Getty Sam Mayer has several top-5 finishes in 2022.
The No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro will have a classic look during Throwback Weekend. Sam Mayer will showcase a tribute scheme to retired driver Rick Mast, who controlled the No. 1 entry for six Cup Series seasons (1991-1996).
JR Motorsports unveiled the design on April 11. The Xfinity Series team revealed that Mayer will drive a black and white stock car during the Mahindra ROXOR 200 on May 7 (1:30 p.m. ET, FS1). This scheme is a recreation of the No. 1 Skoal entry that Mast used for numerous races, including the orange stripes on the sides and the orange stroke around the numbers. JRM even included the American flag on the trunk lid area.
Mayer will showcase the scheme while making only his second Xfinity Series start at Darlington Raceway. He made his series debut at the track during the September 4 race in 2021, but he headed to the garage early. A mechanical issue ended Mayer’s day after he completed 45 of the 152 laps.
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Mast Achieved Some Success in the No. 1 Entry
GettyRick Mast prepares for the Brickyard 400 in 1995.
The Virginia native didn’t reach Victory Lane during his Cup Series career, but he contended for wins. He made 364 starts between 1988 and 2002 while posting 36 top-10 finishes, seven top-fives, and four Pole Awards.
Mast posted 27 of his 36 top-10s in the No. 1 entry. This run includes a career-high 10 in 1994 while showcasing a Skoal scheme in every single race. Mast also secured a career-best second-place finish behind Dale Earnhardt at Rockingham Speedway in 1994 after leading 58 total laps.
While Mast contended for wins during his Cup Series career, he ultimately had to retire earlier than he wanted. He suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning in 2002, which his doctors only discovered after running numerous tests in both Florida and Colorado.
Mast provided more context about the situation during episode 286 of “The Dale Jr. Download.” He sat down and explained that the carbon monoxide poisoning was something that occurred over a lifetime of racing. He also revealed that there were several other drivers that thanked him for answering their lingering questions. They also experienced the same issues but were unaware that the carbon monoxide poisoning caused them.
A NASCAR Legend Designed the Skoal Scheme
Mast actually provided some important feedback after seeing the tribute scheme. He responded on Twitter and said that this white, black, and orange design was one of his favorites. He also revealed that legendary artist Sam Bass was the person who created it.
Bass, who passed away in 2019, was NASCAR’s first officially licensed artist and one of the industry’s most respected figures. He spent decades creating artwork for race-day programs, the iconic Nashville Superspeedway Les Paul guitar trophies, and schemes for prominent drivers. In fact, Bass was the person who designed Jeff Gordon’s championship-winning rainbow scheme and multiple others during the Hall of Famer’s racing career.
William Byron put a Bass design on display during his rookie season in 2018. He ran a rainbow tribute scheme on the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro during Throwback Weekend and finished 35th overall due to a mechanical issue. Fast-forward to 2022, and Mayer will run another version of a Bass scheme while competing for his first career Xfinity Series win.
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