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CARS Late Model Stock Tour

Throwback 276 Returns After One-Year Absence

The prestigious Throwback 276 is set to return at Hickory Motor Speedway this weekend after the COVID-19 pandemic forced its cancellation in 2020.

Andy Marquis

Auto racing fans will have an opportunity to step back in time once again at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday.

Over half the drivers entered between the two CARS Tour divisions this weekend will be running a special paint scheme dedicated to a driver or prominent figure of their choosing as part of the series’ annual Throwback 276.

Not having the event on the 2020 schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic was a major disappointment for CARS Tour owner Jack McNelly, who had seen the Throwback 276 blossom into a crown jewel for the series after just three years.

“Everyone really missed [the Throwback 276] last year,” McNelly said. “The competitors, fans and sponsors are all excited to have it back and I’ve seen plenty of great throwback schemes. The guys have really gotten into it for sure.”

Upon seeing the success of NASCAR’s first throwback race in the 2015 Southern 500, McNelly sought to put together a similar event with the CARS Tour that also had its own, distinguishable identity.

One way McNelly accomplished that goal was giving drivers complete control of their paint schemes, meaning they could change numbers for the one race to properly honor a certain driver.

The end result has been an authentic throwback experience that McNelly believes allows drivers to fully embrace their tribute schemes while simultaneously giving fans an event unrivaled in short track racing.

“There are obviously some scoring issues with the number changes but we’ve worked through that,” McNelly said. “If you’re going to do a throwback scheme and spend all kinds of money, why shouldn’t your car have the right number on it? That’s the way it should be.”

A tribute scheme has won at least one feature since the Throwback 276 was started back in 2017. Among them were a Junie Donleavy scheme Justin T. Carroll piloted in the inaugural year as well as Ryan Repko’s tribute to Dave Marcis in 2019, who celebrated with Repko in victory lane.

Legends such as Bobby Allison, Kyle Petty, Jack Ingram and Sterling Marlin are all being honored in the 2021 Throwback 276, while Jonathan Findley will be acknowledging the birth of Late Model Stock racing through his throwback scheme.

Defending CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour champion Jared Fryar is confident that he can win with a car mirroring Freddy Fryar’s Super Late Model from the late 1970s and early 1980s, which will be the second time he has paid tribute to his grandfather in the Throwback 276.

“We’ve been wanting to do this particular scheme for a while but just haven’t had the time to wrap the car a completely different color,” Fryar said. “Our family legacy pretty much started with my granddad and I’m very excited to carry his colors this weekend.”

Fryar added that seeing so many drivers and cars from different eras of racing in the United States are what make the Throwback 276 special to him and is hoping that the CARS Tour continues honoring that history for many more years to come.

“[The Throwback 276] is very unique from a fan perspective,” Fryar said. “A lot of these cars are wrapped in schemes that they grew up watching and I know it means something to them to see those cars back on the track. It’s also fun for us racers and this whole thing wouldn’t be possible without the amount of people who participate every year.”

Along with special paint schemes, the CARS Tour also invites a handful of former drivers to sign autographs for fans and discuss their careers in auto racing. The six invitees for the 2021 race were Scott Riggs, David Reutimann, Bosco Lowe, Larry Pollard, David Green and Joe Nemechek.

Honoring racing legends is one of McNelly’s favorite festivities of the Throwback 276, as it has allowed him to converse with some of his favorite drivers like Harry Gant and Bobby Allison while also seeing the reaction of fans meeting some of their childhood heroes.

McNelly added that Allison’s appearance in the 2018 Throwback 276 perfectly embodied what the weekend is supposed to be about.

“The night Bobby [Allison] came, it was 100 degrees,” McNelly said. “He may be 80 years old and not in the best of health, but he sat underneath the tent for an hour and a half greeting fans. His shirt was completely soaked but he never skipped an autograph or picture. That really impressed me.”

Through honoring legends, accurate tribute schemes and a historic facility in Hickory, McNelly is proud of what the CARS Tour has accomplished in turning the Throwback 276 into one of the most anticipated short track races in the country.

For McNelly, the event’s absence in 2020 revealed how much it meant to the short track community but now that COVID-19 restrictions are no longer a factor, he intends to keep the tradition going in whatever way he can.

“We’re just going to keep making this race bigger and better,” McNelly said. “We had a hiccup last year but we’ve recovered and there’s another great weekend in front of us. Just like with any aspect of our series, we’re going to look at how we can improve what we’ve got.”

Waiting nearly two years was long enough for McNelly, who is eagerly looking forward to watching the past and present collide at Hickory for 276 memorable laps.

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Brandon White graduated from the University of North Carolina pursuing a career in journalism. Prior to joining Short Track Scene, he worked with the CARS Tour and at Race22. He predominantly covers the CARS Tour as well as other races throughout the year.

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