Ryan Blaney’s Darlington Throwback Paint Scheme Honors Kyle Petty

(L-R) Eddie Wood, Kyle Petty and Len Wood

Pete McCole/AR1

The Wood Brothers race team unveiled their throwback paint scheme to be driven by Ryan Blaney in this weekend’s Bojangles Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, bringing back the iconic red, white and blue paint scheme campaigned by driver Kyle Petty during the 1987 Cup season.

Kyle Petty drove for the Wood Brothers for four seasons from 1985 to 1988, first running a no. 7 Ford Thunderbird with sponsorship from 7-Eleven before Citgo came on board for the 1987 season and brought back the historic no. 21 to the team.

"That was a really special time for Len and me," team co-owner Eddie Wood recalled.

Petty had been driving for his own family-owned Petty Enterprises since 1979, but in 1985 he and his sponsor departed to join the Wood Brothers – a team that had a long and storied rivalry with the Petty’s.

"Things were changing at Petty Enterprises, and (Kyle) needed somewhere to go," said Eddie Wood. "And we needed to be running all the races.

"There were people who said it would never work, but it worked perfectly."

Petty's 1987 car was similar to this one driven by Neil Bonnett in 1989

Pete McCole/ AR1

Kyle Petty went on to score his first-career Cup Series victory driving for the Wood Brothers – taking the checkered flag at Richmond in February of 1986.

Petty’s 1987 run was one of the best the Woods Brothers had had since 1965, earning one win, six top-five’s, 14 top-10’s and finishing seven in the championship points battle.

Petty and the Wood Brothers parted ways at the end of the 1988 season, after which Petty joined Felix Sabates’ team as driver of the no. 42 car, but he will always have his own place in the history of the Wood Brothers.

"Kyle can do anything he wants to do. He’s that talented," said Eddie Wood. "We’re happy to have his name back on our Motorcraft/Quick Lane Fusion for the Southern 500 at Darlington."