Category: Featured Stories

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will see another round of Saturday night action at the track to tough to tame: Darlington Raceway. The Showtime Southern 500 is guaranteed to be filled with action when the 43 car starting field takes the green flag for 500 miles of racing on one of the most physically demanding, both on the drivers and the cars, race tracks on the NASCAR schedule.

THE STORY BREAKDOWN

One of the keys to winning at Darlington is a driver’s willingness to push himself and the car to limit especially through turns one and two where it’s so narrow. It will require them to earn their “Darlington Stripe” which occurs when the car goes sailing high into turn one and lightly grazes the wall leaving a paint scrape mark on the right rear quarter panel.

This move is also necessary to maintain and improve track position which is another huge key to winning at Darlington. The other part of track position is, of course, superior performances from the pit crews during stops. These crews will be under pressure Saturday night to shave a few ticks off of the clock during a pit stop in order to get their driver off of pit road just a little faster than the competition.

Crew chiefs will also be feeling the pressure Saturday night as well. As the race progresses into the night, the track will cool down and that will mean the handling of the cars will change. It will be imperative for crew chiefs to get all the information they can from their drivers to make that all important informed decision regarding what their car is going to need to turn better.

The good news for the Sprint Cup teams is the fact that tire wear is not expected to become a negative factor during the race. There was a time when Darlington would chew up tires like a kid eating candy. However that factor was eradicated back in 2008 when a construction crew did an outstanding job repaving the speedway.

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During this age of NASCAR’s “have at it boys” policy what would a Sprint Cup race be without at least one feud in the making? The feud de jour Saturday night involves Juan Pablo Montoya and Ryan Newman following their bump and run incidents last weekend during the Richmond race. Both drivers are known for having short fuses when it comes to excessive hitting on the track. At this writing there doesn’t seem to be any indication they have contacted each other to smooth things out. This will be a pair to watch Saturday night.

There does seem to be one feud, from Richmond, that has reached a resolution. That would be Martin Truex Jr versus his Michael Waltrip Racing pit crew. After charging hard to lead the Richmond race, Truex lost a ton of track position on pit road due to a miscue involving a tire change. A very angry driver came over his radio and said “you’re fired, each and every one of you.”

In the aftermath came word that there will be new faces to carry and change the tires on Truex’s Toyota at Darlington Saturday night.

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Throughout the Darlington weekend you’ll be hearing updates regarding the medical condition of NASCAR Sprint Cup/Nationwide Series driver Trevor Bayne. Hopefully those updates will be as encouraging as the one we received on Thursday when we learned that he has been released from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and is now resting comfortably at his North Carolina home.

The popular Daytona 500 winner was treated for what was described as a possible inflammatory condition that created nausea, extreme fatigue and vision impairment. By Thursday the nausea and chronic fatigue were abated while the vision problems were treated with medication that seems to be generating improvement. Bayne will be continue to be closely monitored by Mayo Clinic doctors who earlier said that his condition was in no way considered to be life threatening or career ending.

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For many years now NASCAR has maintained a policy that said any race team that was within the top 35 in owner’s points would be guaranteed a starting berth in the next Sprint Cup race. Going into Saturday night’s Darlington race, there seems to be as much intrigue at the bottom of the owner’s standings that rivals the tight race at the top of the championship rankings.

At this point in time Ken Schrader, driver of the #32 Fas Lane Racing Ford, Casey Mears driver of the #13 Germain Racing Toyota and Andy Lally driver of the #71 TRG Ford are tied for that highly coveted 35th position in the owner’s standings. This will also be an interesting point to keep an eye on during the Darlington race.

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THE VEGAS BREAKDOWN

The Las Vegas based World Sports Exchange, (WSE), has Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch sitting at the top of their rankings this week and their backing all three drivers with 6 to 1 odds. Hamlin is a rock solid choice. He’s the defending race champion, he has two top five finishes and four top tens at Darlington along with a very impressive 6.6 average finish ratio. Hamlin is also coming off the momentum of that badly needed strong run at Richmond last week where he finished second. Hamlin will also be looking for another strong effort to elevate his 17th place position in the points.

Johnson’s Darlington stats are equally impressive. The five time Sprint Cup champion, currently second in the points standings, is a two time winner and has compiled six top fives, nine top tens and a finish ratio of 6.3

Kyle Busch, third in the points standings, is also a previous Darlington winner and is always a threat to charge to the front at any track he races on. He also has a top five finish and three top tens with a finish ratio of 18.2.

Ranked at 8 to 1 odds this weekend is four time series champion Jeff Gordon. Now here’s a driver with some very impressive Darlington numbers. He’s a seven time winner there with 18 top fives, 21 top tens and a healthy finish ratio of 11. A horrendous accident at Richmond last weekend dropped him to 16th in the points and he’ll be looking to improve that situation Saturday night.

Also ranked at 8 to 1 is current Sprint Cup points leader Carl Edwards who has been a model of consistency all season long. Edwards is still looking for that first Darlington win but does have a pair of top five finishes and a 15.6 finish ratio.

All by himself, at 10 to 1 odds, is Kevin Harvick who’s also seeking that first Darlington win. Currently fifth in the championship standings, Harvick has a pair of top five finishes, along with five top tens at the track too tough to tame.

At 12 to 1 you will find a trio of drivers featuring Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Greg Biffle. All three of them might be an interesting long shot wager. Stewart, tenth in the points, is also looking for his first ever Darlington win and seems determined to improve performance levels of his self owned team which he termed “embarrassing” last weekend.

Earnhardt has turned into the model of consistency of late and is fourth in the points. He’s still seeking the Darlington victory lane but does have three top five finishes, and seven top tens, with a finish ratio of 15.2.

Biffle may be the long shot bet that lines your pocket with some Las Vegas cash. He’s a two time winner at Darlington with a finish ratio of 14.8.

In the middle tier of this week’s WSE ratings you will find Clint Bowyer who could also turn out to be a long shot wager. Bowyer has enjoyed some strong performances as of late that has elevated him to seventh in the points. However be advised that his Darlington stats are not that strong. We’re talking no wins, no top fives, one top ten and a 23.2 finish ratio.

At 20 to 1 you will find the duo of Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch. However Jeff Burton and Mark Martin, at 25 to 1, might be an interesting consideration. Both drivers are two time Darlington winners.

At the lower end of the WSE list this week is a quintet of drivers led by unhappy campers Ryan Newman and Juan Pablo Montoya. Also in this group are Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray. At the bottom of the list are Michael Waltrip Racing divers Martin Truex Jr, 40 to 1, and David Reutimann at 50 to 1. All other drivers, not appearing on the list, are automatically rated at 25 to 1 by the WSE.

Now for the disclaimer: NASCAR wants us to remind you that these posted numbers are for information and entertainment purposes. They neither encourage not condone the placing of wagers on their races. They would much prefer that you use your gambling money for more important causes such as purchases from the NASCAR online store.

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THE RACE BREAKDOWN

Saturday’s Showtime Southern 500 in 367 laps/501.322 miles around the Darlington Raceway’s 1.366 mile egg shaped oval.

The race has 47 entries vying for the 43 starting berths. 12 of these entries are on the go or go home list meaning they are not guaranteed a starting berth in the race because they are currently outside of the top 35 in NASCAR’s owner’s points. These teams will have to rely on qualifying speeds to make the race.

The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Darlington was held on Labor Day of 1950 and was won by California driver Johnny Mantz. The race had a starting field of 75 cars and took over six hours to complete. The average speed of that first race was 76 MPH. In direct comparison the fastest average race speed at Darlington, 140.350 MPH, was set by winner Kyle Busch in the spring of 2008.

There has been 107 Sprint Cup races at Darlington since 1950 that has sent 44 different drivers to victory lane. The Silver Fox, David Pearson, leads the all time list for Darlington wins with ten. Jeff Gordon leads the active drivers win list with seven. Gordon’s stats at Darlington are very much responsible for Hendrick Motorsports topping the team win list with 13. Chevrolet leads the manufacturer’s standings with 38 wins.

With track position being so important at Darlington, a good qualifying run is essential. Denny Hamlin holds the track qualifying record, 180.370 MPH, set in May of last year. 19, of the 107, races have been won from the pole position. 67 wins originated from within the top five starting positions, 93 have originated from the top ten positions.

Darlington Raceway presently has seating for 68,000 fans. Turns one and two are banked at 25 degrees and measures 79 feet wide. Turns three and four are banked at 23 degrees and measures 62 feet wide. Both the front and back stretch measures 1,229 long, 90 feet wide and has three and two degrees of banking respectively. The pit road measure 2,025 long by 46 feet wide. The pit road speed is 45 MPH. The pit window for Saturday’s race is an estimated 52 to 56 laps.

Weather could impact final practice sessions and possible the Nationwide Series race Friday night. The forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 pm eastern time. The Saturday forecast calls for sunny skies and 79 degrees during the day and cloudy conditions and 56 degrees Saturday night.

The Showtime Southern 500 will be broadcast live by Fox Sports beginning at 7 pm eastern time. The re air will be on Wednesday, May 11th, beginning at 12 pm eastern on SPEED.

With all proper respects to the residents of Dallas-Texas, it’s always been my personal belief that the term “Big D” stands for Darlington-South Carolina the home of the “lady in black” and “the track too tough to tame”: Darlington International Raceway. There are some very personal reasons for that sentiment. I was born and raised in that area of South Carolina and this race track, along with the NASCAR events that it hosted, turned out to be a big part of our family life.

[media-credit name=”FMCM” align=”alignright” width=”264″][/media-credit]Speedway archives tells us that the history of this race track was created by a single Darlington area businessman who had a great American dream. It all began with Harold Brasington attended the 1933 Indianapolis 500 and then returned home to South Carolina filled with inspiration. Brasington began developing his dream of creating a massive super speedway that would accommodate stock car racing that was so prominent in the southeast at the time. Brasington also believed in another man’s great American dream. He truly believed that Bill France Sr’s newly formed NASCAR was going to catch on with the fans and become the next big thing in auto racing.

In 1949 Brasington finally acquired the acreage, from local farmer Sherman Ramsey, he needed to build his race track and began the process of creating his dream track out of a 70 acre plot of land that was originally used to grow cotton and peanuts. He even contributed his own muscle and blood to the project and often spent long days sitting on top of a road grader. This was despite the doubts of family, friends and just about every Darlington resident who truly believed that Brasington had completely lost his mind. Harold Brasington’s one and a quarter mile super speedway was quickly dubbed “Harold’s Folly.”

While the overall construction process was quick and smooth, there was one unexpected change that would become highly significant to the Darlington Raceway legend. Sherman Ramsey approached Brasington and informed him that, under no uncertain terms, this race track was in no way going to impact his very lucrative minnow pond located on the property. To accommodate that demand, Brasington had to alter the design of turns three and four. That’s how Darlington Raceway got its unique egg shaped oval. Also because of that modification, the drivers had to to negotiate turn three by entering the turn at the highest point of the track. In most cases the right rear quarter panel lightly grazed the guard rail and that’s how the legend of the Darlington stripe was created.

On Labor Day of 1950 NASCAR’s first ever Southern 500 was set to take the green flag. Neither Harold Brasington or Bill France Sr was exactly sure what to expect. Their dream scenario was 10,000 ticket buying fans and were truly amazed when the official head count turned out to be 25,000. There was also pre event uncertainty regarding the car count for Darlington’s first ever race. That issue was quickly resolved with the 75 cars and drivers who turned up that day.

California driver Johnny Mantz won that first Southern 500, driving a Hudson Hornet, after starting the race from the 75th starting position. The inaugural event took in excess of six hours to complete but turned up an astounding average race speed of 76 MPH.

Back in that time there was no Goodyear truck filled with all of the racing tires a team could ever need. Tire wear during this first ever Southern 500 became a huge issue. Race teams were actually canvassing the track’s infield in an effort to purchase spare tires from spectators in order to continue the race. The lone exception was race winner Mantz who was smart enough to use truck tires which had a great deal of durability. That’s how you win a Southern 500 from the 75th starting position.

The official debut of Darlington Raceway was both a critical and commercial success. A true legacy was created on that long Labor Day afternoon. When city officials and residents became aware of the tourism dollars this new race track was going to bring to Darlington, all of a sudden Harold Brasington didn’t seem to be crazy anymore.

Regarding yours truly, I made my Darlington debut in 1959 at the age of seven when Dad decided I was now old enough to accompany him during a race weekend. I vividly recall the sense of awe struck wonder as the starting field took the initial green flag and those cars, painted in every color of the rainbow, went flying into turn one. It was the beginning of my own personal Darlington legacy.

I also vividly recall the controversy that came with the conclusion of the 1959 Southern 500. The major issue had nothing to do with NASCAR or the speedway. It was actually a cultural matter. It seemed that a genuine Yankee by the name of Jim Reed towed a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, from his native Peekskill-New York, to Darlington and won this race.

At first, the sons of the south were stunned and later became livid. There were post race boos and cat calls from the majority of the capacity crowd. The situation marked the first time I ever heard someone yell the “F” word. Not since the time of the civil war, when General Sherman marched his troops into Atlanta and set the town on fire, has a genuine Yankee angered that many southerners.

The 1960 Southern 500 also stands out in my memory because of the unique circumstances that saw NASCAR legend Buck Baker win his second of three Darlington races. Baker was driving a 1960 Pontiac owned by driver Jack Smith.

Jack Smith was one of the true NASCAR pioneers who began his career with the Grand National Series, now Sprint Cup, back in 1949. During the 1958 Southern 500 Smith was the victim of a horrendous accident. His car sailed over the guard rail, flipped five times and then rolled down an embankment where it came to rest in the speedway parking lot. Smith walked away from the accident but swore he would never race at Darlington again.

That’s how Buck Baker wound up behind the wheel of Smith’s Pontiac for the 1960 race. During the final moments of this race Baker was in the lead but discovered that his left rear tire was going flat. The tire eventually blew and, during the white flag lap, the rubber flew off in large chunks. When Baker crossed under the checkers he was literally riding on his left rear rim with sparks flying from the car. It was truly a stunning display of driver control.

Of all the Southern 500’s that I attended, the 1965 race stands out in my memory the most. That’s because there was a high level of drama connected to this particular race. Sadly, during the opening laps of this race, rookie driver Buren Skeen spun out and was struck by two oncoming cars. Tragically the injuries Skeen sustained from this accident would claim his life.

Despite that stunning circumstance, the race had to go on. Midway through the event drivers Sam McQuagg and Cale Yarborough were racing each other hard for the lead. Contact was made and all of a sudden Yarborough’s Ford went flying over the guard rail. The car rolled down the embankment a reported six times and then came to rest against a light pole in the speedway’s parking lot.

In what could only be termed as a true miracle, Yarborough emerged from that destroyed race car uninjured and even waved at the crowd when he returned to pit road. ABC Sports was there filming the event and, for many years, the video of particular crash was included in the opening of their famed “Wild World Of Sports” program.

The intense drama of the 1965 Southern 500 wasn’t quite over. With less than 50 laps remaining in the race, drivers Fred Lorenzen, Darel Dieringer and Ned Jarrett occupied the top three positions. Lorenzen’s efforts to win this race ended with a blown engine. Moments later traces of engine smoke began to emerge from the Mercury of new race leader Dieringer. Opting to go for a race finish, he backed off of the pace and limped his car home to a third place finish.

That set of circumstances placed Jarrett’s Ford in the lead who had a whopping, not to mention record setting, 14 lap advantage over Buck Baker in second. However, the drama of this race wasn’t quite over yet. It turned out that Jarrett’s car was developing a serious overheating problem that made observers wonder if he would become the next victim of an expiring engine. It also made us wonder if Baker, driving an independently owned Chrysler, was going to be handed his fourth Southern 500 victory. Fortunately for Jarrett the engine didn’t blow and he parked that Ford in victory lane with the car spewing steam like a geyser.

My personal Darlington experience also included another significant event in 1965. Our family dutifully made the trip to the speedway to be present for the official opening and dedication of the newly built Joe Weatherly Stock Car Museum .

Often referred to as “the clown prince of racing” Joe Weatherly was a NASCAR pioneer and very popular series champion. Following a visit to the museum at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Weatherly contacted then Darlington Raceway President Bob Colvin and suggested a similar museum at Darlington for stock car racing. Colvin loved the idea and immediately launched the moves to make the project a reality.

Sadly, Weatherly didn’t live long enough to see this museum. He was tragically killed in a racing accident at the former Riverside Raceway in California at the beginning of the 1964 racing season. Colvin decided that it was only proper to name to now completed museum in honor of Weatherly.

The dedication ceremony was held before a capacity crowd on May 2nd, 1965 with the notorious South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond on hand as the key note speaker. Hindsight being 20/20, this was probably a mistake. Often described, during the lengthy political career as a segregationist, a high profile word for racist, Thurmond unleashed a speech on this crowd of racing fans touting the evils of conservatives who were in favor of integration that was heavily peppered with racial slurs. Somewhere near the end of his speech, Senator Thurmond did eventually mention NASCAR and Weatherly. However, it was completely obvious that he knew virtually nothing about American stock car racing and very likely had no idea who Joe Weatherly was. It was a inappropriate display that yours truly, a 13 year old junior high school student at the time, never forgot.

However not even the rants of a cranky politician could ruin the majesty of walking into that museum for the first time. With the entire history of Darlington Raceway on display, the exhibits were awe inspiring and highly educational. In 2003 the facility was renamed the Darlington Raceway Museum, following a complete renovation and expansion, and remains a true testament to the history of stock car racing, Darlington Raceway and NASCAR.

In the late 1960’s my personal Darlington experience took an unexpected turn. Following two decades plus of service in the United States Air Force, my Dad announced his retirement. But the thought of not getting up in the morning and putting on that uniform never really set with him. He moved the family to Darlington and became an Air Force ROTC instructor at a high school in the city of Florence just down the highway.

It wasn’t the only major change Dad made that year. He also joined the Darlington Rescue Squad. In addition to providing medical aid and comfort to the injured, this volunteer unit also provided medical services during the two NASCAR weekends at the Darlington Raceway. That allowed me the opportunity to spend those weekends camping out in the raceway infield underneath massive Army tents. My primary job on race day morning was to pass out aspirin and cups of water to race fans who had way too much fun the night before. Believe me when I tell you that job kept me very busy.

Once the race started I got to stand on top of a large medical van overlooking turn one where I enjoyed a very up close and personal view of the event. The Darlington Rescue Squad also provided me direct access to the speedway’s garage area. It was autograph heaven to a young NASCAR fan. It provided me the opportunity to meet the popular drivers of the day. Many of the drivers I met are the very names associated with the current and future induction into NASCAR’s newly formed Hall Of Fame.

While my die hard race fan family spent many weekend trips visiting southeast based race tracks on the NASCAR schedule, none of them really had the impact on our quality time together the way Darlington Raceway did. Over the years the concept of life happens led me to my present home in southern California. Despite that, I remain true to my southern racing roots and the precious memories that they have provided.

When the green flag falls on Saturday night’s Showtime Southern 500, I will of course be in front of my television taking in this classic event. But, at the same time, I will also be thinking about the days gone by and the time I’ve spent at “Big D.”

By the way, in case you’re wondering the answer is a resounding “YES!” I am one of those die hard fans who truly believes that the Southern 500 should be returned to its traditional and historical Labor Day weekend race date the way Harold Brasington, Bill France Sr and God intended.

Earning your Darlington stripe is a given when racing at this prized jewel of NASCAR racing. Learning how to tame the track “Too Tough to Tame”, and mastering the art of dancing with “The Lady in Black” is all needed if you want to have success at Darlington. For years this 1.366mile track has created a lot of frustration among NASCAR’s elite. Darlington has remained a pillar of this sport since it came to be, in 1950. Drivers like Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, and Jeff Gordon seemed to have mastered the art of success when racing here. However, on the other end of the spectrum, some drivers aren’t as lucky.

[media-credit id=12 align=”alignright” width=”291″][/media-credit]If you don’t get excited about the racing in Darlington, then someone might need to check your pulse. I expect another wild, crazy race, which is an understatement of what our 2011 NASCAR season has been like thus far! I did pretty good in picking my fantasy drivers last week, actually picking the race winner Kyle Busch, this week might be a different story. You can use these picks in your personal Fantasy NASCAR lineups, but I advise you, these are amateur picks.

Target: Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray, and Ryan Newman

Avoid: Clint Bowyer, Brian Vickers, and A.J. Allmendinger

Analysis: The last time Gordon finished outside the top 5 was 2004. Ryan Newman has five top-10’s in the last 6 races. Jamie McMurray often does his best at NASCAR’S toughest oval.

Bargain: David Ragan has two top-15 finishes among his 4 starts. Regan Smith has finished P21 and P17 the last 2 years.

NSCS Schedule for Darlington:

Practice (Fri 11:30am, Fri 2pm) Qualifying (Fri 5pm), SHOWTIME SOUTHERN 500 (Sat 7:30pm)

Next Up: Dover

Enjoy everything that Darlington has to offer! Until we meet again, “Let’s go racin’ boys!”~ DW

[media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”233″][/media-credit]These southern belles have attitude. Next week, the Lady in Black will get her turn in Darlington, not allowing the boys much time to recover after dancing with that gal in Richmond. Last Saturday night, she had a shine for the Gibbs boys, as Kyle Busch won his 21st Cup race to give himself an early 26th birthday present. If it wasn’t him, then team mate Denny Hamlin would have claimed the prize. The pair pretty much dominated this thing from start to finish.

Every four or five years, somebody not considered one of NASCAR’s stars actually wins at Richmond. That sure didn’t happen this time out, as Busch won his third straight spring race there. However, for a time in the latter stages there was some cause for doubt.

At the start, the FOX crew was telling us not to expect too many cautions. I guess they didn’t turn the page to read how this script would turn out at the end. We had wrecks, we had pit strategy, and we had folks coming and going. Then some of them simply were gone.

Jeff Gordon thought he had favored status as well, and for quite some time he did. However, it appears the object of his desires turned fickle on him, and the California boy found himself smacked against the inside wall of the Virginia track in the late going. It was Richmond’s version of the big one that caught Gordon with a hundred laps to go. At least the others involved came back to limp around, but Gordon was done and finished 39th.

If the track didn’t get them, there were always boys being boys. Ryan Newman’s little tap send Juan Pablo Montoya into the fence and tore up his hind quarters to ruin his day. Later, the Columbian had Newman say hello to his little friend to manage a little payback. Montoya finished 29th while Newman flirted with salvaging a good day before his need for fuel left him in 20th.

Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson came in leading the way, and after Top Tens Saturday night they continue to do so. Kasey Kahne, David Ragan, and Brian Vickers needed to do well, and did. Along with Gordon, David Reutimann and Paul Menard found themselves outside the Top 30 and picking up mere chump change to add to their point totals.

Still, there are 17 races to go before the Chase invitations are handed out, so lots of time yet for good and bad things to happen. Darlington has a reputation of being down right ornery to some, but she has had her favorites over the years. She might be the track too tough to tame, but she has no shortage of five time winners. Among them are Bill Elliott, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt (9 times), Darrell Waltrip, David Pearson (10 victories) and Jeff Gordon, who will be seeking his eighth trip to Victory Lane. Hey, if Richmond wasn’t going to give ole Jeff a little sugar, maybe Darlington might. After last week, he could use a little loving this Saturday evening.

Denny Hamlin has one Darlington win, claiming the Southern 500 a year ago. As close as he came last week, he sure could use another one about now.

For years this 1.366 mile track has been a staple for the sport, and NASCAR looks to continue that tradition. This track that many have nicknamed “The Lady in Black”,  “Too Tough to Tame”, always lives up to those  names.  In the fall of 1949, Harold Brasington had a vision just outside of Darlington, South Carolina that most men had only dreamed of.

[media-credit name=”Joe Dunn” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Many have questioned the unique design of the “egg shaped” track, it came to be when (Turns 3&4) were narrowed so they wouldn’t disturb the minnow pond just outside.

The first race was set to be scheduled on Labor Day of 1950, Harold wasn’t expecting many, he estimated at that time maybe 10,000 would show up for attendance. To his amazement, as well as the others in Darlington, S.C., over 25,000 showed up in attendance causing fans to literally stand on top of one another. 75 drivers set the field that day, and the driver that started P75, Johnny Mantz drove on to victory lane.

Home to one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history, Kurt Busch and Ricky Craven, took that honor in 2003 when Craven edged out Kurt Busch by only .002 sec, earning his 2nd career NASCAR Sprint Cup victory.

In 2004, the Darlington Raceway started a new tradition, having the race on Mother’s Day weekend. Along with this tradition, all of the driver’s mothers line up in the front of the track to participate in the pre-race ceremonies, “Gentleman Start Your Engines!”

The track “Too Tough to Tame” has definitely lived up to it’s name, and remains a NASCAR fan’s favorite. The question remains, who will learn to tame this track, and go dancing with the lady in black?