and at Talladega Superspeedway on April 24th. Suárez has led the ninth most laps of any driver this season.

Marks made an appearance on the “Dale Jr. Download” podcast Tuesday afternoon to surprise Earnhardt Jr. with a video of the two paint schemes.

These paint schemes, originally ran in 1998 by Dale Earnhardt and his son, Dale Jr. in a non-points-paying race in Japan. The NASCAR Winston Cup Series, after the regular season championship had been completed, in 1997 and 1998, had traveled half-way across the globe to race in a yearly exhibition race at the Twin Ring Motegi located in Japan. In 1996, NASCAR made their first-ever race in Japan at a road course known as the Suzuka Circuit. Thus, launching a 3-year attempt at a NASCAR stock car race overseas.

Dale Jr. said lining up the same sponsor after 24-years, with identical paint schemes, fonts and manufacturer for two cars are like all the planets aligning or the arrival of Haley’s Comet that appears around every 75 years.

“This is such a special thing. I don’t know if you will ever have all this line up like this again,” said Dale Jr. who admitted he is partial to the No. 1 car – the car he drove in Japan. “The No. 1 is the car. That’s the car I drove. It almost takes my breath away."

“This is an honor for me. I am very touched,” Dale Jr. continued. “It’s going to make a lot of Earnhardt fans very happy to see both cars out on the racetrack. (Trackhouse Racing) has been knocking out of the park on performance so I am sure they are going to be up front. for a lot of the fans to see on television.”

Dale Earnhardt piloted a red No. 3 Richard Childress Racing entry, while the younger Earnhardt drove a black No. 1 entry for his father's organization: Dale Earnhardt, Inc. The No. 1 featured Coca Cola's "Polar Bear", something that will return after a 24-year hiatus. However, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was not originally planned to race at Japan.

Then NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Dale Jr.’s debut at Twin Ring Motegi in 1998 came in the No. 1 car that Steve Park campaigned that season for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Park had tested the car but an accident at Homestead-Miami Speedway that month meant Dale Jr. took to the track in Japan with no testing laps.

So, for this weekend's Darlington Throwback weekend, Ross Chastain will drive a car adorned to look like Dale Earnhardt, Jr's. 1998 Coca-Cola "Polar Bear" paint scheme. It being very fitting, as Chastain now drives the No. 1 car on a full-time basis. The No. 99 car driven by Daniel Suárez will represent the old "Coca Cola Racing" car driven by the elder Earnhardt, with old button-style logo on the hood. Both Trackhouse racing cars will have a Chevrolet "Bowtie" above the nose, where the old Monte Carlo stock cars would have the outline of the "Bowtie" directly above the grille.

The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Darlington Throwback race will take place on Sunday, May 8th. Live television coverage will begin at 3:30 PM EST on FOX Sports 1.

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