Darlington Raceway will commemorate its 75th Anniversary with a Throwback Weekend on April 4-5, concluding with the Goodyear 400, the 125th NASCAR Cup Series race held at Darlington.
Brad Keselowski is the defending race winner at Darlington. But did you know that nine different drivers won the last nine Cup Series races at the 1.366-mile track?
Darlington has earned its nickname, Too Tough to Tame. Make a mistake here, and the consequences are harsh.
Drivers will tell you that hugging the wall is the quickest way around the track. But mastering the high line demands unwavering concentration and pinpoint accuracy.
Wins
This is one track where experience truly counts. Did you know that every winner since 2006 at Darlington had a minimum of 100 career Cup starts?
Four drivers claimed their only Cup Series victory at this challenging track. Regan Smith (2011), Lake Speed (1988), Terry Labonte (1980), and Larry Frank (1952).
Denny Hamlin, last week’s winner at Martinsville Speedway, leads all active drivers with four victories at Darlington. But did you know that he also has the all-time best finish of 8.2?
Laps Led
Leading the most laps is generally a good indicator of who will win a race, but Darlington may prove to be the exception.
Did you know that the driver who led the most laps finished 25th or worse in four of the last five races at Darlington?
In keeping with its unpredictable nature, the last three Spring races at the track had a lead change in the final 10 laps. However, since 1972, only three Cup Series races at Darlington Raceway came down to the final lap – April 1979, March 1987 and March 2003.
William Byron, 2023 Winner, Quote:
“I think over-aggression is kind of over-blown at Darlington, especially with this car, you can be pretty aggressive. You’ve got to be aggressive at Darlington now to get clean air and stay up towards the front.
“You’ve got to be good on the long run, so however you manage that, whether set-up or driver input. You can’t afford to just kind of ride around in this car at Darlington anymore. It’s going to be a lot like Homestead, where you’ve got to be able to ride the fence and be good in all the lanes.”
Carl Edwards, Honorary Starter, Quote:
“I’m excited to come back to Darlington Raceway as part of Throwback Weekend and Darlington’s 75th anniversary,” said Edwards, winner of the first Throwback Cup race in 2016.
“Winning here in 2015 and returning for NASCAR’s 75th-anniversary celebration in 2023 are two of the greatest moments of my career, so I’m honored to have the opportunity to wave the green flag for the Goodyear 400.”
You can tune in to The Goodyear 400 Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on FS1 and Max, with radio coverage provided by MRN and SiriusXM.
