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When five drivers and an owner of the caliber of Ricky Craven, Ricky Rudd, Darrell Waltrip, Matt Kenseth and Joe Gibbs get in one room, race fans can’t help just hoping they won’t stop telling stories.
Thank Tide and Darlington Raceway‘s throwback weekend for bringing together this entertaining and endearing group of racing royalty.
Kenseth’s throwback scheme for Labor Day Weekend’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 (Sept. 4, 6 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) allows the orange, yellow and white Tide car to ride — and contend for a win — again.
The Joe Gibbs Racing quartet, consisting of Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards, has racked up 10 wins in the 2016 season’s first 22 races — the most successful organization, thus far, in 2016.
The iconic scheme brings back memories of victories for Craven, Rudd and Waltrip.
“Matt’s the only one who hasn’t won in the Tide car,” Craven pointed out.
“No pressure, Matt,” the other racers chimed in.
Kenseth, however, isn’t feeling too much pressure on the track yet with two wins in 2016 — at Dover and Loudon — and his Chase berth secured. But the 2003 Sprint Cup Series champion did feel the gravitas of the racing greats gathered Tuesday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame for the unveiling of the No. 20 Tide Pods Toyota.
“On a serious note, I really want to thank the three guys behind me, all legends in the sport,” Kenseth said. “I’ve gotten to race with all three of them.
“I’m a little concerned about Darlington, though. Not because of the track, but because of these guys. Ricky Rudd doesn’t look like he’s aged a day since he got out of the car. I know he can fit right in my seat and go drive the thing. So I’m a little worried about him at Darlington. Might have to bring security with me.”
“Does that mean we’re just old?” Ricky Craven asked, referring to himself and Waltrip after Kenseth eliminated them as threats to steal his ride for the Southern 500.
“I know Waltrip can’t fit,” Kenseth joked.
Waltrip joined in the jostling but also got very sentimental. He recalled his victory in the Tide ride at Martinsville Speedway on Sept. 27, 1987, the day his daughter, Jessica, was born — and the rose in a vase someone left in his car seat with a note that said, “Win for me, daddy.”
Gibbs joked that he’s the perfect person to represent the sponsor because, “When I was 5 years old, Tide became a reality. You do the math.” Tide is celebrating its 70th anniversary.
The three retired racers worked the Tide brand representatives on hand, too, pushing hard to see the Tide car back on track full-time as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series sponsor.
Gibbs said for now it’s a one-race deal, but JGR is honored to work with the brand that has been a part of racing for decades — including being the detergent that goes in the Air Titans when they wash the tracks.
Bringing back memories is the key to fans and race teams alike embracing the Darlington throwback weekends. The JGR and Tide team hopes the No. 20 will lead the pack in nostalgia as well as horsepower.
“That orange car is going to make a splash at Darlington,” Waltrip said.
MORE: Reaction to paint scheme from the legends
