Evolution of Pennzoil
Greetings, fans. Today’s segment, we will be discussing the history of Pennzoil’s overuse. But let’s begin with some eras where Pennzoil and the number had more motorsports compatibility. Between 1991 and 1996, Pennzoil sponsored Bahari’s #30 Pontiac Grand Prix. During the first five years [1991 ~ 1995] Michael Waltrip was the main driver. During the final two seasons when Pennzoil sponsored Bahari Motorsports in 1996 and 1997, Johnny Benson signed to drive the #30 Pennzoil Pontiac. During this era, Johnny was operating a #18 Chevy Silverado for season as a part time Truck racer during 1995 and 1996, distinctly for Roehrig Motorsports. His last season competing for this team was 1997, with Tony Raines accompanying him, as the #19 Dodge Ram, alongside Johnny. Tony’s 1997 Pennzoil Dodge was identical to Johnny Benson’s Cup paint scheme. In 1998, Tony Raines’ livery became more identical to Steve Park’s new #1 Pennzoil Chevrolet for DEI in the Cup Division. Steve Park Kept the black roof until at least the end of 1999 and in the same year, Jimmy Johnson acquired the sponsor at some ACDelco Series. His sponsor + number combo was horrible, consisting of the pairing between #44 and Pennzoil. Fans Did Not Agree with this driver + sponsor + number combination, because seeing Pennzoil on a #44 car is Ridiculous. [Some fans even examined that #44 is one of the most overselected numbers in Stock car racing.] And a disastrous sponsor + number combo in This instance, is what started to make Pennzoil overused. It may have been prior Tony Stewart would run a Shell sponsored #44 in the 1996 and 1997 Feeder Series, but Shell wasn’t acquired by Pennzoil until 2002. In 2000, it was officially announced that the black roof for the famous Pennzoil livery would be taken back Off. This style of the scheme stuck with Steve park until the end of 2003. But Changes were made from the three stripes running at the bottom to a stylized ‘E’ for Earnhardt. Now here comes the Ugly part of the article. The next season [2004] Jeff Burton was sponsored by Pennzoil on his #99 Ford Taurus in the Nextel Cup Division and on Mark Martin’s #9 Ford Taurus at the Grand National Feeder Series. Within the same season, Jon Wood drove a Pennzoil Sponsored #50 Truck in the final event of the 2004 Craftsman Series. The standard scheme even changed to black doors and yellow deCals while The roof was still yellow with Red decals. For 2005, any Roush Racing member [Jeff Burton and Mark Martin] sponsored by Pennzoil would all run the Platinum edition, but Jon Wood had Not. [Thank Goodness!] In 2006, no one in the Cup Series had operated a Pennzoil sponsored livery at all. But Matt Kenseth would run a Pennzoil Platinum sponsored #17 Ford Fusion among his teammate Mark Martin, and Mark’s number flipped from #9 to #6 at that Division. Now in 2007, Pennzoil was no longer sponsoring Roush Racing. They were sponsoring Kevin Harvick’s #29 at Richard Childress Racing, with the standard yellow and red, accompanied by its Platinum version. The scheme for Kevin’s Pennzoil Chevrolet livery was significantly different, and there was no more Black, except for serving the decals as a Stroke. This scheme lasted from ’07 until the end of ’10. Starting 2011, Pennzoil moved to sponsoring Penske’s new #22 Dodge, driven by Kurt Busch. It followed a similar Design, again with limited black and this time, no White unless for the Pennzoil Logo. Although there was a Newly introduced variant: Pennzoil Ultra Platinum. In 2012, A.J. Allmendinger took over, and Sam Hornish was the main dedicated Driver. He should have been all Season as opposed to him and Mister Allmendinger running unevenly Half. Starting 2013, Joey Logano stepped in keeping this sponsor + number combination. This occurred while Penske Racing switched to Ford; nobody Expected that. The original Platinum scheme with the silver base returned this year. In 2014, Changes were made to it, such as more Celeste utterly occupying the whole Base. The Ultra Platinum Scheme didn’t and couldn’t exist Continuously, so to make up for its absence in 2014 and 2015, it was made up for in 2025 and 2026. In 2018, the #12 was back to full time running on Team Penske again, under operation of Ryan Blaney. Even Mister Blaney was sponsored by Pennzoil and he never Should have been. Many people had an insight that Ryan’s sponsor + number combo of Pennzoil and #12 was ultimately disgusting. So not a lot of people felt at ease with this Combination, because it really should’ve never existed, Period.
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Jonathan Ramirez 