The NASCAR sponsorship landscape is in a state of flux in the modern era. With declining viewership and the sport hitting a plateau, brands like Mars Inc., Hooters, FedEx, and GEICO decided to pull their plug on NASCAR funding. The situation is dire. Gone are the days when one anchor sponsor would cover the entire season; now, package deals and a B2B partnership model have taken over the NASCAR garage. Despite these current trends, NAPA Auto Parts has remained firm in their resolve and continues to support Chase Elliott from Hendrick Motorsports.
The roots of NAPA can be traced back to 1976 when Janet Guthrie drove the NAPA / Regal Ride Shocks entry in the 1976 World 600. Having sponsored the likes of Michael Waltrip, Martin Truex Jr., and Buddy Barker, they have reached a major milestone – 100 years of NAPA Auto Parts. Well, Elliott has been associated with the brand since 2014, and to celebrate this achievement, the driver of the No. 9 HMS car will roll out in a special paint scheme at Texas Motor Speedway.
In honor of NAPA Auto Parts’ 100th anniversary, the NASCAR Most Popular Driver will pilot a unique gold paint scheme at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. The Centennial paint scheme will stand out amongst the rest this weekend. Not just Elliott, NAPA will have Brad Sweet from High Limit Racing and Daniel Hemric in the Truck Series at Texas this weekend. And like Elliott’s No. 9 Chevy, their racing machines will also get special treatment.
Recollections of famous paint jobs from NASCAR’s history added to the excitement. Interestingly, the 2018 NAPA scheme on Elliott’s car is regarded as one of the best schemes he’s had in his racing career. Back then, the stripes of red were cut down, and the addition of yellow made the car look stunning. Unfortunately, this centurion scheme didn’t have the expected tweaks and improvements when it was revealed. Rather, it had a dull, brownish-gold look that fell short of the joyous spirit that fans had hoped for. Social media outlets immediately responded to the design decision.
.
Celebrating 100 years of @theNAPAnetwork this weekend. Proud of all we’ve accomplished and excited for what’s to come pic.twitter.com/N6IfaCTNNy
— Chase Elliott (@chaseelliott) April 29, 2025
Fans anticipated a striking, metallic gold design that was appropriate for NAPA’s centennial—something that would pay tribute to the brand’s history while drawing attention to the track. Rather than being the memorial that many had hoped for, the lackluster outcome sparked jokes and mockery. Not only that, the firesuit was also being trolled by the fans, citing that they could’ve done a better job with this tribute to NASCAR’s trusted sponsor.
Fans wanted more from Chase Elliott’s NAPA tribute scheme
Fans responded much differently to Chase Elliott’s gold NAPA paint scheme, which was intended to celebrate a century of automotive heritage. Expectations were extremely high for such a momentous occasion—a stunning, shiny gold livery that would stand out in the Texas sun and would make a statement. However, a toned-down version of the golden color paired by a rather simple fire suit led to comments like: “I have a feeling it won’t be shiny or reflective or anything and will just be like a flat brown color on the track… Brad Sweet’s car looks great, though!”
Brad Sweet and Kyle Larson co-own the No. 49 NAPA Auto Parts sprint car, which he races in the High Limit Racing Series. The top-tier class of dirt sprint car racing in the United States is represented by his vehicle, a 410 winged sprint car. Sweet’s vehicle is renowned for its eye-catching paint jobs, which frequently include metallic accents, particularly for significant occasions or sponsorship campaigns. For instance, many fans have appreciated his NAPA-backed cars’ eye-catching, aggressive, and sleek color schemes of glistening gold and vibrant blue, which some fans felt were lacking from Chase Elliott’s gold NAPA scheme.
Disappointment soon turned into frustration. “Really wish it had a more metallic, shiny look than a dull brown,” another fan wrote, speaking to a broader sentiment. Fans have grown to expect the same inventiveness and impact from NASCAR’s truly memorable celebration schemes over the years, such as Kyle Busch’s M&M homage and Tony Stewart’s flame-heavy “Fire Suit to Match.” They could’ve taken inspiration from their in-house team #24 and #5, who are known to bring out eye-catching schemes on special occasions. Kyle Larson won the award for best throwback scheme at Darlington, where he paid tribute to Terry Labonte’s final Cup win in 2003.
The harshest critiques leaned into nostalgia and brutal honesty. “The way Darrell Waltrip’s Parts America car was like Chrome-y Silver, they had a chance to do something really good and make this a shinier gold. It kind of just looks like pi– after a long night of drinking this way.” The sentiment was obvious, despite how crude that may sound: what was supposed to feel royal came across as sketchy. Elliott’s flat gold was disappointing to fans who were accustomed to the glitz and spectacle of vehicles like Waltrip’s 1997 All-Star chrome entry.
Other reactions cut deeper, tying paint to performance. “Looks like you’ve given up.” The plan served as the main attraction, but it also came to represent the stagnation that some Elliott fans see in his more recent style. Interestingly, his last Cup Series win came at Texas last year. Since then, the No. 9 car hasn’t been to victory lane. There have been flashes of brilliance with three top 5 runs, but nothing that screams that Elliott is back in title contention.
And then came the kicker: “The homeless look.” It’s a sarcastic and stingy criticism that highlights how much paint jobs affect how NASCAR is seen. Identity is important, and Elliott believed that this washed-out look was a step backwards for his No. 9, which has traditionally been associated with bold blues and memorable logos. Not only in appearance, but also in size. Not to forget, Elliott was the one who said that throwback schemes have lost their luster during the Goodyear 400. And his statement from a few weeks back seems to have done the damage.
While NAPA’s 100th anniversary paint job was intended to pay tribute to a legendary past, many fans felt that it was not executed well enough. The only way that Elliott can reverse this fan sentiment is by parking this car in the victory lane. It’s been a while they’ve seen NASCAR’s favorite driver win a NASCAR race.
The post Chase Elliott & NAPA Gets Hilariously Trolled Online as 100-Year Anniversary Tribute Goes Massively Wrong appeared first on EssentiallySports.