Darlington Raceway Tag

By David Morgan, Associate Editor Since the sports world went dark due to the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March, it has been a waiting game to see which sport would be the first to make its return. As of Thursday afternoon, it appears NASCAR will be the first out of the gate to start competing again, as the sanctioning body announced races, without fans, are scheduled to begin on May 17 with a visit to Darlington Raceway for the NASCAR Cup Series. Over the next 11 days, all three NASCAR national seriesRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer The road towards a return for NASCAR saw an encouraging turn after North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper made several announcements for the state regarding COVID-19 Thursday. Although the stay-at-home order has been extended from April 29 to May 8, Gov. Cooper stated that race teams can indeed work on their cars at their race shops after being the sport was considered “essential business” just as long as social distancing practices are followed at all times. According to FOX 46 Charlotte’s Will Kunkel, Gov. Cooper also providedRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Although any form of racing action won’t start anytime soon, it’s never too early for Joey Gase to announce Wednesday what throwback scheme he’ll run in the Southern 500 September 6. For the 71st renewal of one of NASCAR’s most iconic races, Gase will honor Bobby Allison’s 1971 Coca-Cola paint scheme with Gase’s primary sponsor Agri Supply being onboard of Rick Ware Racing’s No. 51 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Gase is far from the only competitor that’s driven one of Allison’s schemes on Throwback Weekend over theRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor Erik Jones has called the No. 20 team at Joe Gibbs Racing home for the past two seasons and heading into the 2020 season, he will continue to occupy that seat as the team announced a contract extension for the 23-year old on Friday. “I’m so happy to finally have my plans for 2020 confirmed and to talk about it,” Jones said in a team release. “I’m excited to be staying with Joe Gibbs Racing and the 20 team and to continue the success thatRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent DARLINGTON, S.C. – From the back to the front, Kyle Busch came within laps of challenging Erik Jones for victory in the Bojangles Southern 500. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was chasing his teammate down in the closing laps. Busch made quick work of Kyle Larson as he closed in on Jones. The No. 18 Snickers Throwback Toyota Camry moved closer and closer to the No. 20 as the laps clicked off. With three laps to go, it looked as if the race would comeRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent DARLINGTON, S.C. – Strong runs for Matt DiBenedetto continued at Darlington Raceway as he earned back-to-back top-10 finishes for the first time in his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career. The No. 95 IMSA GTO Throwback Toyota Camry battled Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, and Paul Menard in the closing laps of the Bojangles Southern 500. DiBenedetto fought Bowyer hard until he fell behind in lapped traffic. He lost another spot to Busch in the closing laps. However, DiBenedetto held off Menard all the way toRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service DARLINGTON, S.C. – As the clock ticked toward 2 a.m. on Monday, in a race delayed by  rain for nearly four hours, Erik Jones claimed the most important victory of his career in the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. With his contract status at Joe Gibbs Racing a source of speculation throughout much of the current Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, Jones made an emphatic statement, holding off teammate Kyle Busch and charging Kyle Larson after taking the lead from Larson onRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent DARLINGTON, S.C. – JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier battled his boss, Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the way to a top-10 finish at Darlington Raceway. The NASCAR Xfinity Series regular may have lost touch with Earnhardt in the final green flag run of the race, but the duo often raced around one another. Allgaier battled teammate Noah Gragson as well as Austin Cindric, taking the checkered in 10th before being scored ninth after race winner Denny Hamlin was disqualified. When Allgaier and Earnhardt did battle at theRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent DARLINGTON, S.C. – It was a worst to first story for Denny Hamlin, until he was disqualified from his victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Following the Sports Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway, the No. 18 Sports Clips Toyota Supra was found to be too low in the left front and too high in the right rear. As a result, Cole Custer assumes the victory, becoming the first driver in Xfinity Series history to win a race without leading aRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service DARLINGTON, S.C. – It looked like more of the same at Darlington Raceway for driver Denny Hamlin—until post-race inspection happened. A five-time NASCAR Xfinity Series winner at the 1.366-mile track, Hamlin was first across the finish line in Saturday’s Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200, but the disqualification of Hamlin’s No. 18 Toyota for a ride-height violation made a winner of Cole Custer, who trailed Hamlin by .602 seconds at the finish line. “It’s a really strange feeling, honestly—obviously,” Custer said after being notified heRead More