NIECE Motorsports driver Ryan Truex will sport a very unique throwback for Darlington this weekend, thanks to sponsor Marquis Hot Tubs, and the design’s original place on iRacing.
Revealed first on TobyChristie.com, Truex will honor the 40-year history of Marquis with a special paint scheme utilizing the classic logo from the brand.
“Much like Darlington Raceway, Marquis has a lot of history surrounding their brand and their logo,” said Truex. “When thinking of a NASCAR Throwback paint scheme it made sense to pay homage to Marquis’ humble beginnings in 1980. So, after running this paint scheme on a virtual 1987 Monte Carlo in iRacing, from the same era as the retro Marquis ‘waves’ logo, we decided to bring it to life and run it this weekend at Darlington. I think the truck is very distinct, just like Marquis hot tubs”
While the scheme itself is not honoring a driver or specific era of NASCAR racing, the focus moves towards sponsor heritage. When Truex participated in an iRacing event at the virtual North Wilkesboro last year, a scheme was crafted to reflect the Marquis Hot Tubs branding of the 1980s to match the occasion. It was only a matter of time before the scheme would find its way on the race track.
“Thanks to the talents of Harris Lue at LUE Creative, the first incarnation of the throwback scheme was born,” said Noble Hibbs, Corporate Communications Manager At Marquis. “For Darlington, Emily Butler at TMG adapted the Monte Carlo scheme from iRacing, and we couldn’t be happier with the result.”
“Marquis goes all out any time they do anything retro,” Butler said. “So, it only made sense that we bring the retro Marquis branding to Darlington this year after it was a hit on iRacing. I’ve had my eye on that retro Marquis logo for a year or two now. When the NASCAR Legends launched on iRacing last year, we felt it was the perfect time to take the 80’s vibes out on the virtual track. Who better to come up with some rad retro Marquis paint than NASCAR Throwback expert, Harris Lue?”
The company first began as “Pacific Spas”, before transitioning over to a more sophisticated look, which included the new name of “Pacific Marquis.” With the new “retro” logo crafted that will be featured on Truex’s No. 40 Silverado, the “Pacific” branding was dropped and Marquis kept “Spas” to its new name heading in the 1990s.
“You see, due to party culture in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the word “hot tub” had acquired a rather seedy connotation,” said Kerry Kurth, Creative Director at Marquis. “To promote a more wholesome image, the word “spa” was favored by the industry. The design team developed the new “Marquis Spas” logo, adding a calligraphic “MS” inside an oval, and adapted new colorways.”
Heading into the mid-2000s, Marquis changed their branding when the word “spa” became tied to nail salons and wellness retreats. The company added the “hot tub” branding back into what is established today, and currently featured on Truex’s truck this season.
“We expect it to stand out as much as our primary paint scheme does, which Emily (Butler) also designed,” Hibbs said. “Best of all, it illustrates the 40-year legacy of our employee-owned company. We’re proud to say we’ve been handcrafting world-class, American-made hot tubs since 1980.”
The New Jersey driver only has one start at Darlington, coming in 2014 during his time with BK Racing on the Cup side. Regardless, Truex is ready to test his ability once again at Darlington.
“I’m really looking forward to racing again at Darlington Raceway Friday night,” Truex said. “It’s one of those legendary tracks on the NASCAR circuit that has so much history, and I’m honored the trucks are back again in 2021, and we get to participate in the infamous NASCAR Throwback race weekend. The Cup and Xfinity guys have been having all the fun the last few years, so it’s really neat that the track and NASCAR allowed us truck guys to participate in this program.”
Fans can see the No. 40 Marquis Hot Tubs Silverado hit the track on Friday, May 7th at 7:30 PM EST on FOX Sports 1 and the FOX Sports app.
