NASCAR will host it’s Throwback Weekend for a fourth year at Darlington Raceway this Labor Day Weekend with the highlight being the Bojangles’ Southern 500 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
The teams will feature special paint schemes on the cars paying tribute to NASCAR’s historic cars and drivers. However, most of the drivers will be focusing on the future as this is one of two remaining races in the 2018 regular season in the cup series.
For the drivers that are already assured a spot on the 16 driver Chase Grid (locked in on wins or clinched by point total), this is one of two chances left to add to their Playoff Points total.
For those drivers currently on the list of 16 post-season drivers, but on the bubble to possibly pushed off the list; this is one of two remaining chances to clinch their place on the list by winning or scoring enough points.
For those drivers that are currently below the cutoff line for the Chase Grid, this is one of the last two chances to “win to get in” or get enough points to take over a bubble position driver’s place on the list.
You can see which drivers fall into which category of the Chase Grid at the bottom of the page.
The bottom line is that all the drivers will be going at it on the track they say is “too tough to tame” which will likely result in many drivers getting a “Darlington Stripe” on their cars.
The Darlington Raceway is a 1.366 mile oval track that has 25 degrees of banking in turns one and two, 23 degrees of banking in turns three and four with a minimal three degrees down the front straight and two degrees down the back straight. That makes the fastest lane high on the track just inches from the wall. The issue is that running at 150 MPH and higher just inches from the wall a driver can get just a little too close. That puts a scrape down the right side of the car that has become known as the “Darlington Stripe.” This “stripe” does not really hurt the performance of the car.
The big problems come when a drive gets more than just a little too close resulting in major damage to the car. This can also send the car spinning and can collect other cars in the incident sending them to the garage early.
The race is a prime-time race for NASCAR. That is great for the sport, but not as great for the crews. They have to set the car to start in daytime and end under the lights at night.
Which drivers have done well at Darlington Raceway during their careers in NASCAR’s top division? Let’s see.
Top 10 Active Driver Ratings at Darlington
Denny Hamlin……………………… 110.3
Kyle Busch…………………………. 105.1
Erik Jones…………………………… 103.1
Jimmie Johnson..……………..…… 100.8
Kevin Harvick………………..…….. 100.4
Kyle Larson…..…………………….. 100.2
Martin Treux Jr….………………….. 98.8
Brad Keselowski.…………………… 95.7
Matt Kenseth..………………………. 93.4
Ryan Newman………………………. 93.1
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (13 total) among active drivers at Darlington Raceway.
The active driver with the most career wins in the NASCAR Cup Series is Jimmie Johnson. He has claimed three victories to go with the many “Darlington Stripes” he has collected over the years.
Denny Hamlin is the only other active driver with multiple Darlington wins. He is the defending winner of the 2017 Bojangles’ Southern 500.
Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr. and Matt Kenseth are the only other active drivers to win at Darlington Raceway with a single win each at the track.
With all of the drivers trying to either set-up for the playoffs or get into the playoffs, the race at the track “too tough to tame” could get very exciting very early and often from start to finish.
We will find out who gets a “Darlington Strip” and who doesn’t when the green flag waives at Darlington Raceway Sunday, September 2nd at 5 PM central time (6 PM eastern time) for the Bojangles’ Southern 500.
By: Buck Stevens
