Breakdown: How drivers perform by paint scheme

By Pat DeCola | Published: January 4, 2017 76

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One of the most defining characteristics of any NASCAR race is the wide range of colors, decals and designs of 40 different paint schemes zooming around the track at blistering speeds. The blending hues create a strong visual sensation for fans, but did you ever stop to wonder if drivers' performance changes in certain car designs? The evidence is purely anecdotal, but makes for an interesting discussion. Here are statistics for competitors in last year's Chase and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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Jimmie Johnson
Lowe’s
Races: 36
Best finish: 1st (Atlanta, Fontana, Charlotte 2, Martinsville 2, Homestead)
Worst finish: 40th (Watkins Glen)
Average finish: 14.0

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Joey Logano
Shell/Pennzoil
Races: 32
Best finish: 1st (Michigan 1, Talladega 2, Phoenix 2)
Worst finish: 39th (Kentucky)
Average finish: 10.16

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AAA
Races: 3
Best finish: 2nd (Texas 2)
Worst finish: 38th (Kansas 1)
Average finish: 14.67

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Autotrader.com
Races: 1
Best finish: 10th (Bristol 1)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 10.0

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Kyle Busch
M&Ms
Races: 22
Best finish: 1st (Martinsville 1, Kansas 1)
Worst finish: 40th (Michigan 1)
Average finish: 12.86

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Skittles
Races: 4
Best finish: 1st (Indianapolis)
Worst finish: 8th (Chicago)
Average finish: 3.75

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Snickers
Races: 2
Best finish: 6th (Watkins Glen)
Worst finish: 30th (Talladega 2)
Average finish: 18.0

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Pedigree
Races: 1
Best finish: 30th (Dover 1)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 30.0

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Banfield Pet Hospital
Races: 1
Best finish: 2nd (Richmond 1)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 2.0

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Interstate Batteries
Races: 6
Best finish: 1st (Texas 1)
Worst finish: 19th (Michigan 2)
Average finish: 7.83

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Carl Edwards
Comcast/XFINITY
Races: 4
Best finish: 1st (Bristol 1, Richmond 1)
Worst finish: 6th (New Hampshire 2)
Average finish: 2.5

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Sport Clips
Races: 3
Best finish: 1st (Texas 2)
Worst finish: 36th (Martinsville 2)
Average finish: 19.0

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Arris
Races: 12
Best finish: 2nd (Kentucky)
Worst finish: 35th (Talladega 1)
Average finish: 15.42

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Subway
Races: 5
Best finish: 6th (Michigan 2)
Worst finish: 29th (Talladega 2)
Average finish: 17.0

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Stanley Tools
Races: 12
Best finish: 2nd (Phoenix 1)
Worst finish: 35th (Indianapolis)
Average finish: 13.5

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Matt Kenseth
Dollar General
Races: 25
Best finish: 1st (Dover 1, New Hampshire 1)
Worst finish: 38th (Richmond 2)
Average finish: 13.32

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DeWalt
Races: 10
Best finish: 5th (Dover 2)
Worst finish: 37th (Las Vegas)
Average finish: 15.6

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Tide Pods
Races: 1
Best finish: 6th (Darlington)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 6.0

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Denny Hamlin
FedEx
Races: 34
Best finish: 1st (Daytona 1, Watkins Glen, Richmond 2)
Worst finish: 39th (Martinsville 1)
Average finish: 12.47

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Sport Clips
Races: 2
Best finish: 3rd (Auto Club)
Worst finish: 4th (Darlington)
Average finish: 3.5

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Kurt Busch
Haas Automation
Races: 17
Best finish: 3rd (Bristol 1, Kansas 1)
Worst finish: 34th (Darlington)
Average finish: 13.12

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Monster Energy
Races: 18
Best finish: 1st (Pocono 1)
Worst finish: 38th (Bristol 2)
Average finish: 10.44

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State Water Heaters
Races: 1
Best finish: 22nd (Martinsville 2)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 22.0

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Kevin Harvick
Jimmy John’s
Races: 20
Best finish: 1st (Phoenix 1)
Worst finish: 37th (Dover 2)
Average finish: 8.3

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Ditech
Races: 2
Best finish: 1st (New Hampshire 2)
Worst finish: 7th (Bristol 1)
Average finish: 4.0

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Outback
Races: 2
Best finish: 1st (Kansas 2)
Worst finish: 5th (Michigan 1)
Average finish: 3.0

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Busch Beer
Races: 10
Best finish: 1st (Bristol 2)
Worst finish: 39th (Daytona 2)
Average finish: 16.7

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Mobil 1
Races: 2
Best finish: 4th (Pocono 2)
Worst finish: 6th (Sonoma)
Average finish: 5.0

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Kyle Larson
Target
Races: 31
Best finish: 1st (Michigan 2)
Worst finish: 39th (Auto Club)
Average finish: 14.9

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Coca-Cola
Races: 1
Best finish: 18th (Chicago)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 18.0

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Huggies
Races: 1
Best finish: 24th (Bristol 2)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 24.0

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Kimberly-Clark
Races: 1
Best finish: 15th (Texas 2)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 15.0

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Energizer
Races: 2
Best finish: 5th (Indianapolis)
Worst finish: 6th (Talladega 2)
Average finish: 5.5

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Chase Elliott
NAPA
Races: 24
Best finish: 2nd (Michigan 1, 2)
Worst finish: 38th (Las Vegas)
Average finish: 13.5

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Sun Energy 1
Races: 4
Best finish: 9th (Phoenix 2)
Worst finish: 32nd (Daytona 2)
Average finish: 21.25

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Mountain Dew
Races: 2
Best finish: 3rd (Dover 2)
Worst finish: 12th (Richmond 1)
Average finish: 7.5

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Kelley Blue Book
Races: 2
Best finish: 4th (Bristol 1, Texas 2)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 4.0

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3M
Races: 4
Best finish: 19th (Richmond 2)
Worst finish: 33rd (Charlotte 2)
Average finish: 23.25

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Martin Truex Jr.
Furniture Row
Races: 20
Best finish: 1st (Chicago, Dover 2)
Worst finish: 40th (Phoenix 2)
Average finish: 14.45

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Auto-Owners Insurance
Races: 3
Best finish: 1st (Darlington)
Worst finish: 8th (Indianapolis)
Average finish: 5.33

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Tanger Outlets
Races: 1
Best finish: 3rd (Richmond 2)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 3.0

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Bass Pro Shops
Races: 12
Best finish: 1st (Charlotte 1)
Worst finish: 40th (Talladega 2)
Average finish: 16.0

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Brad Keselowski
Miller Lite
Races: 23
Best finish: 1st (Las Vegas, Talladega 1, Kentucky)
Worst finish: 38th (Kansas 2, Talladega 2)
Average finish: 11.52

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Thomas Built Buses
Races: 1
Best finish: 11th (Richmond 1)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 11.0

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Alliance Truck Parts
Races: 6
Best finish: 2nd (Pocono 2, Martinsville 2)
Worst finish: 29th (Phoenix 1)
Average finish: 12.0

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Autotrader.com
Races: 2
Best finish: 9th (Atlanta)
Worst finish: 33rd (Bristol 2)
Average finish: 21.0

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Detroit Genuine Parts
Races: 1
Best finish: 1st (Daytona 2)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 1.0

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Wurth
Races: 3
Best finish: 6th (Dover 1)
Worst finish: 9th (Auto Club)
Average finish: 7.33

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Jamie McMurray
McDonald’s
Races: 16
Best finish: 4th (Talladega 1)
Worst finish: 26th (Kansas 1)
Average finish: 14.0

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Bad Boy Off Road
Races: 2
Best finish: 13th (Texas 1)
Worst finish: 23rd (Martinsville 1)
Average finish: 18.0

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SEL
Races: 1
Best finish: 19th (Charlotte 1)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 19.0

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Cessna
Races: 10
Best finish: 7th (Kentucky)
Worst finish: 37th (Kansas 2)
Average finish: 16.8

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Sherwin Williams
Races: 2
Best finish: 7th (Richmond 2)
Worst finish: 11th (Phoenix 2)
Average finish: 9.0

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Credit One Bank
Races: 5
Best finish: 6th (New Hampshire 1)
Worst finish: 40th (Dover 2)
Average finish: 20.8

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Austin Dillon
Dow
Races: 20
Best finish: 3rd (Talladega 1)
Worst finish: 37th (Pocono 1)
Average finish: 14.05

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Bass Pro Shops
Races: 2
Best finish: 7th (Daytona 2)
Worst finish: 26th (Bristol 1)
Average finish: 16.5

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USOC
Races: 1
Best finish: 13th (New Hampshire 1)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 13.0

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Cheerios
Races: 3
Best finish: 12th (Charlotte 1)
Worst finish: 16th (Michigan 2, New Hampshire 2)
Average finish: 14.67

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AAA
Races: 3
Best finish: 8th (Dover 2)
Worst finish: 33rd (Dover 1)
Average finish: 20.33

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Realtree
Races: 1
Best finish: 37th (Texas 2)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 37.0

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American Ethanol
Races: 6
Best finish: 6th (Kansas 1)
Worst finish: 39th (Phoenix 2)
Average finish: 17.17

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Tony Stewart
Bass Pro Shops
Races: 4
Best finish: 6th (Talladega 1)
Worst finish: 34th (Pocono 1)
Average finish: 24.25

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Code 3 Associates
Races: 5
Best finish: 1st (Sonoma)
Worst finish: 34th (Dover 1)
Average finish: 21.4

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Rush Truck Centers
Races: 4
Best finish: 5th (Kentucky)
Worst finish: 32nd (Talladega 2)
Average finish: 15.0

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Haas Automation
Races: 4
Best finish: 2nd (New Hampshire 1)
Worst finish: 30th (Bristol 2)
Average finish: 15.75

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Mobil 1
Races: 9
Best finish: 5th (Pocono 2)
Worst finish: 24th (Charlotte 1)
Average finish: 15.33

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Coca-Cola
Races: 1
Best finish: 35th (Darlington)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 35.0

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Nature’s Bakery
Races: 1
Best finish: 13th (Dover 2)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 13.0

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Chris Buescher
A&W
Races: 1
Best finish: 34th (Richmond 1)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 34.0

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CSX
Races: 8
Best finish: 20th (Michigan 1)
Worst finish: 37th (Charlotte 1)
Average finish: 28.0

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Love’s Travel Stops
Races: 19
Best finish: 5th (Bristol 2)
Worst finish: 40th (Daytona 2)
Average finish: 26.42

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Dockside Logistics
Races: 8
Best finish: 1st (Pocono 2)
Worst finish: 35th (Michigan 2)
Average finish: 22.38

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Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Nationwide
Races: 12
Best finish: 2nd (Atlanta, Texas 1, Bristol 1)
Worst finish: 40th (Talladega 1)
Average finish: 16.25

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Mountain Dew
Races: 1
Best finish: 13th (Richmond 1)
Worst finish: n/a
Average finish: 13.0

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Axalta
Races: 5
Best finish: 2nd (Pocono 1)
Worst finish: 39th (Michigan 1)
Average finish: 14.4