DARLINGTON, S.C. — When the checkered flag flies to end today’s Cup race at Darlington Raceway, 30% of the regular season will have been completed.
Could today be a day that helps turn around a season for a driver or continue their woes? On a throwback weekend, will it be a throwback scheme in Victory Lane or a car without such a scheme?
Here’s a look at what to watch for in today’s race.
Drivers to watch
Favorites: William Byron and Denny Hamlin. Byron starts on the pole and has the best average running position in the Next Gen car at Darlington (6.32). Hamlin, coming off his Martinsville win, starts third and was one of only two drivers to finish in the top 10 in both Darlington races last year.
Keep an eye on: Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney. Larson has a new pit crew this weekend, featuring changes with both tire changers, the tire carrier and jackman. Blaney doesn't have a good record at Darlington but showed long-run speed in practice.
Don't overlook: Ryan Preece and Chase Briscoe. The former Stewart-Haas Racing teammates both start at the front. Preece qualified second; Briscoe fourth. Preece, who has finished in the top 10 in the last three races, ranked second in average speed over 20, 25 and 30 consecutive laps in Saturday's practice. Briscoe won last year's Southern 500 and was the only driver to finish in the top five in both Darlington races last year. Briscoe enters this weekend having scored back-to-back top 10s in his new Joe Gibbs Racing ride.
In need of a good run/win
Brad Keselowski, who won this race a year ago, enters today’s event 30th in the points. His average finish of 25.1 is the lowest of his Cup career through the first seven races of a season.
“I feel like we’re going to do all the right things and get where we need to be,” said Keselowski, who starts 20th. “We just haven’t gotten the results.
“We haven’t qualified as well as we’d like to, but neither has particularly the 60 car (of teammate Ryan Preece). In the race, we haven’t been able to put it together – some of it in our control, a lot of it not in our control, so it’s been frustrating, but I kind of have this feeling that we’re getting a lot of the bad luck out of the way very early in the season. That’s kind of the overwhelming sentiment and that if we stay the course, it will come back to us.”
undefinedundefinedundefinedHe’s not the only one in need of a good run today.
Austin Cindric is 24th in the points. He has finished 19th or worse in five of the first seven races. He starts sixth.
Ryan Blaney has not had a top 10 in the last five races, a stretch that included three DNFs. He starts ninth.
Darlington’s challenge
Tire wear is extreme, the temperature will be in the mid-80s, and the focus will be intense for drivers today.
So who will make mistakes and how much will it cost them?
“I think Darlington is by far one of the most grueling race tracks that you go to simply because it's going to be a warm one this weekend,” said Denny Hamlin, a four-time Darlington winner, who starts third. “It's going to be mentally taxing knowing that you have to hit your marks just perfect at this track and then, just knowing the mental ...
