Folks, NASCAR is headed to Darlington Raceway next. And you know what that means? It’s the throwback weekend! This has been a tradition since 2015, and we have seen some amazing throwbacks. And continuing the tradition, many teams have already announced what they are bringing to the track. Josh Berry’s got Formula One legend Jim Clark’s 1965 Indianapolis 500 winning scheme. Kyle Larson’s #5 will look like Terry Labonte’s 2003 Southern 500 winner. And folks, what’s surprising is that this time, Kaulig Racing’s Ty Dillon has announced a throwback scheme, too.
And we say it’s surprising because Kaulig has never brought a throwback scheme to the track in the Cup Series. So it makes this one even more special. Also, while most teams pick schemes of legendary drivers or something from iconic races, Kaulig’s #10 car features a whole era that set the foundation for female drivers in NASCAR. And folks, we can give you one hint early on: Elton Sawyer is gonna be happy watching the Darlington race!
Ty Dillon has a heartfelt tribute for Darlington
It’s no secret that there have only been a handful of women drivers in NASCAR. And to be honest, only Danica Patrick comes to mind. But someone who set an example for women racing in NASCAR has to be Patty Moise. If you recall, she competed in five Winston Cup races between 1987 and 1989 and in 133 Busch Series races from 1986 to 1998. She even earned four top-ten finishes in the Busch Series (now called the Xfinity Series)
And Patty Moise also happens to be the wife of the Senior VP of Competition at NASCAR, Elton Sawyer. And in fact, the scheme that Ty Dillon is running at the upcoming weekend is from the 1989 Pepsi 400. Moise ran her #45 Buick at Daytona International Speedway. However, that race ended in a DNF for her. This was the same race she also ran in ’88, pulling off an impressive 26th-place finish.
Well, back then, Moises’s was a Buick, and now Ty Dillion’s is a Chevy. That and the number on the car are the only differences between the two cars. Kaulig has gone all out with the details. Even Moise herself, for a moment, was shocked, mistaking it for her old car. So, Dillon invited her to the Kaulig shop to show her the car before the race. And she was super impressed, saying, “Wow. This is awesome. You got my name on the door? I haven’t had my name on a car in a long time. Other than the number.” Take a look:
Moise also brought out a picture book with memories from her time in the car during her racing days. It was in this car that she once got a pole for a race, to which Ty Dillon said, “So this car knows how to lead a race!” It sure does, and Ty Dillon will be hoping to get in a good ride while paying homage to a legendary racer. But what ignited this collaboration? Well, Patty Moise’s primary sponsor back in the day was Beaver Street Fisheries from her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. Meanwhile, Kaulig Racing’s sponsor for 20 races in 2025 is Sea Best, a flagship brand of Beaver Street Fisheries, which led to this collaboration.
And Ty Dillon is hoping this car could get him his first Cup Series win. “We are honored to have your scheme. [And] have you ride with me this weekend. Hopefully, it’s our good luck charm. Get this thing in victory lane.” Well, who knows? It could get him a good finish. Whatever the case, fans are tuning in to watch Dillon ride this car. It has taken several people down memory lane.
Fans are in awe of the #10’s Darlington ride
More than the car itself, the NASCAR community is stoked to see a Kaulig throwback. This had made some hopeful of even AJ Allmendinger in the #16 having a throwback car for the weekend. And one fan is pumped, expecting more throwbacks from them in the time to come. The fan wrote, “What a moment! ” And fans are feeling nostalgic watching Moise’s scheme. Back in the day, they had fun watching NASCAR’s first racing couple.
Elton Sawyer and Patty Moise raced against each other in the Busch Grand National Series 58 times through the 1990s. Remember the 1991 Rougemont race? They wrecked each other, and the caller had said, “I want to be on the dinner table today.” It was fun to watch Moise race, and one fan is happy Kaulig has chosen her scheme for the throwback weekend. The fan wrote, “That’s awesome!!! So happy you guys are honoring her!” Another fan echoing the same emotions wrote, “This is so sick! Best throwback.”
And what fans are loving the most is the detail of the car. Moise ran Beaver Street Fisheries on her car back in the day, and Dillion also got the same. One fan on this wrote, “My favorite throwbacks are the ones that have the same sponsor, so I love this.” Echoing this sentiment, Ty Dillon said, “It’s so cool it ties together. Now they [BSF] turned into Sea Best, which is on our car this year. It’s going to be on our car a lot. It’s such a cool connection and bring it back together.” To fans, nothing is better than seeing a car make a comeback to the track that they have seen for many years. One fan wrote, “I knew that car looked familiar.”
Folks, what do you think of this scheme? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
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