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With his passion for signature events, fearsome tracks and fearless racers, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. could qualify as NASCAR’s resident historian.

Naturally, the sport’s most popular driver is enthused about this weekend’s retro weekend at Darlington Raceway.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing all of the throwback paint schemes,” said Earnhardt in a press conference this week. “There’s going to be a lot of things the fans are going to enjoy.

“Not only being here at the racetrack and being able to see everything, but the racetrack itself is sort of rebranding itself with all of the old signage and bringing back the ‘Too Tough to Tame’ slogan they used for years.”

Earnhardt will drive a throwback No. 88 Valvoline Chevrolet that will remind old-school fans of powerful rides that were wrestled around tracks by greats such as Buddy Baker, Cale Yarborough and Neil Bonnett.

A total of 32 cars will sport retro paint schemes for Sunday’s Southern 500. After 12 years, the iconic race is returning to its Labor Day weekend slot.

During a Tuesday conference call, NBC analyst Kyle Petty said the creative packaging for the Southern 500 will offer a much-needed history primer for stock car followers of all ages.

“I think a lot of times we all wax nostalgically about things that went on and things that happened, but here’s an opportunity to educate fans,” Petty said. “When you see that 17 car of Ricky Stenhouse painted up like the old Holman-Moody 17, when you see the 16 car painted up like Tiny Lund and that kid that has just been a fan since 2000 says, 'Who is Tiny Lund?' Then it's an opportunity to educate fans to the history of the sport.””

The time machine theme will even extend to the announcing crew, who will don 1970’s era apparel. The familiar voices of Ned Jarrett, Ken Squier and Dale Jarrett will also return to call the race.

“To bring (the Southern 500) back on Labor Day, I think this is perhaps one of the best moves that NASCAR has made in a decade,” Squier said.

According to four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, the fundamentals of Darlington remain despite all the window-dressing. The track is simply challenging on drivers and their machines.

“When I first started racing at Darlington, I loved it right away,” Gordon said. “You had to hold back, not abuse the tires and stay out of the fence. You had to race the racetrack, but you don’t do that quite as much anymore.

“Now, you’re racing track position, how far you can push the tires and how hard you can push the car.”