By alley - Sep 3, 2015, 1:28 PM ET

NASCAR: Kahne's throwback to Bodine at Darlington

Hendrick Motorsports has revealed a throwback paint scheme for Kasey Kahne's No. 5 entry in this weekend's Bojangles' Southern 500 to Labor Day weekend at Darlington that is similar to the one run by former driver Geoff Bodine.

The majority of Sprint Cup Series teams will feature retro paint schemes on their cars this weekend as part of

a special commemoration of the 1970s

for Darlington's return to its traditional Labor Day weekend date.

The paint scheme is based on the original All-Star Racing car driven by Geoff Bodine in 1984, the year Rick Hendrick founded what is now Hendrick Motorsports. That season, All-Star Racing fielded a one-car NASCAR Sprint Cup Series effort with five full-time employees and 5,000 square feet of leased work space. Bodine drove the entire 30-race campaign in the No. 5 Chevrolet, winning three times. The team was renamed Hendrick Motorsports in 1985.

"We finished 35th in our first Darlington race back in '84 and nearly closed the doors," team owner Rick Hendrick said. "Martinsville was next on the schedule, and Harry Hyde did a great sales job and talked me into running one more race.

"He was convinced Geoff could win (at Martinsville) and, thankfully, he was right. We were able to get a sponsor (Northwestern Security Life), which allowed us to finish the season and set the table for everything that's happened since."

“We finished 35th in our first Darlington race back in ’84 and nearly closed the doors,” Hendrick recalled. “Martinsville was next on the schedule, and (crew chief) Harry Hyde did a great sales job and talked me into running one more race. He was convinced Geoff could win there, and, thankfully, he was right. We were able to get a sponsor, which allowed us to finish the season and set the table for everything that’s happened since.”

Kahne, who will also drive the retro car at Richmond, said he’s appreciative of the opportunity to pay tribute to the earliest days of the organization.

“It is neat to be part of that,” he said. “There has been so much history at Hendrick Motorsports with wins and championships, and to go back to when it started with All-Star Racing, Geoff Bodine and kind of that paint scheme – to drive that car is great.”