A legend is returning for the race weekend at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. Clippy will ride once again while taking on short track racing.
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NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Garrett Smithley will be the one to revive the classic Microsoft mascot, whose official name is Clippit. He will have a scheme on his No. 0 SS Green Light Racing Chevrolet Camaro that properly showcases the mascot who always wanted to help users.
This scheme will feature a green meadow below a partly-cloudy sky, which appears to be the classic Windows 98 background. Clippy then appears in multiple spots on the stock car, including on the fenders and hood.
Clippy takes on the paperclip with @SSGLR0708 and @GarrettSmithley ! pic.twitter.com/ZDtkLxRuOo
— Jordan Tiegs Designs (@JTDesigns57) March 27, 2026
The back of the stock car features a fun touch. A pop-up covers a yellow notepad, and it says, "Do you want to pass me?" The pop-up includes options for "No" and "No." He did not include "Yes" as an option.
This references the random pop-ups that would surface in Microsoft Word back in the day. Students writing book reports would have their writing session interrupted by Clippy, who would want to chip in with some assistance.
The decision to revive the mascot is fitting, considering that Martinsville Speedway has a unique nickname. This track is known as "the Paperclip" due to its shape. It resembles the tool used by millions of people as they try to keep paperwork organized.
Smithley will showcase the mascot as he makes his fourth start of the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season. This will mark his fifth start at the track in the secondary series since the 2024 season. His best finish was 15th in last season's spring race.
While Clippy has become an internet icon in the decades since his first appearance in the mid-1990s, he no longer resides within the Office suite. Microsoft began phasing the mascot out in the early 2000s before completely removing it in 2007.
Now, the company relies more on its AI system, Copilot, which lacks the personality and charm of the paperclip with googly eyes.
