There are just some sponsor-driver combinations that are destined to be infamous in NASCAR. STP has been with Richard Petty for the greater part of four decades, while Dale Earnhardt had GM Goodwrench on his car for 12 years before his untimely death.
McDonalds has been in NASCAR since the mid-1990's, and still continues to be part of the sport as part of Jamie McMurray's team.
But, in today's NASCAR, the one sponsor-driver combination that has been around the longest is that of Jeff Gordon and DuPont. Debuting at the final race in Atlanta in 1992, Jeff Gordon and DuPont started a relationship that is unmistakable to the NASCAR fan. This year marks the 20th anniversary of that relationship, which is the longest partnership between an active driver and sponsor in the sport.
Today, Gordon, DuPont and Hendrick Motorsports unveiled the commemorative 20th anniversary DuPont paint scheme for the upcoming 2012 season.
The look of the No. 24 Chevrolet Impala takes on the look of all the previous looks of the infamous car, including this years. Starting at the front, the bright red colors fade back into a blue DuPont logo, where it is set off with the infamous rainbow stripes. That look stayed on Gordon's car from 1992 until 2000, with a special "retro rainbow" look in 2004.
From there, things light up as the flames from his car between 2001 and 2008 begin at the splitter and then the flame look between 2009 and 2011 takes up the sides, with the colors setting behind the metallic blue. As the car moves to the rear panels, the flames take on the fading red and yellow hues and the jet black scheme that Gordon drove up until last season.
Finally, as noted only on the back bumper panel, Gordon's anniversary car is set of with the new oval scheme that will be run in 2012.
For Gordon, 80 of his 85 career wins came with DuPont as the primary sponsor on the car, not to mention three victories in the NASCAR All-Star Race (1995, 1997, 2001). Gordon's win at Texas in 2009 came with the National Guard as the primary sponsor, while his wins last season at Phoenix and Atlanta came with new primary sponsor Drive To End Hunger.
Gordon's other long-time sponsor, Pepsi-Cola, has been with the team since 1997, and were the primary sponsor for Gordon when he won at Talladega and Daytona in 2004.
Entering 2011, DuPont announced it would be scaling back it's sponsorship of Gordon, as AARP would become the primary sponsor for 22 races. DuPont did not want to leave the team, as they would be a part-time primary sponsor for 14 races, and Pepsi-Cola continued it's backing with it's Pepsi Max brand on the car for two races each year.
The entire paint scheme for the anniversary car was designed by famed NASCAR artist Sam Bass, who designed the original paint scheme for Gordon's car and each since then.
The design is not slated to be ran on the track as of this time, but it is being made available in die-cast at all major online outlets, including the NASCAR Superstore, RacingUSA.com, Hendrick Motorsports, and the Jeff Gordon Store.
Pick yours up today, as pre-orders are already going in with the release set for August.
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