Vintage camera view: 2021 Darlington throwback weekend

By Zack Albert | Published: May 11, 2021 59

Zack Albert | NASCAR Digital Media

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Zack Albert | NASCAR Digital Media

Fresh from the darkroom, the real film from Darlington Raceway's 2021 edition of NASCAR Throwback Weekend has developed. In true retro fashion, NASCAR.com's Zack Albert worked the garage area and pit lane all weekend with a vintage camera, capturing the sights and scenes from the tripleheader weekend. In loose chronological order, here are the photos that emerged from the developing room.

(Editor's note: The camera used was a Rolleicord V twin lens made in the mid-1950s at 75mm f/3.5 with ISO 400 medium-format film.)

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The No. 56 Hill Motorsports Chevrolet for Timmy Hill sits on the Darlington Raceway grid with its Kenny Irwin Jr. throwback design on full display.

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The Talladega Nights-themed No. 26 GMS Racing Chevrolet takes its spot on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series grid at Darlington Raceway.

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Jordan Anderson waits to load into his No. 3 Chevrolet with a Mark Martin tribute paint scheme during Camping World Trucks pre-race.

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The Michael Waltrip-inspired No. 30 On Point Motorsports Toyota for driver Danny Bohn sits ready for the Liftkits4less.com 200.

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Stewart Friesen smiles for the camera beside his No. 52 Toyota with a Tim Richmond tribute livery.

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A crew member for Kyle Busch Motorsports' No. 18 Toyota watches pace laps roll by at Darlington Raceway.

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Taking a break before a night of racing ahead for the Camping World Truck Series.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. happily posed for photos with his father's freshly restored No. 8 Chevy Nova racer. After shooting two frames -- adding an extra just to be safe -- Earnhardt says, "You get what you need?" We did.

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The No. 8 Nova back in its natural habitat, the backstretch garage at Darlington Raceway.

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Brandon Brown pulled out all the stops with a spot-on Dale Jarrett tribute for his No. 68 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series at Darlington Raceway.

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Michael Annett's throwback Gatorade helmet rests atop his JR Motorsports No. 1 Chevrolet during Xfinity Series pre-race at Darlington Raceway before the Steakhouse Elite 200.

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Tommy Joe Martins stands beside his Rich Bickle-inspired throwback No. 44 Chevrolet during pre-race festivities at Darlington Raceway.

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A throwback paint scheme suits the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet driven by Josh Berry at Darlington.

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Ty Gibbs prepares to load in beside his retro-look No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota before the start at Darlington Raceway.

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Heavy patina is part of the rusty paint scheme on the No. 92 DGM Racing Chevy driven by Josh Williams in the Xfinity Series race at Darlington. The design was a tribute to the late Rusty Crews, a longtime DGM crew member who passed away in February.

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Jeffrey Earnhardt readies his helmet before climbing into the No. 0 JD Motorsports Chevy, sporting an Olympic paint scheme that Dale Earnhardt piloted 25 years ago.

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Brandon Gdovic gets set to strap in before Saturday's Xfinity Series event, standing alongside his No. 26 Sam Hunt Racing Toyota with a Kyle Petty and Hot Wheels look.

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The No. 6 JD Motorsports Chevrolet of Ryan Vargas gets set to leave its pit stall, fresh with a classic Mark Martin design.

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The No. 22 Team Penske Ford for Joey Logano gets a push through the Cup Series pre-race inspection line before Sunday's Goodyear 400. The Penske Mustang's design took a page from the great Mario Andretti's racing career.

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The No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford takes its position on the pre-race grid on Darlington Raceway's pit road, styling a classic Bill Elliott look from the mid-1980s.

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A John Andretti tribute looks the part on the No. 00 StarCom Racing Chevy for Quin Houff as it sits on Darlington's pit road.

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Denny Hamlin's No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, which makes a nod toward a long-ago entry from driver Slick Johnson, awaits pre-race ceremonies on pit lane at Darlington.

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Marty Robbins' NASCAR racers were often among the series' most colorful, and Richard Childress Racing lovingly recreated that vibrance with its No. 8 Chevrolet for Tyler Reddick at Darlington.

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A Wendell Scott tribute from 23XI Racing for driver Bubba Wallace waits in the pre-race inspection line in the Darlington Raceway garage.

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Front Row Motorsports went back into the history books for this No. 38 Ford throwback to Alan Kulwicki's career.

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Another Kulwicki throwback with some pre-race pop: The No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for defending Cup Series champ Chase Elliott.

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The No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet for Austin Dillon rose to the throwback occasion with a Fireball Roberts design that dated back to 1959.

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The No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy for Alex Bowman took its inspiration from crew chief Greg Ives' driving days on a local short-track level.

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A pair of Rick Ware Racing entries roll through the inspection line with sets of the retro "Blue Streak" Goodyear racing tires in the foreground.

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A Neil Bonnett tribute made its way onto the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy driven by William Byron.

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With another in a series of Alan Kulwicki tributes, the Spire Motorsports No. 7 team fastens the hood after completing its pass through pre-race inspection.

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A nod to NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott's race cars -- "Mechanic: Me!" -- on the 23XI Racing entry.

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A bright No. 43 Chevrolet from the Richard Petty Motorsports stables honored John Andretti at Darlington Raceway.

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A vintage NASCAR logo sits near a NASCAR Salutes emblem under the A-post of Denny Hamlin's throwback No. 11 Toyota.

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The No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford awaits the next station of pre-race inspection in the Darlington garage.

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NASCAR officials huddle on the pit wall before pre-race ceremonies at Darlington Raceway.

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The look of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet pays homage to driver Kyle Larson's first go-kart from the earliest part of his career.

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The gold and black of the RCR No. 3 Chevy basks in the sunlight on Darlington's pit road.

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Alex Bowman leans on his retro-look No. 48 Chevrolet as he waits to chat with FOX Sports' Jamie Little during the pre-race show.

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Ryan Newman's No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford sits ready on pit road. In the background, Newman talks it over with Alex Bowman before the Goodyear 400.

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No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing crew chief Rodney Childers talks with Hendrick Motorsports' William Byron on the pre-race grid as No. 24 crew chief Rudy Fugle looks on.

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The No. 21 Wood Brothers entry long ago driven by David Pearson sits on the pre-race grid as a backdrop for FOX Sports' pre-race show.

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Chase Elliott chats with crew members from his No. 9 team as he awaits the start of the Goodyear 400.

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Kevin Harvick and crew chief Rodney Childers talk things through during Cup Series pre-race at Darlington Raceway.

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Cup Series drivers Chase Briscoe, left, and Corey LaJoie, right, chat with FOX Sports' Michael Waltrip, who donned a vintage racing suit from the 1980s for the throwback vibes.

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Joe Gibbs Racing drivers (from left) Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch hold a pit-road discussion before Sunday's 400-miler.

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Austin Dillon and his wife, Whitney, pose for a photo beside the vintage-look No. 3 Chevy.

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Details of the side of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford for Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell.

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William Byron takes a sip of water during a pre-race chat with crew chief Rudy Fugle on the Darlington starting grid.

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A pair of vintage racers made ceremonial pace laps before the Goodyear 400 with a pair of NASCAR Hall of Famers behind the wheel. Bill Elliott drove his No. 9 Ford Thunderbird from his 1988 championship season, while Leonard Wood wheeled a restored No. 21 Mercury on the historic 1.366-mile track.

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Brad Keselowski brings the No. 2 Team Penske Ford into the first pit stall for service during a round of stops at Darlington Raceway.

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Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 crew members check the monitors at their pit box during a long green-flag run at Darlington Raceway.

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The No. 9 Chevrolet of Chase Elliott gets new right-side tires as his Hendrick Motorsports crew finishes up a late-race pit stop.

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Spire Motorsports crew check over their tires in the No. 7 team's pit box.

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Richard Childress Racing crew members await their next over-the-wall moment in the No. 8 pits.

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No. 9 crew chief Alan Gustafson watches the late-race action as the sun begins to set at Darlington Raceway.

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The No. 12 Team Penske crew provides pit service for Ryan Blaney's Mustang in the late going of the Goodyear 400.

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The Front Row Motorsports No. 34 crew pushes Michael McDowell's Ford back through the garage after the finish of Sunday's Cup Series race.