Big Machine Racing and Jade Buford will honor legendary race car driver Dan Gurney, with a throwback paint scheme as part of Darlington Raceway’s annual “Throwback Weekend” in May. The team revealed the paint scheme on what would have been Gurney’s 90th birthday, honoring him with a scheme designed to match the All American Racers, Inc. (AAR) livery that he ran during the 1970 Trans Am Series season.
Gurney had an incredible career across many forms of motorsports, winning races in NASCAR, IndyCar, F1 and the Trans Am Series, among many others. Alongside AJ Foyt, Gurney became a part of the first – and only — all-American duo to win the 24 Hours of LeMans.
“Dan Gurney has always been one of my heroes. I had the great fortune to spend time with him in his later years and experience his charm, wit and genius,” said team owner Scott Borchetta. “It is our great pleasure to return Dan’s iconic Trans Am livery to the racetrack with AAR & Hot Wheels, all with the blessing and support of Evi, Justin and the Gurney family. Win, lose or draw, we will be spraying champagne after the race in Dan’s honor!”
The design that Buford will run at Darlington – much like Gurney’s livery from 1970 — will feature the oversized numbers that stood out on the track, as well as the brightly colored stripes on the hood and the Hot Wheels logo on the rear quarter panels.
“Dan would be very happy and honored to see a younger version of himself drive a younger version of the old No. 48,” said the late Gurney’s wife, Evi Gurney. “The car in its colorful livery with its provocatively outsized number looks bold and modern just like it did fifty years ago on the 1970 Trans Am circuit. It was cool then and it is cool again now. Congratulations on this marvelous ‘vintage’ racing effort and best of luck to Jade and the team.”
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will head to Darlington Raceway as part of a triple-header weekend with both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, to celebrate the track’s annual “Throwback Weekend”. The Steakhouse Elite 200 will take place on Saturday, May 8th at 1:00PM / EST on Fox Sports 1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90)
