NASCAR Darlington Sunday, May 5, 2024
Darlington NASCAR Cup Series Stats Highlights
7 Different winners in last 7 Darlington races – Harvick, Truex Jr., Hamlin, Logano, Jones, Byron & Larson
Hendrick Motorsports Darlington sweep last year – William Byron in May & Kyle Larson in September
William Byron Darlington 5/23 winner (3rd win last season – First driver with 3 wins last season)
Started 4th, finished 2nd in Stage 1 & 4th in Stage 2, only led 7 of final 8 laps (3rd of 6 wins last season)
100th win for #24
Kyle Larson Darlington 9/23 winner
Started 18th, finished 3rd in Stage 1 & 2nd in Stage 2, only led final 55 laps (3rd of 4 wins last season)
First win since April – Ended 17-race winless streak
500th win for Hendrick Motorsports engine department
TRIVIA: LEE PETTY WITH 54 WINS WAS THE ALL-TIME RACE WINNER BEFORE HIS SON PASSED HIM AT DARLINGTON 57 YEARS AGO…MAY 13, 1967
Top 5 both Darlington races last season: William Byron 1st & 4th
Top 10 both Darlington races last season: 6
Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Bubba Wallace
Martin Truex Jr. led most laps in this event last year, but failed to finish due to crash
9 Involved in a lap 194 crash last year
8 Involved in lap 281 crash last year
Denny Hamlin won Stage 1 & 2 and led most laps in 2023 Southern 500, pitted as leader on with 97 to go, but had to pit for loose wheel with 94 to go, lost a lap, involved in crash with less than 40 to go
Hamlin post-race: “I hate losing”
Ross Chastain: 200th race
Ryan Blaney: 3 Top 10 finishes in 14 Darlington races – Finished 9th both races last season
William Byron: Finished 8th or better last 3 Darlington races – 2 Straight top 5 finishes
Brad Keselowski: 11 Darlington top 10 finishes – Finished 7th or better last 3 Darlington races
Bubba Wallace: Finished 9th or better last 3 Darlington races – 1 Top 5 finish
24 of the 36 NASCAR Cup Series champions won at Darlington (78 Total wins)
24 Hall of Fame drivers won Darlington races
Chevrolet: 3 Straight Darlington wins – Winless previous 11 Darlington races
No Rookie of the Year contender won Darlington
1 of last 14 Darlington races won by driver starting first – Last winner from pole: Joey Logano 5/22
Last to win back-to-back Darlington races: Greg Biffle 2005 & ‘06 (Kyle Larson won last Darlington race)
Last defending NASCAR Cup Series champion to win Darlington race – Jeff Gordon 2001 champ & 9/02 winner
Leader of most laps finished 25th or worse last 3 Darlington races
9 Darlington winners led 10 or fewer laps
Fewest laps led by Darlington winner: 1 (Ricky Craven 3/03) & 2 (Terry Labonte 9/80 & Harry Gant 4/83)
Drivers won first race of season 40 times at Darlington
5 Darlington races settled by last lap pass
Closest Darlington finish: .002 seconds – 3/03 Ricky Craven over Kurt Busch
6 Won first career NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington
Only 1 Stage 2 winner went on to win Darlington – Martin Truex Jr. 5/21
Stage 2 winner finished 25th or worse last 4 Darlington races
Pit Road Speeding Penalties:
2017: 0 / 2018: 3 / 2019: 0 / 5/17/20: 4 / 5/20/20: 3 / 9/6/20: 4 / 5/9/21: 5 / 9/5/21: 1 / 5/8/22: 2 / 9/4/22: 2 / 5/14/23: 3 / 9/3/23: 3
Darlington NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats Highlights
Darlington wins:
Joe Gibbs Racing: 12; JR Motorsports: 6; Stewart-Haas Racing: 2; Kaulig Racing: 1; Richard Childress Racing: 0
Cole Custer
2019 Darlington winner – Took checkered 2nd, declared winner after Denny Hamlin disqualification (No laps led)
JR Motorsports won 4 of last 6 Darlington races
First Joe Gibbs Racing NXS win: Darlington 3/98 (Bobby Labonte)
Final lead change with 3 or fewer laps to go 7 of last 8 Darlington races – 2 of last 3 races settled by last lap pass
3 Scored first career win at Darlington – Last: Ron Bouchard 4/84 (Both career wins came at Darlington)
Chase Elliott only Rookie to win Darlington (2014)
Stage 2 winner won only 1 Darlington race – Noah Gragson 9/21
4 Darlington races settled by last lap pass:
2014 – Chase Elliott passed Elliott Sadler
5/20 – Chase Briscoe passed Kyle Busch
9/22 – Noah Gragson passed Kyle Larson
5/23 – Kyle Larson passed John Hunter Nemechek
Most leaders: 9 (4/84, 5/05 & 5/23)
Most cautions: 10 (4/84, 5/07, 5/09 & 5/23)
Slowest race: 91.924 mph (5/23)
Most finishing on lead lap: 32 (9/23)