Denny Hamlin will join the ranks of Cup drivers who will drive their own throwback paint schemes in this year’s Southern 500 (Sept. 2 on NBCSN).
But unlike Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne and Derrike Cope, Hamlin’s paint scheme has never been run in Cup.
Joe Gibbs Racing unveiled Hamlin’s scheme Monday, revealing that his No. 11 Toyota will look like the No. 11 mini-stock Hamlin drove in 1997 when he competed on short tracks in his home state of Virginia.
MORE: Southern 500 paint schemes
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On the car will be the logo for Chesterfield Trailer & Hitch, the company his parents owned and that helped keep his racing dreams alive.
Hamlin is the defending winner of the Southern 500.
Watch the video below to learn more about the scheme and Hamlin’s early days of racing.
Here it is. This year our throwback is about my short track racing roots and my family’s sacrifices to get me to this point. Can’t thank @FedEx enough for doing this. pic.twitter.com/CXmS8CFTAD
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) August 20, 2018