A curious piece of NASCAR history has recently resurfaced, stirring up excitement and speculation among fans. An image from the late 1990s showing Terry Labonte’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet sporting an unusual rear wing has gone viral on social media. Unlike the traditional spoilers typically seen on stock cars of that era, the odd rear appendage resembles something out of a futuristic concept, prompting widespread discussion and theories about its origin.
The photo first appeared on Reddit, where longtime fans of the sport began dissecting every detail. It was later shared across X (formerly Twitter), drawing even more attention. Many fans wondered if the modification could have been an early prototype for the Car of Tomorrow (COT), NASCAR’s much-debated project that would eventually roll out in the mid-2000s. Others speculated it was simply a wild aerodynamic test that never made it past the experimental stage. One fan humorously commented, “Terry was basically NASCAR’s lab rat for weird ideas!”
Labonte, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and a Hall of Famer, had a reputation for being game when it came to testing innovations. He famously tested rain tires at Martinsville in 1995—an unusual move in itself—making him a fitting candidate for such a peculiar modification. Fans also found amusement in the image’s throwback sponsorship: the Pop Tarts logo, a nostalgic nod to his iconic Kellogg’s livery from the ’90s.
Although no official documentation has surfaced explaining the purpose of the wing, the rediscovery has reignited fans’ appreciation for NASCAR’s bold and often quirky approach to innovation during that era.
