The next stop for the drivers and teams in the NASCAR Cup Series is Darlington Raceway for the Goodyear 400.
Darlington Raceway is one of NASCAR’s most storied tracks. The track races much like a short track, but it is big enough to allow speeds around 150 MPH. That creates a challenge for teams to set the cars up with both good handling and good speed.
The drivers face their own challenges racing at Darlington. Historically the best racing groove is just inches from the wall all the way around the track. This allows the drivers to get the most speed out of their cars. However, this also creates a gamble.
The air can suck the car out against the wall giving the driver what is affectionately called a “Darlington Stripe” down the right side of the car. This can be just a slight cosmetic stripe and nothing of consequence. It can also be much more severe and cause the driver to crash. The best plan of attack is to do everything possible to avoid getting a “Darlington Stripe.”
Here is the data the teams and drivers will be dealing with this weekend.
Darlington Raceway Data
Track Size: 1.366-miles
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 25 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 23 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 6 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 6 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 1,229 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,229 feet
Goodyear 400 Data
Season Race #: 12 of 36 (05-09-21)
Race Length: 293 laps / 400 miles
Stage 1 Length: 90 laps
Stage 2 Length: 95 laps
Final Stage Length: 108 laps
Here are the active drivers that are the best at managing their overall race to avoid getting a “Darlington Stripe” in NASCAR’s top division.
Top 12 Driver Ratings at Darlington
Kyle Larson…………………………. 111.3
Denny Hamlin……………………… 106.8
Erik Jones…………………………… 105.7
Kevin Harvick………………………. 104.8
Kyle Busch…………………………. 102.8
Martin Truex Jr…………………….. 101.2
Brad Keselowski……………………. 98.4
Chase Elliott…………………………. 90.2
Joey Logano…………………………. 90.1
Kurt Busch……………………………. 88.9
Ryan Newman………………………. 87.6
William Byron………………………… 82.2
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (18 total) among active drivers at Darlington Raceway.
Here are the six active drivers that have won at Darlington Raceway during the NASCAR Cup Series careers.
Kevin Harvick – 3 Wins
Denny Hamlin – 3 Wins
Erik Jones – 1 Win
Brad Keselowski – 1 Win
Martin Truex Jr. – 1 Win
Kyle Busch – 1 Win
There have been 10 different winners in the 11 races to date in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. There are 15 races remaining before the NASCAR Playoffs begin. There will be only 16 drivers in the postseason with a chance to win the championship.
It is entirely possible that we could get more than six new 2021 winners in the remaining races of the regular season. If that happens a driver or drivers with wins would be excluded from the Playoffs for the first time since this race format began.
That makes this weekend’s race very important to both drivers without a win this season and those with a win. We will have to watch to find out if we get a repeat or new winner.
It all begins with the drop of the green flag Mother’s Day Sunday, May 9th at 2:30 p.m. central time (3:30 p.m. eastern time) at Darlington Raceway in the Goodyear 400.
By: Buck Stevens
