2021 NASCAR champion Kyle Larson has shared his thoughts on his No.5 Chevrolet's paint scheme for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington. Dubbed NASCAR's "Throwback Weekend", all three Hendrick Motorsports drivers are set to showcase tribute paint schemes honoring past legends of the sport.
During last year's throwback weekend at Darlington, Kyle Larson drove a Chevy that featured Terry Labonte's classic Kellogg's design. The tribute celebrated Labonte's successful tenure with Hendrick Motorsports, securing 12 Cup Series victories and the 1996 championship. Continuing the tradition, Larson's colors for the weekend celebrate Labonte's final win at Darlington in 2003.
Addressing the special livery, Larson said (via Speedway Digest):
"I always look forward to this race, and we’ve been able to do some cool throwbacks the last two years honoring Terry Labonte and past No. 5 paint schemes. This year we’re throwing it back to Terry’s last win in 2003 which occurred at Darlington (Raceway). It was great catching up with him last week when we unveiled this car. A shoutout to HendrickCars.com, they did an amazing job with this scheme.”
Trending
Terry Labonte secured his first Cup Series win at Darlington in 1980, while his 2003 victory saw the end of a four-year winless streak. Inheriting the Hall of Famer's No.5 car, Kyle Larson's 2024 tribute won the "Best in Class Throwback Paint Scheme Fan Vote" at Darlington.
The 2025 tribute features Labonte's "Tony the Tiger" Kellogg's scheme, as Larson heads into the weekend looking to secure his second win of the season. He currently ranks second in the standings, 16 points shy of title leader William Byron.
Kyle Larson unveils car for IndyCar comeback
On Thursday, April 3, Kyle Larson revealed his Indycar comeback paint scheme for the No.17 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet. Larson is set to make his second attempt at the Memorial Day weekend "Double" as he participates in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600.
Fielded by the Arrow Mclaren IndyCar team in collaboration with Hendrick Motorsports, Larson is scheduled to participate in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Open Test on April 23-24, looking to gain experience in the Indycar machinery.
In an X post on Arrow Mclaren's official handle, the 32-year-old addressed the news and said:
"I'm getting really excited about getting back in the Indycar. We'll be at the Speedway in a couple of weeks for the open test. So yeah, I can't believe it's already here, it hasn't seemed like it's been that long but I guess it's here so we're ready and looking forward to seeing what the hybrid stuff is all about and learning more about these car and trying to get better for the race."
This year marks Indy 500's first bout with the Hybrid Energy Powertrains, following a mid-season implementation in 2024. In his previous outing at the 2024 Indy 500, Larson qualified an impressive fifth spot on the grid but finished the race at 18th due to a late pit-road speeding penalty.
