MOORESVILLE, N.C. – When Matt Tifft was growing up, his dad owned a dirt late model driven by Michigan Motorsports Hall of Famer David Hilliker.
On weekends and school breaks, the Tifft family would travel to Michigan to see Hilliker’s No. 21 race.
According to Tifft, “You could say David Hilliker was my childhood dirt track hero.”
For the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, Tifft’s No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang will run a special paint scheme honoring that part of his family’s history. The paint scheme, which was unveiled Monday, is a replica of Hilliker’s car from that era.
“I’m really excited to recreate this paint scheme for Darlington,” said Tifft. “When I was little, my dad would bring home this car in the offseason and we’d tear it down together. That was where I first learned how to work on a race car.
“My dad has been such a huge influence throughout my career, and I couldn’t have gotten to this point without him,” Tifft continued. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to give him this kind of recognition and can’t wait to see his face when he sees the car in person for the first time.”