Sprint Cup squad Front Row Motorsports and Camping World Truck Series squad Kyle Busch Motorsports have revealed special paint schemes and number changes to honor NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Wendell Scott during the NASCAR weekend at Martinsville Speedway from Oct. 24-26.
Scott, who passed away in 1990 and was the first African-American to win a NASCAR premier series race, is part of the HoF’s Class of 2015. He’ll be inducted alongside Bill Elliott, Fred Lorenzen, Joe Weatherly, and Rex White.
David Ragan’s No. 34 FRM Ford Fusion will take on a throwback blue and white paint scheme reminiscent of the car that Scott won in on Dec. 1, 1963 (Jacksonville, Florida). That win was Scott’s first premier series triumph.
You can see the resemblance between Scott’s original No. 34 and the No. 34 that Ragan will drive next month:
“It’s going to be cool to honor Wendell Scott at his home track with his family,” Ragan said in a statement. “I got to drive a tribute scheme for Ned Jarrett a while back, and it’s a tribute to the history of our sport that I get to honor Mr. Scott as an inductee, the last driver to win in the No. 34 before I did [Talladega 2013].
“I’m a fan of our sport’s history and have a real appreciation for it, so it’s special to be able to bring that paint scheme back for a weekend.”
Additionally, Darrell Wallace Jr. will flip the number of his Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra from No. 54 to No. 34 in honor of Scott. Last year at Martinsville, Wallace became the first African-American to win a NASCAR national series event since Scott.
“I got my first win at Martinsville and the historical significance of that win and to be so close to Wendell Scott’s hometown was a really cool bonus to getting my first win,” Wallace said. “The Scott family has followed my career since I ran the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program for Rev Racing and I’ve kept a relationship with the family over the years.
“Thanks to Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Toyota and NASCAR for allowing me to run the No. 34 at Martinsville. I’m pumped to get back there and hope to get another victory.”
The release also states that members of Scott’s family will be in attendance during the Martinsville weekend and take part in question-and-answer sessions for fans.
