NASCAR Cup Series

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the XFINITY Series head to Darlington Raceway as the Camping World Truck Series travels to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Darlington will close out the “The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR” with The Bojangles’ Southern 500 Sunday at 6 p.m.

With the Southern 500 coming our way from Darlington this weekend, it seems like a good time to talk about tradition. The first one in the books was back in 1950, making it the oldest of the sport’s iconic events. Most of the time, it goes to someone who is in or will be in, the Hall of Fame. That number will only grow once Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson get in, along with a few other contenders I can think of.

The Johnsonville 180 at Road America will go down as the best XFINITY Series race of 2017, if not one of the best races of the NASCAR season, period. There was plenty of on-track action, drama, spinouts, a first-time winner, and nine of the top-15 drivers scoring their season-best finishes.

Richard Childress Racing's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Darlington Raceway ... Richard Childress is tied for third in all-time car owner victories with Holman-Moody and the Wood Brothers at Darlington Raceway with eight wins each. Dale Earnhardt collected all of RCR's victories at the South Carolina-based track. In 118 collective starts, RCR boasts 22 top-five and 38 top-10 finishes at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval with five different drivers including Clint Bowyer, Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman and Robby Gordon. The Welcome, North Carolina-based organization holds an average starting position of 17th, an average finishing position of 18th, has completed 36,843 of the 40,765 contested laps (90.4 percent) and has collectively led 2,606 laps.

Roush Fenway Racing has been named a finalist in multiple categories for the prestigious PR News’ Platinum Awards, celebrating the ingenuity and leadership behind the year’s most outstanding communications initiatives. The finalists of the Platinum Awards represent the innovative, risk-taking and strategic communicators setting the benchmark of excellence in the communications arena.

Put down your Walkman and turn on the tube, Aric Almirola and the No. 43 STP Ford team are amped to throwback to the 80s this weekend for the Bojangles Southern 500. Almirola and team will be looking rad as they suit up in replica attire for Sunday's Official Throwback. The team will fight the infamous Lady in Black for an awesome finish. A nod to "The King" Richard Petty's righteous 200th win at Daytona International Speedway, the No. 43 STP Ford will rock the "Petty Blue" and Dayglo Orange scheme from 1984.

Liberty University and 12-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports have reached a two-year agreement that will make the world’s largest Christian university a primary sponsor of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro driven by William Byron.

The Go Fas Racing team will be arriving at Darlington Raceway this weekend, fresh off of the first off-week for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series since Easter weekend. CorvetteParts.net will be sponsoring driver Matt DiBenedetto going into the special NASCAR throwback weekend featuring the 1985-1989 era. The team will be running a gold and white paint scheme honoring Bobby Allison and the Miller High Life livery that he drove to a Daytona 500 victory in 1988.

Ryan Blaney already has become the 21st driver to win a race for Wood Brothers Racing this season behind the wheel of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford, now he wants to join an even more elite group: Drivers who have won at Darlington Raceway for NASCAR’s longest-running team.

Auto-Owners Insurance, a sponsor of Furniture Row Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, announced a Win One + Give One sweepstakes.