NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR: Five Scariest Paint Schemes Of 2016

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:34 p.m. ET

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NASCAR paint schemes can be a thing of beauty, but they can also have us scratching our heads. As Halloween approaches, it feels like the right time to take a look at some of the scariest, not the best looking, paint schemes we have seen so far in 2016.

We have all seen a paint scheme we just didn’t like. Whether it was one of our favorite drivers or not, everyone has an opinion on a good or bad paint scheme.

At the beginning of the season, Athlon Sports & Life put together a list of the 10 worst NASCAR paint schemes of all-time. Back in 2008, ESPN took a look at the top five scariest paint schemes of all time around Halloween.

Now seems like a good idea to pair the term scariest paint scheme with the current NASCAR season and see what we can find.

Apr 24, 2016; Richmond, VA, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne (5) races during the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

Kasey Kahne, #5 DEWcision 2016 Chevrolet

Kasey Kahne along with this teammates Chase Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr. from Hendrick Motorsports, rolled out their DEWcision 2016 paint schemes at Richmond International Raceway at the end of April.

It doesn’t really seem fair to pick on Kasey Kahne in this situation since there were two other cars sporting the questionable paint schemes. However, Kahne finished fourth in that race. Showing that it doesn’t matter how bad your car looks, you can still finish up front.

Needless to say, the paint schemes were not the best we have seen from Mountain Dew.

Jul 1, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (24) during practice for the Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Chase Elliott, #24 Sun Energy 1 Chevrolet

This car looks like a combination of a few different ideas that went wrong. Yellow, orange, purple and blue all come together in just one section the car, while the rest is dominated by a bulky logo and the color black.

We saw this car three different times already during the 2016 season and we will see it once more. Elliott debuted the car at Daytona in July then at Watkins Glen and Kansas before it makes one last stop at Phoenix.

Let’s hope this paint scheme doesn’t make it past it’s rookie season.

Kyle Busch, #18 Banfield Pet Hospital Toyota

We are used to seeing Kyle Busch run different paint schemes throughout the years as he has been sponsored by Mars, Incorporated. We are even used to seeing Busch run a different number. But earlier this year at Richmond, Busch’s paint scheme wasn’t the most eye appealing.

Busch has driven cars sponsored by Pedigree before, so there is proof that a NASCAR with cute animals on it works. This one however, just didn’t look great on the track.

Busch performed well in the race, almost wining until his teammate Carl Edwards bumped him out of the way. Maybe he was tired of looking at that paint scheme in front of him?

Apr 29, 2016; Talladega, AL, USA; A general car view of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick (not pictured) during practice for the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Harvick, #4 Busch’s “Catch One. Win Big.” Chevrolet

If you’re sensing a theme here, you’re right. Animals, whether our four-legged friends or the swimming ones in the ocean, don’t always look great on race cars.

Harvick sported the Busch’s “Catch One. Win Big.” during the race at Talladega in May, offering a unique look at different fish. There was even a flash plastered on both sides of the race car. When Harvick’s car took flight on the last lap, it was most likely the highest a fish has ever jumped.

It’s also not often that you can have one of the best paint schemes of the season and one of the worst, all from the same sponsor.

Apr 15, 2016; Bristol, TN, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) during practice for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Joey Logano, #22 Autotrader Ford

Joey Logano switched from yellow to orange for the spring race at Bristol and it wasn’t the most flattering of colors.

Orange and blue go together, just take look at a Denver Bronco’s uniform. But on Logano’s car, the paint scheme didn’t seem to work.

Luckily the car was only run once by Logano but we were subject to an identical paint scheme by teammate Brad Keselowski at the Bristol race in August.