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Wednesday, August 26, 2015

2015 Week 25 Preview: Darlington

Bojangles' Southern 500

Darlington Raceway



By Richard Tix

This season NASCAR heads to "the Lady in Black" for it's second to last regular season race (Richmond being the last). Last year Darlington was at the front end of the schedule (race 8) and was a night dominated by Kevin Harvick.

Harvick used the 1.3 mile track to become the first multi time winner of 2014 which lead to his Chase birth and ultimately a Sprint Cup Championship. Now that the track known as "Too Tough to Tame" is back towards the end of the season it will mean a whole lot more to the victor. 

This year a winner could use the Darlington win to get into the Chase or to gain momentum, either way it seems like the prestige of winning here is back on the rise (if it ever even fell off). Darlington will be Labor Day weekend again for the first time in awhile, but it will feel like we never left. That's because loads of drivers and teams will be bringing some retro paint schemes back to the track. Lets move on to the rest of the Darlington Preview.






The Good
  • Denny Hamlin- Hamlin now has 9 Darlington starts under his belt and he still holds a 6.9 average finish. Not bad right? Seven of those races he has finished in the top 10, Before last year's 19th place finish, his worst finish was 13th in 2009. Oh, and he also has a win from 2010.
  • Jeff Gordon- Most of Gordon's damage was done from 1995-1999 here (5 of his 7 wins and an average finish of 1.625), but that doesn't mean he still doesn't know how to get it done. His last two finishes have both been top 10's and he has 9 top 10's in his last 11 races. 
  • Jimmie Johnson- 3 wins, 9 top 5's, and 12 top 10's in 16 career starts at Darlington for JJ. He has three straight top 5's including his most recent win in 2012.
The Middle
  • Brad Keselowski- You want a guy about mid pack, then BK has been your man at Darlington in his career so far. Until last year, he had never had an average running position better than 14th (7th last year). He has two top 10's, four top 15's, and five top 20's in six career races.
The Bad
  • Paul Menard- 8 attempts and zero top 10 finishes for Paul Menard. Last year he wrecked, but even before that he has only two top 15's in those 8 races. 
  • Sam Hornish Jr- Only three Darlington starts (2008-2010), but he only had one top 30 (30th in 2009) in those races. He has yet to finish on the lead lap and I wouldn't expect much different this weekend.
  • Kurt Busch- Kurt has been in four different rides in the last four Darlington races, but non of them went well. His best finish in those four was in the #78 when he took the pole and finished 14th (2013). Overall in 18 starts he only has five top 10's and two top 5's.

About the Track: Darlington Raceway
Track Stats
  • Before last season when Kevin Harvick won from the pole a race hadn't been won from the Pole since 1997, Dale Jarrett. That was 24 straight races.
  • Ward Burton won after starting from the 37th spot. Johnny Mantz won after starting from the 43rd spot in the first ever race.
  • Chevy or Toyota have won the past 8 races here. 5 Chevy and 3 Toyota.
  • David Pearson has the most career Darlington wins (10 in 47 races).
  • Jeff Gordon has the most career wins of active drivers (7 in 34 races).
  • Richard Petty has the most career top 5's at Darlington (25 in 65 races)
  • Bill Elliot has the most career top 10's at Darlington (35 in 52 races)
Track Info
  • Surface: Asphalt
  • Length: 1.366 miles
  • Banking
    • Turns 1 and 2: 25 degrees
    • Turns 3 and 4: 23 degrees
    • Front Stretch: 3 degrees
    • Back Stretch: 2 degrees
Darlington Raceway
Race
Date
Cars
Winner(s)
St
Make / Model
1950-13
9/4/1950
75
Johnny Mantz
43
'50 Plymouth
1951-24
9/3/1951
82
Herb Thomas
2
'51 Hudson
1952-10
5/10/1952
24
Dick Rathman
4
'51 Hudson
1952-25
9/1/1952
66
Fonty Flock
1
'52 Oldsmobile
1953-30
9/7/1953
59
Buck Baker
7
'53 Oldsmobile
1954-31
9/6/1954
50
Herb Thomas
23
'54 Hudson
1955-35
9/5/1955
69
Herb Thomas
8
'55 Chevrolet
1956-44
9/3/1956
70
Curtis Turner
11
'56 Ford
1957-40
9/2/1957
50
Speedy Thompson
7
'57 Chevrolet
1958-41
9/1/1958
48
Fireball Roberts
2
'57 Chevrolet
1959-36
9/7/1959
50
Jim Reed
14
'57 Chevrolet
1960-16
5/14/1960
32
Joe Weatherly
2
'60 Ford
1960-35
9/5/1960
48
Buck Baker
2
'60 Pontiac
1961-19
5/6/1961
32
Fred Lorenzen
1
'61 Ford
1961-42
9/4/1961
43
Nelson Stacy
3
'61 Ford
1962-21
5/12/1962
32
Nelson Stacy
3
'62 Ford
1962-45
9/3/1962
44
Larry Frank
10
'62 Ford
1963-23
5/11/1963
31
Joe Weatherly
6
'63 Pontiac
1963-45
9/2/1963
41
Fireball Roberts
9
'63 Ford
1964-21
5/9/1964
32
Fred Lorenzen
1
'64 Ford
1964-51
9/7/1964
44
Buck Baker
6
'64 Dodge
1965-15
5/8/1965
31
Junior Johnson
3
'65 Ford
1965-45
9/6/1965
44
Ned Jarrett
10
'65 Ford
1966-15
4/30/1966
36
Richard Petty
1
'66 Plymouth
1966-42
9/5/1966
44
Darel Dieringer
3
'66 Mercury
1967-17
5/13/1967
36
Richard Petty
2
'67 Plymouth
1967-40
9/4/1967
44
Richard Petty
1
'67 Plymouth
1968-15
5/11/1968
34
David Pearson
2
'68 Ford
1968-39
9/2/1968
44
Cale Yarborough
2
'68 Mercury
1969-18
5/10/1969
36
LeeRoy Yarbrough
4
'69 Mercury
1969-41
9/1/1969
40
LeeRoy Yarbrough
4
'69 Ford
1970-13
5/9/1970
36
David Pearson
3
'69 Ford
1970-38
9/7/1970
40
Buddy Baker
2
'69 Dodge
1971-16
5/2/1971
36
Buddy Baker
5
'71 Dodge
1971-40
9/6/1971
40
Bobby Allison
1
'69 Mercury
1972-08
4/16/1972
36
David Pearson
1
'71 Mercury
1972-24
9/4/1972
40
Bobby Allison
1
'72 Chevrolet
1973-08
4/15/1973
40
David Pearson
1
'71 Mercury
1973-22
9/3/1973
40
Cale Yarborough
8
'73 Chevrolet
1974-07
4/7/1974
40
David Pearson
2
'73 Mercury
1974-23
9/2/1974
40
Cale Yarborough
4
'74 Chevrolet
1975-08
4/13/1975
36
Bobby Allison
5
'75 Matador
1975-21
9/1/1975
40
Bobby Allison
3
'75 Matador
1976-08
4/11/1976
36
David Pearson
1
Mercury
1976-22
9/6/1976
40
David Pearson
1
Mercury
1977-07
4/3/1977
36
Darrell Waltrip
4
Chevrolet
1977-22
9/5/1977
40
David Pearson
5
Mercury
1978-07
4/9/1978
36
Benny Parsons
8
Chevrolet
1978-22
9/4/1978
40
Cale Yarborough
6
Oldsmobile
1979-08
4/8/1979
36
Darrell Waltrip
2
Chevrolet
1979-23
9/3/1979
40
David Pearson
5
Chevrolet
1980-07
4/13/1980
36
David Pearson
2
Chevrolet
1980-23
9/1/1980
41
Terry Labonte
10
Chevrolet
1981-08
4/12/1981
36
Darrell Waltrip
3
Buick
1981-23
9/7/1981
40
Neil Bonnett
3
Ford
1982-06
4/4/1982
37
Dale Earnhardt
5
Ford
1982-22
9/6/1982
40
Cale Yarborough
9
Buick
1983-05
4/10/1983
36
Harry Gant
5
Buick
1983-22
9/5/1983
41
Bobby Allison
14
Buick
1984-07
4/15/1984
38
Darrell Waltrip
9
Chevrolet
1984-22
9/2/1984
41
Harry Gant
1
Chevrolet
1985-06
4/14/1985
40
Bill Elliott
1
Ford
1985-20
9/1/1985
40
Bill Elliott
1
Ford
1986-06
4/13/1986
40
Dale Earnhardt
4
Chevrolet
1986-21
8/31/1986
40
Tim Richmond
1
Chevrolet
1987-05
3/29/1987
41
Dale Earnhardt
2
Chevrolet
1987-21
9/6/1987
40
Dale Earnhardt
5
Chevrolet
1988-05
3/27/1988
41
Lake Speed
8
Oldsmobile
1988-21
9/4/1988
40
Bill Elliott
1
Ford
1989-05
4/2/1989
41
Harry Gant
10
Oldsmobile
1989-21
9/3/1989
39
Dale Earnhardt
10
Chevrolet
1990-05
4/1/1990
40
Dale Earnhardt
15
Chevrolet
1990-21
9/2/1990
40
Dale Earnhardt
1
Chevrolet
1991-05
4/7/1991
40
Ricky Rudd
13
Chevrolet
1991-21
9/1/1991
38
Harry Gant
5
Oldsmobile
1992-05
3/29/1992
39
Bill Elliott
2
Ford
1992-21
9/6/1992
38
Darrell Waltrip
5
Chevrolet
1993-05
3/28/1993
39
Dale Earnhardt
1
Chevrolet
1993-22
9/5/1993
39
Mark Martin
4
Ford
1994-05
3/27/1994
41
Dale Earnhardt
9
Chevrolet
1994-23
9/4/1994
42
Bill Elliott
9
Ford
1995-05
3/26/1995
42
Sterling Marlin
5
Chevrolet
1995-23
9/3/1995
42
Jeff Gordon
5
Chevrolet
1996-05
3/24/1996
41
Jeff Gordon
2
Chevrolet
1996-23
9/1/1996
42
Jeff Gordon
2
Chevrolet
1997-05
3/23/1997
43
Dale Jarrett
1
Ford
1997-23
8/31/1997
43
Jeff Gordon
7
Chevrolet
1998-05
3/22/1998
43
Dale Jarrett
3
Ford
1998-24
9/6/1998
43
Jeff Gordon
5
Chevrolet
1999-05
3/21/1999
43
Jeff Burton
9
Ford
1999-24
9/5/1999
43
Jeff Burton
15
Ford
2000-05
3/19/2000
43
Ward Burton
3
Pontiac
2000-24
9/3/2000
43
Bobby Labonte
37
Pontiac
2001-05
3/18/2001
43
Dale Jarrett
2
Ford
2001-25
9/2/2001
43
Ward Burton
37
Dodge
2002-05
3/17/2002
43
Sterling Marlin
11
Dodge
2002-25
9/1/2002
43
Jeff Gordon
3
Chevrolet
2003-05
3/16/2003
43
Ricky Craven
31
Pontiac
2003-25
8/31/2003
43
Terry Labonte
3
Chevrolet
2004-05
3/21/2004
43
Jimmie Johnson
11
Chevrolet
2004-35
11/14/2004
43
Jimmie Johnson
4
Chevrolet
2005-10
5/7/2005
43
Greg Biffle
3
Ford
2006-11
5/13/2006
43
Greg Biffle
9
Ford
2007-11
5/13/2007
43
Jeff Gordon
10
Chevrolet
2008-11
5/10/2008
43
Kyle Busch
6
Toyota
2009-11
5/9/2009
43
Mark Martin
12
Chevrolet
2010-11
5/8/2010
43
Denny Hamlin
8
Toyota
2011-10
5/7/2011
43
Regan Smith
23
Chevrolet
2012-11
5/12/2012
43
Jimmie Johnson
2
Chevrolet
2013-11
5/11/2013
43
Matt Kenseth
7
Toyota
2014-08
4/12/2014
43
Kevin Harvick
1
Chevrolet


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