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Most memorable Cup Series paint schemes of 2022

By Sean Montgomery | Published: 26 Nov, 2022 37
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BACK TO GALLERIES

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From the start of the season at the Busch Light Clash in Los Angeles to the championship finale at Phoenix Raceway, teams put their best foot forward on the creative front and dazzled us with many incredible paint schemes.

Bringing in the Next Gen and shifting the numbers forward brought out a new style that many took excellent advantage of.

Scroll through the gallery to see some of the most memorable Cup Series schemes from the 2022 season.

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Austin Cindric - eCascadia


Debut race: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum

This unique scheme burst onto the scene for the season-opening exhibition in LA, highlighting Team Penske's revolutionary electric haulers that brought their teams to the track. The eCascadia scheme would reappear multiple times for the organization throughout the season.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Ross Chastain - AdventHealth


Debut race: Daytona 500

It's always nice when a sponsor adds a distinctive touch to a paint scheme, seen by the sneaky watermelon nod to 'Melon Man' Ross Chastain.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Tyler Reddick - 3CHI


Debut race: Daytona 500

Simple but clean, the 3CHI scheme appeared as a primary many times throughout the season. The unique lines and bold, chrome gold number made it stand out in the field every week.

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Bubba Wallace - McDonald's


Debut race: Daytona 500

The numbers shifted forward, and the added space left room for actual images of a McDonald's combo. One of the most creative schemes due to sponsor impact ... and simply making everyone hungry.

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Bubba Wallace - Wheaties


Debut race: Auto Club Speedway

23XI Racing locked down another key partnership with a bold new collaboration with Wheaties, leaving fans of Wallace with an iconic scheme to remember.

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Aric Almirola - Mobil 1


Debut race: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Mobil 1's twist on their annual partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing produced one of the best schemes on the track -- it just screams racing in every aspect.

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Debut race: Phoenix Raceway

Ally Racing and Bowman continued their partnership with Best Friends, an animal sanctuary. Using plenty of unique colors and markings, this scheme will likely always be one-of-a-kind.

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William Byron - Liberty


Debut race: Atlanta Motor Speedway

Fans of the legendary No. 24 are always eager to see renditions of the iconic flames. Creatives at Hendrick Motorsports nailed this paint scheme, and as an added bonus, they got to see it in Victory Lane.

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Ross Chastain - iFLY


Debut race: Circuit of The Americas

From top to bottom, this scheme for Chastain and the No. 1 team is arguably the best of the year.

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Kevin Harvick - Gearwrench


Debut race: Circuit of The Americas

This scheme may not be remembered as much as some of the others, but the simplicity and execution elevate it to another level.

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Ross Chastain - GoPro


Debut race: Martinsville Speedway

This scheme was a nice switch from the team's usual primary sponsors, giving a unique look that stood out with a familiar brand. Shades of blue over black made the colors pop under the lights, but you'll want to check out the next slide.

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Daniel Suárez - GoPro


Debut race: Martinsville Speedway

If blue over black wasn't your thing, maybe you'd like a white background. Trackhouse also ran this inverted look on the No. 99 with chrome numbers and different shades of blue, so you can pick which one you like better.

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Bubba Wallace - Columbia


Debut race: Bristol Dirt Race

Columbia made a big splash with this colorful scheme, creating a car that stood out from the field through all the dust.

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Brad Keselowski - Castrol


Debut race: Talladega Superspeedway

Usually colorful and bright, Castrol swapped to a simple, sleek scheme with bold chrome numbers that signified its carbon-neutral stance and surprisingly made the No. 6 stand out.

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Ross Chastain - Pitbull Tour


Debut race: Dover Motor Speedway

Any time you get to promote your co-owner on your car, you should take it. Especially when he is a global superstar. When you talk about memorable on-off schemes in NASCAR history, this one deserves a mention.

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Kyle Larson - Hendrick Chevrolet


Debut race: Darlington Throwback Weekend

Every year at Darlington, many teams put out incredible paint schemes that take you back in time. With there being so many good ones this year, scroll through the next three slides to see just a few picked out.

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Kyle Busch - M&M's


Debut race: Darlington Throwback Weekend

With Mars set to depart from NASCAR following the conclusion of the 2022 season, a tribute throwback was one to cherish.

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Erik Jones - Petty GMS


Debut race: Darlington Throwback Weekend

Anytime 'The King' gets a nod, the scheme deserves recognition.

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Daniel Suárez - Coca-Cola


Debut race: Darlington Throwback Weekend

Can't go wrong with a classic Coca-Cola scheme.

MORE: Revisit Throwback Weekend's best schemes

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Kurt Busch - Jordan Brand


Debut race: Kansas Speedway

All Jordan does is win, evident by this incredible one-off scheme that made its way to Victory Lane.

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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Kevin Harvick - Busch Bacon


Debut race: Texas Motor Speedway

Is that bacon? Harvick could have a gallery of his own for all the unique collaborations the No. 4 team has done over the years, but let's settle for this stomach-rumbler.

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Austin Dillon - Bass Pro Shops/Tracker


Debut race: Coca-Cola 600

Much like Throwback Weekend, teams put together their best patriotic variations each year. Dillon's No. 3 is routinely one of the best but revisit some others from 2022.

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Ross Chastain - Jockey


Debut race: Atlanta Motor Speedway

Chastain and the No. 1 team waited one more week to unveil their patriotic partnership, announcing their new sponsor, Jockey, with flying colors.

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Denny Hamlin - Coca-Cola


Debut race: Atlanta Motor Speedway

As one of the longest-tenured drivers in the Coca-Cola Racing Family, if Hamlin is going to stray from his usual sponsor FedEx, this was perfectly done.

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Corey LaJoie - Summer Slam



Creative and unique, this was one to remember for fans of both NASCAR and the WWE.

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Chris Buescher - LeBron James Family Foundation


Debut race: Michigan International Speedway

Partnering with one of the NBA's biggest stars, RFK Racing made a statement with this eye-catching green and gold -- perhaps one of the most forgotten from 2022.

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Ty Gibbs - Jordan Brand


Debut race: Richmond Raceway

Another Jordan Brand collaboration with 23XI Racing highlighted one of the staples of global sneaker culture.

Note: Gibbs filled in for Kurt Busch for this race, despite the nameplate.

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Chase Elliott - NAPA/Children's


Debut race: Southern 500

Any time the series Most Popular Driver Award winner strays from his normal NAPA scheme, it makes it an instant collectible.

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Chase Briscoe - Highpoint.com


Debut race: Southern 500

Briscoe's simple but sleek black-and-white scheme was perfect to take on the "Lady in Black."

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Daniel Suárez - Aguas Frescas


Debut race: Texas Motor Speedway

Perhaps the most colorful scheme of the season, Suárez debuted this beauty in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

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Corey LaJoie - Optic Gaming


Debut race: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Any time one of the biggest Esports organizations in the world joins in on the fun, it's a memorable moment.

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Cole Custer - Dixie Vokda


Debut race: Homestead-Miami Speedway

Custer's scheme rivals Suárez's Aguas Frescas as the most colorful on the grid and a refreshing switch up from the traditional blue and white.

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Kevin Harvick - BOOsch Light


Debut race: Martinsville Speedway

As stated earlier on this list, Harvick's themed schemes rarely ever miss. Maybe someday, there will be a gallery of them all. Class of the field, for sure.

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Kyle Busch - M&M's Thank You Fans!


Debut race: Phoenix Raceway

It may not have been the race result Busch and M&M's wanted when the checkered flag waved at Phoenix, but it is surely a memorable partnership for the ages. Mars and the "Candy Man" pulled out all the stops to make this final scheme a memorable one. If you look close enough, you might even see yourself.

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Kyle Busch - M&M's Thank You Fans!



Another angle of Busch's final M&M's scheme.

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As we reach the end of the list, it's obvious that there may have been some of your favorite schemes that were not included. The Next Gen's debut season saw many teams step up their game with exciting new sponsors and displays throughout the season.

If you want to refresh your memory or revisit some from past seasons, check out our Paint Scheme Preview Archives.