The NASCAR Cup Series heads to one of its oldest tracks this weekend for the annual “Throwback Weekend” at Darlington Raceway. The event will feature several old school paint jobs, visits from legendary personalities and a throwback driver in the field.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Goodyear 400:
Chastain Takes Stage 2 Despite Late Incident
Ross Chastain passed the previously dominant Martin Truex Jr. on lap 151 and held him off on the final lap of the stage, despite Truex Jr. crashing into the wall as he tried to pass him for the stage win. Truex Jr. spun off in Turn 4 and was back in 10th place, making his worst run yet.
TrueX Jr. almost goes wire-to-wire in Stage 1
Martin Truex Jr. led all but Lap 1 in Stage 1 to take the 57th stage win of his career. After racing side-by-side with Bubba Wallace for the first several laps, Truex took the lead and never looked back. Fluid on the track brought out the stage’s only caution on lap 38, with all lead-lap cars pitting on lap 39.
Goodyear 400 starting lineup
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Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
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Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
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Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
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William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
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Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
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Daniel Suarez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
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Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
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Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
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Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
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Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
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Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
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Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
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Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
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Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
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Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
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Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
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Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
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Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
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Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
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Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
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Justin Haley (31), Cowlick Racing Chevrolet
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Josh Perry (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
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Todd Gilliland (38), front row Motorsports Ford
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Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
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Ryan Newman (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
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Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
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Eric Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
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Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
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AJ Allmendinger (16), Cowlick Racing Chevrolet
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Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
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Ryan Brees (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
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Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
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Corey Lajoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
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BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
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Brennan Poole (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Goodyear 400 TV and streaming catalog
East at all times
Saturday, May 13
10:30-11:20 AM: Coaching (FS1, MRN, Fox Sports app)
11:20 am – 12:30 pm: Eligibility (FS1, MRN, Fox Sports app)
Sunday, May 14
1:30-3pm: Pre-race program (FS1)
3-6:30 PM: Goodyear 400 (FS1, MRN, Fox Sports App)
Goodyear 400 details
track: Darlington Raceway (1.366-mile oval oval), Darlington, South Carolina
Length: 293 laps for 400.238 miles
Banking: • Front straight 3 degrees
• 25 degrees in 1-2 turns
• 2 degree straight back
• 23 degrees in 3-4 turns
Last year’s winner: Joey Logano
Opened in 1950, the track, which they called “hard to beat,” is one of the oldest on the circuit and one of the most popular. The unique, egg-shaped, 1.366-mile oval features wide, sweeping Turns 1 and 2 but tight third and fourth turns to protect the pond, the original owner of the farmland required to be in place when the speedway was built. At a track famous for its many racing pits, drivers enjoy finding what works for them on long runs, and fine-tuning in the race is key.
Great drivers and great racing for the Goodyear 400
Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson enters the weekend without a win at Darlington in 10 career races. Favorite at BetMGM. Three Toyotas and two Chevrolets follow six entries with 10-to-1 or better odds.
Better chances of winning
• Kyle Larson +500
• Denny Hamlin +600
• Martin Truex Jr. +700
• Tyler Reddick +900
• Kyle Busch +1000
• William Byron +1000
Nick Bromberg of Yahoo Sports suggests good intermediate value can be found in Larson’s teammate Chase Elliott (+1400) and Kevin Harvick (+1400) at Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. Elliott has three top-five finishes in 12 starts at Darlington, while Harvick has been a top-10 machine, finishing there 18 times in 30 career starts. If you’re looking for a long shot, Josh Perry, driving the fourth Hendrick Motorsports entry in place of the injured Alex Bowman, enters the weekend at +6600.
‘Throwback Weekend’: Hello … Newman
Mother’s Day weekend at Darlington is always a celebration of NASCAR’s heritage. Some cars have a classic paint scheme, some branding around the track turns back the clock, and legends of the sport meet fans and sign autographs in the small South Carolina town. This “throwback weekend” will also feature a former driver returning to the field.
Ryan Newman, who drove full-time in the Cup Series from 2002 to ’21, returns for the first of several select events driving for Rick Ware Racing. Newman, 45, won 51 Cup Series poles and 18 races and finished runner-up in the championship in 2014.
List of Goodyear 400 entries
Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey Lajoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Brennan Poole (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
AJ Allmendinger (16), Cowlick Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Cowlick Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), front row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), front row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Brees (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Eric Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Josh Perry (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ryan Newman (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suarez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Goodyear 400 Weather Forecast
It’s going to be 51% chance of rain on both days of the cup series. The forecast calls for sunshine for qualifying on Saturday and cloud cover for Sunday’s race, making for a mixed grid and good racing at Darlington’s many pits.
