Because the 2020 NASCAR schedule went through big-time changes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional Labor Day weekend race at Darlington Raceway is actually the third Cup Series race at "The Track Too Tough to Tame" this season rather than its first and only event.
But the annual Southern 500 — this year officially titled the Cook Out Southern 500 — remains on the schedule as the NASCAR Cup Series' throwback race. This year it doubles as the first event of NASCAR's 10-race playoff schedule.
MORE: NASCAR championship odds as playoffs begin
Race teams for weeks (and, in some cases, months) have been unveiling the throwback paint schemes they will display on their cars Sunday, Sept. 6 (6 p.m. ET on NBC) under the lights in Darlington, S.C. The Southern 500 is one of the crown jewels of motorsports in terms of races that drivers most want to win. The throwback element established in recent years makes the event that much more prestigious.
Most teams have unveiled the throwback paint schemes they will run at Darlington, but those of more than a dozen drivers — Kurt Busch, Ty Dillon, Chris Buescher, Corey LaJoie, Michael McDowell, Ryan Preece, Matt Kenseth, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Brendan Gaughan — have not.
Below are all of the 2020 Darlington throwback paint schemes that have been unveiled thus far.
NASCAR at Darlington throwback paint schemes for 2020
No. 2: Brad Keselowski
10 years later and still going strong! @DiscountTire has done so much for me this past decade, but I’ve got to say… them making this year’s #NASCARThrowback scheme a tribute to our first season together and at @Team_Penske is pretty cool! pic.twitter.com/Cf96QDRfjC
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) August 19, 2020
No. 3: Austin Dillon
𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗧𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞
— RCR (@RCRracing) August 18, 2020
.@austindillon3 pays tribute to NASCAR legend Junior Johnson with No. 3 @AmericanEthanol Chevy throwback scheme. 🏁#NASCARThrowback @TooToughToTame pic.twitter.com/8YYr02XT3t
No. 4: Kevin Harvick
A #NASCARThrowback Darlington paint scheme for @KevinHarvick’s Ford Mustang calls for a throwback paint scheme for @BuschBeer’s cans! Look for Busch’s 1997 custom cans during the week of the race in the Darlington area!#BUSCHHHHH // #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/yUKPaodL7x
— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) August 17, 2020
No. 6: Ryan Newman
Excited to unveil the @oscarmayer throwback for @TooToughToTame celebrating @RyanJNewman 1999 USAC Championship season! pic.twitter.com/IG4cHhgiby
— Roush Fenway (@roushfenway) August 18, 2020
No. 7: Josh Bilicki
.@joshbilicki & @insuranceking_ to Honor Tommy Baldwin Sr. in the #Southern500 @TooToughToTame !
— Tommy Baldwin Racing (@TBR_Racing) August 19, 2020
“Today marks 16 years since he passed away, and I can’t think of a better way to honor him than to run his paint scheme in the Southern 500. Love You Dad.” - Tommy Baldwin pic.twitter.com/HFhCfsCMjl
No. 8: Tyler Reddick
.@TylerReddick is honoring @JeffBurton with his @TooToughToTame throwback! #NASCARThrowback #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/2IVraacZLX
— #NASCARPlayoffs on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 17, 2020
No. 9: Chase Elliott
It’s more than just another @NAPARacing throwback. We're ready to take on @TooToughToTame – 2009 style 👊
— NAPA KNOW HOW (@NAPAKnowHow) August 20, 2020
Check out @chaseelliott's throwback @TeamHendrick ride honoring seven-time NASCAR champion @JimmieJohnson! pic.twitter.com/7p7eql8ray
No. 10: Aric Almirola
The No. 10 team will honor #NASCARHall of Famer Fireball Roberts Sept. 6 at Darlington. Fireball hailed from Florida, just like @Aric_Almirola, and the @GoBowlingdotcom Ford Mustang mimics the Ford Fireball drove to an eight-win season in 1957.
— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) September 1, 2020
#NASCARThrowback pic.twitter.com/ap5tdthdMz
No. 11: Denny Hamlin
Throwing it back to 1973, the year Federal Express began and when Cale Yarborough won in the #11 at Darlington. Paying tribute to all 500,000 hard-working, past and present @FedEx team members. I've been asking for this design for a while and it's finally happening! #Southern500 pic.twitter.com/NR0VlppEnk
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) August 28, 2020
No. 12: Ryan Blaney
Very excited to run Paul Menard’s 2003 @ARCA_Racing scheme on my No. 12 @MenardsRacing Ford Mustang at @TooToughToTame.
— Ryan Blaney (@Blaney) August 9, 2020
The Menard family and organization continues to be long standing supporters of motorsports and has been a valued partner of @Team_Penske and myself. pic.twitter.com/ihW7U5sF01
No. 14: Clint Bowyer
In this year's #Southern500, @ClintBowyer will throw it back to @kylepetty's Rockingham win from the pole back in 1990.
— Lionel Racing (@Lionel_Racing) August 11, 2020
Now, the official die-cast of Bowyer's No. 14 PEAK Throwback Ford Mustang is now available from Lionel Racing!https://t.co/hvcfiCRCMv pic.twitter.com/Q3r739p4pq
No. 15: Brennan Poole
🚨Throwback Alert🚨@brennanpoole to run the ol' Red Rooster
— Rick Ware Racing (@RickWareRacing) September 1, 2020
This scheme is a throwback to the mid-80s when Bud Moore Engineering ran it with Ricky Rudd!!
RED's mission is to help keep our deployed men and women at the forefront of our collective hearts and minds #Throwback pic.twitter.com/GzLGKiesBZ
No. 18: Kyle Busch
2019 #NASCAR Champion, @KyleBusch is throwing it back to 2004 this weekend @TooToughToTame. The birth of this sweet @mmschocolate paint scheme...#NASCARThrowback pic.twitter.com/EO9AhFzt4j
— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) August 31, 2020
No. 19: Martin Truex Jr.
DARLINGTON THROWBACK!
— Martin Truex Jr. (@MartinTruex_Jr) August 26, 2020
We’ll be running the 2003 @BassProShops colors that Hank Parker Jr raced in at Atlanta that year. This car was one of Johnny Morris’ first primary sponsorships in @NASCAR, so we’re excited to bring it back at @TooToughToTame! #NASCARThrowback pic.twitter.com/HF1x39ChlC
No. 20: Erik Jones
🚨 @TooToughToTame @SportClips paint scheme reveal 🚨
— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) August 31, 2020
In an ode to Tony Stewart, @Erik_Jones is throwing it back to Smoke’s 2005 fall @MartinsvilleSwy paint scheme. #NASCARThrowback pic.twitter.com/Y85dAsk9WF
No. 21: Matt DiBenedetto
Our @TooToughToTame throwback
— Wood Brothers Racing (@woodbrothers21) August 4, 2020
A hat tip to 1963’s 500 win and owner championship pic.twitter.com/oXqBsZKNmA
No. 22: Joey Logano
No. 22 x2️⃣!@joeylogano's No. 22 @shellracingus @Pennzoil Ford Mustang throwback honors Bobby Allison's No. 22 scheme from 1985! 🏁@NASCAR | #NASCARThrowback | @tootoughtotame pic.twitter.com/4Yk2VuRaUX
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) August 14, 2020
No. 24: William Byron
Throwing it back for @TooToughToTame, @JimmieJohnson style!@WilliamByron’s Chevy will honor the seven-time #NASCAR champion’s 2013 season with this winning All-Star Race paint scheme. pic.twitter.com/vVZGXZGm52
— Liberty University (@LibertyU) August 20, 2020
No. 27: JJ Yeley
We are honored to throwback to Kenny Irwin Jr. For this years @TooToughToTame #Throwback @CookOut #southern500 @jjyeley1 @Jacob_Companies @thriv5 @Knockaround @FortWorthScreen #Mustang pic.twitter.com/TmO5oSP5Hd
— Rick Ware Racing (@RickWareRacing) August 28, 2020
No. 38: John Hunter Nemechek
.@JHNemechek and #CITGARD will honor @Elliott_Sadler with their @TooToughToTame throwback scheme that pays tribute to Sadler's rookie year in the @woodbrothers21!
— Front Row Motorsports (@Team_FRM) August 31, 2020
Press release: https://t.co/4jxOK0iCYn pic.twitter.com/sDoLVc0e3H
No. 41: Cole Custer
Rookie @ColeCuster honors another #NASCAR great at @TooToughToTame. The No. 41 https://t.co/fKx0qUF9BM Ford Mustang pays homage to 1956 #Southern500 winner & #NASCARHall of Famer Curtis Turner who raced a 1965 Ford Galaxie in his final season in the Cup Series. #NASCARThrowback pic.twitter.com/We1oUao1cr
— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) August 27, 2020
No. 43: Bubba Wallace
🚨 DARLINGTON THROWBACK 🚨@BubbaWallace and @CashApp will honor Richard Petty and his one-off 1986 ride in D.K. Ulrich's No. 6 Chevrolet @TooToughToTame! #CashApp | #NASCARThrowback | #Southern500 pic.twitter.com/qUvRZNkmjC
— Richard Petty Motorsports (@RPMotorsports) September 2, 2020
No. 48: Jimmie Johnson
Three drivers. 21 championships. One legendary #NASCARThrowback scheme.
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) August 19, 2020
Catch @JimmieJohnson and this Chevy in action @TooToughToTame on Sept. 6! pic.twitter.com/ttiPQbNFfs
No. 51: Joey Gase
🚨🚨🚨Very excited to announce @AgriSupply and I will be honoring Bobby Allison for throwback weekend @TooToughToTame this year!! Read below!! 👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/GdbpqIJCnT
— Joey Gase Racing (@JoeyGaseRacing) April 1, 2020
No. 66: Timmy Hill
FIRST LOOK 👀 of the 2020 Darlington throwback design for Timmy Hill’s #66. This is a throwback to Phil Parsons 1984 Skoal Bandit scheme. Joining @RoofClaimUS on this throwback is @AzulanaTequila and @BradshawBourbon ! #darlingtonthrowback #NASCAR #NASCARThrowback pic.twitter.com/qhs9sSSWR4
— MBM Motorsports (@MBMMotorsports) September 1, 2020
No. 77: Ross Chastain
Viewer Discretion Advised: This video contains the single greatest paint scheme in the history of the automobile, objectively speaking. pic.twitter.com/bWFj9N2mbl
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) September 1, 2020
No. 88: Alex Bowman
Throwing it back to 2006! @AlexBowman88 will pilot this special Chevy @TooToughToTame honoring seven-time #NASCAR champion @JimmieJohnson. pic.twitter.com/lj9w89q0ov
— Truck Hero (@truck_hero) August 20, 2020
No. 95: Christopher Bell
🚨 Throwback Scheme 🚨
— LeavineFamilyRacing (@LFR95) August 31, 2020
We are honored to be throwing it back to @CBellRacing truck series championship. Who is ready for throwback weekend? #NASCAR #RheemRacing #Southern500 #NASCARThrowback pic.twitter.com/Hm2SXvzMBY
No. 96: Daniel Suarez
The theme of this year's #NASCARThrowback weekend at @TooToughToTame is "NASCAR Champions... Past, Present and Future." We're celebrating @Daniel_SuarezG's 2016 @NASCAR_Xfinity Series Championship with ARRIS (now @CommScope) on board his Toyota #Camry. #NASCAR | #TeamToyota pic.twitter.com/OGbRz2Py4q
— Gaunt Bros Racing (@GauntBrosRacing) August 20, 2020
No. 00: Quin Houff
In 1936, Bill France Sr assembled Milt Marion's racing engine using only @Permatex products. He then went to win the first race at the Daytona Beach Road Course.
— StarCom Racing (@StarcomRacing) August 31, 2020
Taking inspriation from Milt Marion's Racecar, here is StarCom Racing's 2020 throwback scheme. #NASCARThrowback pic.twitter.com/AHgiU8dlRv
Tires!
Throwback look for tires this weekend at Darlington. #nascar pic.twitter.com/HKjyXVp3qh
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 1, 2020