GAFFNEY, S.C. — As part of NASCAR’s VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 Darlington Throwback Weekend, JD Motorsports with Gary Keller will again honor three drivers with ties to the team and South Carolina.
Ross Chastain’s No. 4 Chevrolet, with sponsorship from the South Carolina Education Lottery, will be celebrating JD Motorsport’s team history by running the same numbers the Johnny Davis-owned No. 4 ran in the team’s first races in the early 1980s with Joe Henry Thurman as the driver.
“The No. 4 car number means so much to me as an owner, and I have so many good memories associated with that number,” Davis said. “That was the beginning of everything that JD Motorsports is today.”
In honor of South Carolina native Butch Lindley, driver Ryan Preece will sport the same 01 numbers from Lindley’s Martinsville 1982 Buick Regal. Out of 41 career starts, Lindley, who died in 1990, had 22 top 10 finishes, 19 top five finishes and six wins. Five of those wins were in a No. 01 car.
Lindley is a member of the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame. “I remember us racing against Lindley in the 80s, and I distinctly remember how hard he was to beat despite being a part-time driver,” Davis said. “Being a part-time team ourselves at the time, he was an inspiration and pushed us to race harder.”
JD Motorsport’s third car, the No. 0 with Garrett Smithley, will be a tribute to one of Gaffney’s hometown heroes, Charlie Blanton. Blanton raced a wide variety of local and national races in the 1970s, and the car that sticks out in Davis’ memory is Blanton’s No. 0 car.
“My family is closely connected to the Blanton family, so Charlie was who we always rooted for,” Davis said. “His racing beginnings are a lot like mine. I remember him building his racecars in a barn just down the road from the shop. He was one of my heroes growing up and a big reason why I’m doing what I am today.”
Darlington practice is scheduled at 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. (ET) Friday. Qualifying is set for 11:45 a.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 3:30 p.m.
