Getty Blaine Perkins will return for the Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway.
Blaine Perkins missed the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover Motor Speedway due to a crash at Talladega Superspeedway. He will now make his return for Throwback Weekend, and he will showcase a unique scheme.
Perkins confirmed his return to the No. 02 Our Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro after the Xfinity Series drivers enjoyed an off-week. He also showed off his throwback scheme, which channels Kevin Harvick. Perkins will drive the white, blue, and orange Chevrolet with PayDay as his primary partner.
Excited to be back in the car this weekend…just in time for a throwback to my hometown hero! @KevinHarvick #PayDay
Harvick’s career will be well-represented during Throwback Weekend, the annual celebration of NASCAR history. There will be multiple drivers running tribute schemes on their Chevrolet Camaros.
Ryan Ellis was the first to reveal his scheme. He will have the Quicksilver scheme from the 2005 All-Star Race. Meanwhile, Josh Williams will have the bright Pelon Pelo Rico scheme that Harvick ran during a trip to Mexico City.
Then ➡️ Now
Richard Childress Racing will have a pair of throwback schemes on its two Xfinity Series entries. Sheldon Creed will recreate the AC Delco scheme on his No. 2 Chevrolet while Austin Hill will recreate the Coast Guard scheme on his No. 21 Chevrolet.
Harvick Won Multiple Races With PayDay
GettyKevin Harvick (front) races at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2003.
The scheme is a recreation of the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet that The Closer drove during the 2003 Busch Series — now Xfinity Series — season. Harvick also had PayDay as his primary partner while running a part-time schedule, and he delivered some standout performances in the entry.
While Harvick was a full-time driver in the Cup Series, he was still able to compete in 19 Xfinity Series races. NASCAR didn’t have rules in place that limited the number of races in which Cup Series drivers could compete.
Harvick achieved success during the 2003 season. He posted 18 top-10 finishes, 12 top-fives, and he started from the pole eight total times. This includes three straight races at Darlington Raceway, Richmond Raceway, and Dover Motor Speedway.
Harvick took the PayDay scheme to Victory Lane three times during his part-time schedule. He first won at Bristol Motor Speedway before adding wins at Richmond Raceway and Michigan International Speedway.
Harvick is not the only driver that had a PayDay scheme during the 2003 season. Johnny Sauter also competed in all 34 events while splitting his time between two teams. The 17 starts that he made for Richard Childress Racing all featured PayDay as the primary partner.
Perkins Will Face a New Challenge at Darlington Raceway
GettyBlaine Perkins races at Martinsville Speedway.
Perkins will make his return to the No. 02 Chevrolet Camaro, and he will make his ninth start of the season while running a tribute scheme to Harvick. He will also take on a new challenge.
Perkins has made 21 starts in the Xfinity Series between 2021-2023. None of these have taken place at Darlington Raceway, a track known for its high level of difficulty. When Perkins climbs into the No. 02 at The Lady in Black, it will be for the first time in the series.
The California native made one start at Darlington Raceway while competing full-time in the Truck Series. He took on the spring race in 2022, but he headed to the garage during the final stage after an incident also involving Tate Fogleman. Perkins ended the day 31st overall.
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Blaine Perkins Celebrates Kevin Harvick During NASCAR Return