NASCAR forces Labonte to change paint scheme for his final race

Terry Labonte will drive in the final race of his career on Sunday at Talladega, but he won’t be going out in the style he wanted.

NASCAR has told Go FAS Racing to change Labonte’s No. 32 Ford paint scheme because of a contrast in colors on each side of the car.

The team surprised Labonte with a three-way paint job, featuring iconic graphics from the driver’s five-decade long career: one side features a replication of Labonte’s first Cup car, while the others reflect his first and second championship cars.

NASCAR rules state that cars must have the same colors on each side of their car to avoid confusion by spotters and officials alike. However, front and back colors can be different.

Labonte must change his car’s design before the start of Sunday’s race.