NASCAR Fans March Behind Kevin Harvick’s Darlington Throwback Verdict Shutting Down Infuriating New Suggestion

When Darlington Raceway introduced its throwback weekend in 2015, it instantly became NASCAR’s most celebrated promotional campaign. The Southern 500’s return to its traditional Labor Day weekend slot sparked an unprecedented wave of nostalgia with 32 vintage paint schemes, legendary drivers returning to the track, and even Goodyear tires featuring classic white logos. As Dale Earnhardt Jr. famously tweeted then, teams showing up without throwback schemes would be “like those people who show up at costume parties not dressed up.”

However, when the NASCAR circus rolled out at Darlington’s spring event, something was off. Out of the 38-car field, only 19 of them were celebrating the legends of the past. They didn’t opt for iconic paint schemes, rather rolled out with their usual color schemes. The sentiment within the garage itself was changing, with Chase Elliott sharing a controversial take on the throwback weekend.

“I think it lost its (luster) about four or five years ago. Not to be a downer, but I joked about this years ago. If we kept going down the road, we’re going to be throwing it back to me in like 2018,” Elliott said. His teammate, William Byron, also shared a similar opinion, stating, “It’s definitely run its course, I feel like. We’ve had so many of them… between 40 cars, you cover most of the paint schemes at some point. Maybe it’s something where you bring it back every few years or maybe you go to different racetracks or something.”

Now, as throwback weekend’s luster faces questions, Kevin Harvick’s perspective on participation has rallied fans against any suggestion of making the tradition mandatory. “I think there’s been a real effort from NASCAR to do that. I think that if everybody participated, it would be better. I think they should make it a little more — you can’t make it mandatory. But I would put a little more emphasis on making it preferred to come to the racetrack and be a part of the weekend.”

What’s surprising about both Chase Elliott and William Byron’s take is that their respective race cars had a throwback scheme. The No. 9 Chevy of Elliott, although not the most eye-catching, was paying tribute to Kenny Schrader. Meanwhile, Byron’s No. 24 Axalta Chevy featured a stunning silver paint scheme with flames spreading from the rear to the back of the car. This scheme was dedicated to Jeff Gordon’s last ride in the Cup Series in 2015.

Now, no rule mandates the teams to run and throwback scheme at Darlington. But, after hearing Kevin Harvick’s take, a fan came up with an idea to promote NASCAR’s traditional roots and heroes. “Should NASCAR punish teams that refuse to run throwbacks at Darlington in order to increase the chances of seeing some more top-tier, old-fashioned schemes?” A user shared this suggestion on Reddit. This thread also suggested fines up to $5,000 and ejection of the crew chief for those teams who fail to comply. While Harvick’s knee-jerk reaction sort of made sense in response to the driver’s take, fans weren’t sold on the idea of punishing the teams.

The NASCAR Nation Speaks

One supporter compared mandatory participation to “arresting someone for eating a plain hotdog at Martinsville” – a reference to Martinsville Speedway’s famous hot dogs, considered a sacred tradition at the Virginia short track since the 1970s. This comparison resonated with longtime NASCAR Race followers who understand that while traditions enhance the sport, forcing participation contradicts racing’s independent spirit.

Several comments focused on the practical business challenges teams would face. “This is a genius plan for the problems some teams are having filling the whole season of sponsorship… tell them they’re not allowed to brand the car how the sponsors want,” one fan noted. While tradition has its significance, NASCAR is a business that is fueled by brands and sponsors who like to have visibility with their identity. While teams like HMS and JGR can easily strike a deal to do something creative with their anchor partners, the same cannot be said for smaller outfits like Wood Brothers Racing or Hyak Motorsports.

Another pointed directly to contractual obligations: “Contracts bruh. Unless NASCAR is paying for that week’s sponsorship. Forcing that change devalues the teams and charters.” These concerns reflect the reality that NASCAR Race teams rely heavily on sponsor partnerships, with companies investing millions for specific brand visibility that throwback schemes might compromise. Even Denny Hamlin shared a similar concern at Darlington. “When it’s a sponsor-driven sport, sponsors are going to drive what you see. That’s the model that we’ve got, and we just have to accept it.” Of course, he more than anyone knows the uncertain feeling of not having enough sponsors on board after FedEx left last year.

Many fans advocated for positive reinforcement rather than punitive measures. “Positive feedback works better than negative,” wrote one supporter. “I can see incentivizing teams by having some kind of vote for best throwback with a trophy or something. But giving penalties for not participating seems silly.” This perspective aligns with Harvick’s observation about The Wood Brothers’ 2024 throwback to their Indianapolis 500 win, which received widespread praise. As Harvick noted, “Everybody’s got a story. And the more stories that we can put out there and the more that we can remind people of the past,” the better for the sport’s heritage.

While there are different opinions about continuing the Darlington tradition, forcing someone to participate in a tradition isn’t the right way to bridge that divide.