It’s not a secret that since ‘Throwback Weekend’ started at Darlington Raceway, JR Motorsports has had some of the best throwback schemes on track each year, a trend that looks likely to continue in 2023.
On Tuesday, the team officially released its second throwback scheme for this season’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Darlington Raceway, showing off the new design for Sam Mayer and the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro.
The throwback scheme – which uses the branding of Accelerate Pros Talent – honors 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Kurt Busch, with a paint scheme that replicates his No. 97 Sharpie/Rubbermaid Ford Taurus from 2001, his first full season in the NASCAR Cup Series.
To provide a frame of reference, Sam Mayer, driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, hadn’t been born when Kurt Busch and Roush Racing ran this paint scheme throughout the 2001 NASCAR Cup Series season.
This thing is sharp 😎@sam_mayer_ and @AcceleratePros throwing it back to @KurtBusch for @TooToughToTame pic.twitter.com/4MXqXadNyC
— JR Motorsports (@JRMotorsports) April 25, 2023
Kurt Busch, who competed at NASCAR’s top level on a full-time basis between 2001 and 20022, had an illustrious career in the NASCAR Cup Series, scoring 34 victories, and the series championship in 2004.
The Las Vegas, Nevada native retired effective the end of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, after a concussion suffered in a qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway, prohibited him from competing in the final 16 races of the season.
Busch’s legacy extends far beyond his accolades, though, as he continues to serve as a mentor and coach for 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, for drivers Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace.
When the NASCAR Xfinity Series travels to Darlington Raceway, Mayer will look to channel his inner Kurt Busch and capture his first career victory, on one of the most difficult circuits on the schedule.
After nine races this season, Mayer currently sits 12th in the NASCAR Xfinity Series point standings, after recording a single top-five result and four top-10 finishes.
