As NASCAR goes Main Street, the sponsors drift further from ANYTHING to do with things automotive. I don't "get" Scooby Doo, anyway... never did, but he still hangs in, generation after generation... must be a Great Dane thing - look at Marmaduke...
Melling's CARTOON NETWORK Sponsorship, which moved to them from the defunct Diamond Ridge team after the '97 season, has provided ample opportunities for new colour schemes. This was the third in 1998, and commemorated the release of the Scooby full-length animated thriller "Return to Zombie Island". I musta missed their first visit...
Although Lake Speed had started out on this team in '98, he had taken a hard hit in the "Birthday" car (model pending...) earlier in the season , and Jerry Nadeau, booted from the Marino-Elliott team earlier, was tapped to take his seat, which he held into mid-late 1999, when he was released after signing to drive Hendrick's 25 car in 2000 - but that's another stoooory...
This model was built virtually box-stock, from the Monogram Limited Edition kit that came out in early 1999. Missing contingency decals came from the SLIXX parts box, but all other graphics were on the R-M sheet, and well-done.
Usual detail bits - plug wires, valve stems, oil lines, radio cord, fan-style exhausts - were added.
The "Slime Green" body colour was the main challenge here. I duplicated it by laying down a coat of Toyota Sunburst Yellow touch-up lacquer from Canadian Tire over a white base. Once that had dried, I came back with several coats of DayGlo Yellow (also Canadian Tire...), that gave it increased intensity, plus the bright green-yellow hue required. As the DayGlo dries flat, I applied a couple coats of Tamiya TS13 clear before applying decals.
Once decals had dried, several more LIGHT coats of clear, from a heated rattle-can, went on, and the body was polished up with TURTLE brand wax.
After two years, CARTOON NETWORK has moved on again, as Turner Broadcasting, and will grace the 75 car, with Wally Dallenbach behind the wheel in 2000. Looking forward to lots more oddball graphics!!
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