NASCAR: 4 all-time Darlington throwbacks we love

Cade Stout: Kasey Kahne’s 2018 throwback to himself

In what turned out to be his final NASCAR start in the 2018 Bojangles’ Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway, Kasey Kahne and Leavine Family Racing ran a throwback paint scheme commemorating Kahne’s 2006 car.

Knowing it would be Kahne’s final season in NASCAR, Leavine Family Racing and Dumont Jets teamed up to create a fitting tribute. The #95 Chevrolet was perfectly modeled after the #9 Evernham Motorsports Dodge that Kahne drove to six wins back in the 2006 season.

The bright crimson and white colors stood out beautifully on track, but the throwback paint scheme’s best feature was the team’s use of the original car’s number font. The old, familiar #9 Evernham Motorsports font was incorporated into the 2018 throwback car’s #95, solidifying it as a great throwback scheme.

Kasey Kahne was my favorite driver when I was a kid. The number 9 is my favorite number, and I wore it for most of my youth baseball career, in large part because of Kahne. I was drawn towards Evernham Motorsports’ flames-style number font and bright red race cars.

Though I was young and don’t remember much of that season, I would play with my 1:64 diecast of Kahne’s 2006 car, and this scheme has significant meaning to me. His Evernham Motorsports and Richard Petty Motorsports schemes were some of my favorites.

Though Kahne’s swan song season was cut short by health issues and did not end on the highest of notes, this paint scheme was the perfect way to honor his long and successful career in the Cup Series.