5 bold NASCAR paint schemes to watch in the 2025 Darlington playoff Cup race

The NASCAR Cup Series moves from the Daytona International Speedway to its next destination at the Darlington Raceway for the first playoff Cup race scheduled on the calendar. The 1.3-mile, egg-shaped track is renowned for its asymmetrical and narrow design, which tests the skills of the drivers and requires extreme precision.

The track is known for hosting the historic Southern 500 race and is also known as "The Lady In Black" due to its slick asphalt and treacherous nature. With the cracking race last weekend at Daytona, fans would expect another thrilling and exciting outing this weekend, marking the start of the playoffs this season.

Several teams have introduced special liveries for the weekend. Let us now take a look at 5 bold NASCAR paint schemes to watch in the 2025 Darlington playoff Cup race:

5 bold NASCAR paint schemes to watch in the 2025 Darlington playoff Cup race

#5. Chris Buescher's No. 17 Kroger / Tree Top Ford

Chris Buescher will drive an attractive-looking car for the Cook Out Southern 500 race this weekend. The car features a dark green and red coloured livery with graphics all around the body. Kroger and Tree Top are the primary sponsors for the No. 17 team for this weekend at Darlington.

Chris Buescher failed to qualify for the playoffs and is currently ranked 17th in the NASCAR Cup Series this season, scoring 655 points.

#4. Bubba Wallace's No. 23 US Air Force Toyota

Bubba Wallace is all set to drive a special car for this weekend's race at the Darlington Raceway. Wallace's car features a special livery with shades of grey all around the body and graphics of a stealth bomber jet like the US' Northrop B-2 Spirit on the side. The No. 23 team honours the US Air Force for this weekend's Cup Series race.

Bubba Wallace qualified for the playoffs after clinching a win in the Brickyard 400 race last month. The driver faced a DNF during the last Cup race in Daytona and hopes to bounce back in the first playoff race this weekend.

#3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s No. 47 Pudgy Penguins Chevrolet

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will drive an adorable-looking car for the first Cup playoff race this weekend. His car features shades of light blue and white with penguins painted on the side of the body. The No. 47 team has Pudgy Penguins as the primary sponsor for this weekend at Darlington.

Stenhouse Jr. failed to qualify for the NASCAR playoffs this season and suffered a DNF during the last Cup Series race in Daytona.

#2. Austin Dillon's No. 3 Bass Pro Shops / Winchester Deer Season XP Chevrolet

Austin Dillon will drive one of the most attractive-looking cars on the grid during the Cook Out Southern 500 race this weekend. The livery features black as the primary colour with inserts of red and white. The No. 3 team has Bass Pro Shops and Winchester as the main sponsors for the weekend.

Austin Dillon finished 24th during the last Cup Series race in Daytona. He qualified for the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs after clinching a win at Richmond Raceway earlier this month.

#1. Todd Gilliland's No. 34 Grillo's Pickles Ford

Todd Gilliland will drive the best-looking car on the grid during the race this weekend at the Darlington Raceway. The #34 features white as the primary colour, with shades of red, green, and orange, and graphics of a pickle cartoon on the side. The team has Grillo's Pickles as the title sponsor for the weekend.

Gilliland finished the last NASCAR Cup race in Daytona in 11th place and would be back in action for the race in Darlington this weekend.

About the author

Hiten Dutta is a budding motorsports writer at Sportskeeda with a growing passion for NASCAR and Formula 1. Currently pursuing a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Hiten combines academic learning with real-time reporting experience to bring fans sharp, engaging, and informed coverage of stock car racing.

Though relatively new to the industry with 1–2 years of experience, Hiten is deeply committed to sourcing accurate and ethical information relying on trusted online sports portals, official social media channels, and live race broadcasts to ensure his reporting remains timely and credible.

Outside of motorsports, Hiten is an avid cricket fan and player. His creative side also finds expression in poetry, adding nuance and emotion to his writing style. A devoted admirer of Lewis Hamilton, Hiten draws inspiration from the F1 legend’s perseverance and determination to succeed against the odds.

As someone who hopes to see the return of the Indian Grand Prix to the calendar, Hiten is excited about the growing motorsports fanbase in India. He believes NASCAR, while different in scale from F1, has immense potential to grow globally through strategic broadcasting and marketing efforts.

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