Daytona 500 2021’s Best Paint Schemes

The Daytona 500 takes place on Sunday, marking the official start of the 2021 Cup Series season. This event is known as the Great American Race and regularly draws massive crowds. Fans flock to Daytona International Speedway to see high speeds, slide jobs, and impressive racing. They also look forward to the unique paint schemes on more than three dozen stock cars.

2021’s Daytona 500 will be no exception despite having a smaller number of fans in attendance. The drivers will all show off special paint schemes that highlight their biggest sponsors. Though a few will also make their debuts with new teams and new manufacturers. Here are some of the best schemes that will show up during the Daytona 500.

Chase Elliott

The defending Cup Series champion, Chase Elliott is going with a classic paint scheme to open the season. He will drive with the NAPA sponsorship front and center. Elliott found considerable success during the 2020 season with this scheme, and he will look to replicate it on Sunday while taking part in the Great American Race.

Bubba Wallace

The driver of the No. 23 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing, Wallace will make his regular-season debut as the wheelman for Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s team. The DoorDash-sponsored ride features Chicago Bulls colors and Jordan’s jersey number. Now the car will highlight Wallace’s skills in a different manufacturer.

Alex Bowman

A driver for Hendrick Motorsports, Alex Bowman previously drove the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro. Now he will get behind the wheel of a new ride following Jimmie Johnson’s retirement. Bowman will show off the new No. 48 Ally Racing Chevrolet Camaro, kicking off a new era.

Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson is back in the Cup Series following a suspension, and he is showing off his driving skills with a new team. Larson will drive for Hendrick Motorsports while bringing back the iconic No. 5. NationsGuard will join him for the season-opening race while showing off a special paint scheme. 

Kyle Busch

The driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry, Kyle Busch always shows off unique candy-inspired paint schemes. He has advertised M&Ms and all of the special flavors available in the candy aisle. The Daytona 500 will be no exception as Busch attempts to win the Great American Race.

Ryan Newman

Ryan Newman nearly won the 2020 Daytona 500, but a late crash sent him to the hospital and Denny Hamlin to Victory Lane. Now Newman will return to the scene of the incident with a special black and blue paint scheme. The veteran driver will advertise Kohler Generators on Sunday afternoon.

Kevin Harvick

The Daytona 500 will be a special event for Kevin Harvick and the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing team. He and primary sponsor Busch will run a unique campaign inspired by Kevin James and the Netflix series, The Crew, the title of which is part of the paint scheme. The beer company will hold job interviews during the race as Harvick tries to secure the victory.

Kurt Busch

Kurt Busch has a primary sponsor in Monster that regularly provides black and green paint schemes for the biggest events on the NASCAR schedule. The design is clean and classic. Busch will use this scheme once again as he takes part in the Daytona 500 and competes for a win and a spot in the postseason.

Denny Hamlin

The defending Daytona 500 winner, Denny Hamlin is preparing to fight for victory once again after falling short of the Bill France Trophy in November’s championship race. Hamlin will stick with a classic paint scheme during the season-opening race, driving the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry that features FedEx branding.

Corey LaJoie

Corey LaJoie spent the 2020 Cup Series season with Go Fas Racing but departed during the offseason to join Spire Motorsports. He will now move forward to the Daytona 500 while driving the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro. Sponsoryoutheory provided a primarily white paint scheme that features splotches of color and the company’s logo.