Brandon Pierce pays tribute to Rusty Wallace, family business in Throwback 276

In looking for a paint scheme for the CARS Tour Throwback 276, Nelson Motorsports driver Brandon Pierce found something awfully close to what he’s been driving all season anyway.

The No. 2 that the 22-year-old will drive at Hickory Motor Speedway on August 3-4 will harken back to the Winston Cup machine that Rusty Wallace drove in the 2002 NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

That car featured a blue and orange livery that spotlighted a partnership between Miller Lite and Harley Davidson Motorcycles. For the Throwback race, as it has all season, Pierce and his No. 2 will carry sponsorship from Thunder Road Harley Davidson in Danville, Virginia.

“My dad owns two Harley dealerships so that played a role in it,” Pierce told Short Track Scene on Thursday. “Of course, one of my dad’s best friends is Billy Wilburn and he was Rusty’s crew chief at the time.

“He worked with Rusty for 19 years total, including changing his tires before he called the shots as a crew chief.”

READ MORE: 2017 Throwback 276 paint schemes

So, for Pierce, this was a great opportunity to change his paint scheme up a little bit while also payin respect to one of his favorite drivers and his own family’s legacy.

“Those two reasons played a role in it,” Pierce said. “But really, I just think it’s a chance to do something different. We raced weekly at South Boston last year and couldn’t be a part of this race.

“We may not be as much of a throwback as other schemes but it’s still a throwback and one that sets itself apart from others.”

In addition to Hut Strickin, who will be honored by his son Taylor with a throwback scheme, Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Ron Hornaday Jr., Randy LaJoie and Robert Pressley will be on-hand to sign autographs and take part in a Q&A session before the race.

As is the case with all CARS Tour races, the Throwback 276 can be viewed live with a CARSTour.TV subscription package. The race will also air on MAVTV on September 6 at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.

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