Getty Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrate at the Daytona 500.
Following three weeks of fan votes, Ally Racing has revealed the winner of the paint scheme contest featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon. Two NASCAR legends submitted designs for Alex Bowman’s No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ahead of the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway, but only one claimed victory. The fans decided that Earnhardt had the best creation.
Former NFL safety Bernard Pollard Jr. gathered the two retired drivers and Bowman for a special unveiling in a virtual chat. He confirmed that the Ally 48 Neon Lights look was the winner of the contest, giving Earnhardt bragging rights over his former Hendrick Motorsports teammate. The Hall of Fame inductee then revealed that he and Gordon had both played some mind games during the design process.
.@Crushboy31 is back to reveal the #Ally400 paint scheme that @Alex_Bowman will drive at @NashvilleSuperS! We all ended up winners with this legendary @JeffGordonWeb and @DaleJr design challenge!
“Well, I did have a little bit of a team to help me come up with an idea,” Earnhardt explained during the announcement video. “Everybody knows that I like really plain cars, and you were going to try to trick them into thinking that that was the one that I designed. And my car looked like something that you would come up with.”
Savvy Twitter Users Knew the Creator of Each Design
GettyJeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. chat before a Watkins Glen race.
Following the unveiling of the two designs, Twitter users began placing votes for their favorite scheme. Many also made guesses about which NASCAR legend was responsible for each look. Gordon remained silent on the matter and only liked tweets announcing the contest. However, Earnhardt took a different approach.
The 15-time Most Popular Driver headed to social media after the contest went live and began liking several tweets. Savvy users noticed that all of his likes involved the Neon Lights scheme. They quickly surmised that Earnhardt was the man behind the bright and colorful look, which Pollard confirmed when he announced that Neon Lights won the contest.
“What I’ve enjoyed about this is how we pushed each other,” Gordon explained in the Ally Racing video. “You want to see a guy out there with an awesome paint scheme and giving him something to be proud of. And Ally as well. I’m really thankful that this all came together and that I was able to be a part of it.”
Bowman Will Drive the Special No. 48 Chevrolet in Search of Another Win
gettyAlex Bowman celebrates a win at Richmond Raceway.
When the Hendrick Motorsports driver heads onto the concrete oval, he will do so with the goal of securing another win. Bowman has reached Victory Lane twice during the 2021 season, capturing the checkered flags at Richmond Raceway and Dover International Speedway. He is one of two HMS drivers, along with Kyle Larson, to win multiple races.
Unlike many of the other Cup Series drivers, Bowman does not have experience at the concrete oval outside of Nashville. He did not compete alongside Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, and Austin Dillon in the Truck Series or Xfinity Series races, nor did he walk away with a custom guitar trophy. However, he will have opportunities to test out the track before the green flag waves.
The Ally 400 is one of the few remaining races on the NASCAR schedule that will provide the drivers with the opportunity to practice and qualify before the main event. The concrete oval will affect the Goodyear tires and the handling in different ways than other tracks, and the extra laps will give the teams time to make adjustments.
Prior to the trip to Music City, however, Bowman will first head to Texas. He will compete in the annual All-Star Race and strive to take the checkered flag. The non-points race with a $1 million prize will take place on Sunday, June 13, at 8 p.m. ET.