Click here for analysis of top drivers, sleepers for Darlington
RELATED: See this year’s throwbacks | Comparing past and present looks
They’ll trot out their throwback paint schemes and throwback uniforms this week when NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams travel to Darlington Raceway for Sunday’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 (6 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR).
It’s a nod to NASCAR’s past draped around today’s technology. But strip it all away and some things remain unchanged. The 1.366-mile track continues to be the most difficult to master of any on the circuit, and the Southern 500 is still one of stock-car racing’s crown jewel events.
“To me, it’s a real race,” defending race winner Carl Edwards said. “There is no better film to watch than the old races at Darlington. Watching (David) Pearson and those guys sliding under each other, slide-jobbing each other lap after lap in all those races. There’s just something special about it.”
Pearson, a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, won a record 10 times at Darlington. If anyone ever came close to understanding what was required to endure 500 miles on a treacherous layout once dubbed “The Lady in Black,” it was the Spartanburg, South Carolina driver.
The circuit is oddly shaped, like an egg rather than an oval, and the asphalt while not worn still takes its toll on tires. Contact with the outside wall is considered a rite of passage and they even have a name for it — the Darlington stripe.
You don’t beat Darlington; you simply try to survive it.
Edwards did just that last year, sprinting away from Brad Keselowski (Team Penske) and JGR teammate Denny Hamlin on a restart with eight laps remaining to earn the victory.
Twice a runner-up at Darlington, Edwards said the win was memorable for two reasons. One because it was another victory, at the time the 25th of the Missouri native’s career.
Second, he said, “it’s the Southern 500. And that in itself, it’s probably next to the Coke 600 — those two together were both the biggest wins of my career.
“For me, that race was really a hard-fought battle; at one point we were I believe two laps down. We fought back. We didn’t quit and we made it back to the front.
“So it wasn’t an easy win; it was a really special win.
“I really like the place; I like how it races. It’s a really mentally and physically exhausting track so I like the challenge. … I think I can speak for all the drivers in saying yeah, it’s one of the biggest events of the year.”
Edwards’ No. 19 Toyota will feature an orange and white throwback paint scheme in honor of three-time Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart this weekend. Stewart won two of his three titles while at JGR; he is retiring from Sprint Cup competition at year’s end.
“It will be cool to do that for Tony’s last year,” Edwards said. “I’ve got my helmet ready to throw and everything.”
The throwback program is in its second year. Edwards got a taste of it much earlier. Eight years earlier in fact. With none other than Pearson.
“We did this media day at Darlington (in 2008),” Edwards said. “I went and picked up Pearson at his local airport, flew over to the race track and I remember taking the metal picture — ‘Don’t ever forget this moment.’ “
Edwards, then with Roush Fenway Racing, was making laps in his No. 99 Ford.
“Driving through Turns 1 and 2, just kind of goofing off slow,” he said. “… I look over and here’s Pearson in the 21 Wood Brothers (’71 Mercury) with his arm out the window beside me, just smiling. ‘Man, I’m at Darlington with Pearson in that car.’ That’s like being a part of history for a moment. That was really cool.”
MORE: See the 2015 race filmed in old-school look
It’s easy to criticize a driver, pit crew, or crew chief when performance doesn’t meet expectations and you see a loss slip away. That was the case for driver Chase Elliott and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team this past weekend in Michigan.
The silver lining?
The pit crew did its job on the last stop and helped Elliott take the lead from Kyle Larson. The restart — well, that’s not our subject of expertise.
The No. 24 has gone through some rough stretches over the last year, and changes were made at multiple positions. Adding new people and giving new roles to existing personnel have been moves made to help improve performance.
This weekend was set up to be a reflection of their hard work. Things just didn’t work out in the end. Elliott said it best after the race.
“My guys did such a good job today of making the most of pit road. That was the only place you could make a large sum of ground in a short period of time. They did exactly what I asked them to do. I said, ‘You guys are going to have to bail me out here, I messed up.’ (And) they did.
Elliott was referring to losing the lead to Larson on the track and then taking it back on pit road. The No. 24 is still in the Chase with two races to go, and if you’re a No. 24 fan, it’s a good sign to see the pit crew starting to peak at the right time.
For more pit crew news, visit PitTalks.com.
The team for No. 2 Ford driver Brad Keselowski in the Sprint Cup Series was assessed a P2-level penalty after the car failed post-race inspection at Michigan International Speedway.
NASCAR on Wednesday fined crew chief Paul Wolfe $15,000 and docked the team 10 championship driver points and 10 championship owner points after the No. 2 failed post-race laser inspection.
The No. 2 Team Penske squad also received a written warning for failing pre-race laser inspection twice.
NASCAR also gave written warnings to several other teams on Wednesday following last weekend’s action at Michigan International Speedway and Road America. Twelve of the warnings were issued to Sprint Cup Series teams, while the XFINITY Series had one.
The teams of drivers Regan Smith, Ryan Newman and Michael McDowell each received a written warning for failing pre-race laser inspection twice.
The teams of drivers Josh Wise and McDowell received written warnings and a loss of 15 minutes of practice time after failing pre-qualifying laser inspection three times.
The teams of drivers Kasey Kahne, Chase Elliott and Michael Annett received written warnings for failing pre-qualifying laser inspection twice.
Trevor Bayne, Smith and Kyle Larson all received written warnings for failing pre-qualifying template inspection twice.
As for the XFINITY Series, the only written warning given out was to Owen Kelly for failing pre-race laser inspection twice.
Camping World Truck Series wheelman Spencer Gallagher received a behavioral penalty and was fined $5,000 for approaching the racing surface or apron during the event.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 31, 2016) — It’s only fitting that the defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion officially kicks off 2016 Chase Across America activities. And today, that’s exactly what Kyle Busch will do when he visits Boston for a full day of social and traditional media activities.
The Beantown media blitz is the first of many Chase media events before and throughout NASCAR’s playoffs, which begin on Sunday, Sept. 18 at Chicagoland Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Busch will land in Boston as a four-time winner in 2016, having clinched a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and seeking a second consecutive series crown. This season’s success comes on the heels of an incredible comeback story in 2015. After missing 11 races due to a compound fracture in his right leg and a broken left foot during the season-opening NASCAR XFINITY Series race in Daytona, Busch returned to win four out of five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events over the course of the summer. Those victories effectively helped clinch his spot in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, and paved the way to his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.
Following Busch’s visit to Boston, the remaining 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship contenders will travel from coast to coast over the course of the next several weeks, visiting New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, as well as Stamford and Bristol, Connecticut. In addition to participating in interviews with local, regional and national media outlets, drivers will also make stops at NBC Sports, FOX Sports, SiriusXM Satellite Radio and ESPN studios. Several drivers will also appear at NASCAR Plaza in Charlotte, North Carolina on a weekly basis for satellite media interviews.
Chase Across America
| Date | Driver | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 31 | Kyle Busch | Media Tour | Boston |
| Sept. 7 | Denny Hamlin | NBC HQ Visit | Stamford, Conn. |
| Sept. 7 | Kyle Larson | SMT | Chico, Calif. |
| Sept. 13 | Kevin Harvick | ESPN HQ Visit | Bristol, Conn. |
| Sept. 14 | TBD | NASCAR Plaza Visit | Charlotte, N.C. |
| Sept. 14 | Joey Logano | Media Tour | Detroit |
| Sept. 14 | Jimmie Johnson | Media Tour/FOX HQ Visit | Los Angeles |
| Sept. 15 | All 16 Chase drivers | Chase Media Day | Chicago |
| Sept. 21 | Matt Kenseth | NASCAR Plaza Visit | Charlotte, N.C. |
| Sept. 21 | TBD | NBC HQ Visit | Stamford, Conn. |
| Sept. 22 | Brad Keselowski | Media Tour | New York |
| Sept. 28 | Tony Stewart | NASCAR Plaza Visit | Charlotte, N.C. |
| Oct. 5 | Carl Edwards | Media Tour | Dallas |
NASCAR will crown its 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion at the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the final round of The Chase Nov. 20 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM Satellite Radio). Tickets for all Chase events in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series are available at www.nascar.com/tickets.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to Darlington Raceway for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 Sunday, Sept. 4, at 6 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast live on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM Satellite Radio.
RELATED: Full Darlington coverage
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 31, 2016) — Leading up to this weekend’s live NASCAR action from Darlington Raceway, NBC Sports presents a new one-hour documentary created to take fans inside the storied history of “The Track Too Tough To Tame.” Produced in partnership with NASCAR Productions, “Southern Speed: The Legend of Darlington” premieres tonight at 9 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
Multi-platinum recording artist Darius Rucker narrates the special in tribute to his South Carolina roots. Current NASCAR drivers Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch are joined by Ken Squier and racing legends Dale Jarrett, Kyle Petty and Jeff Burton, who reflect on how the Southern 500 became a stock car racing tradition.
Premiering during a week dedicated to honoring the rich history of NASCAR, the original program will also be available via live stream on the NBC Sports App and NBCSports.com.
A preview of tonight’s special is available here. Below are excerpts from “Southern Speed: The Legend of Darlington.”
Kyle Petty, former driver and NASCAR on NBC analyst: “Bill France was there and Raymond Parks was there. So many Hall of Famers were there for that first race and that speaks volumes to what Darlington was, even in the beginning.”
Buz McKim, NASCAR Hall of Fame Historian: “Darlington never has been a normal track and it never will be. There is too much folklore, there is too much history and there are too many great spots and low spots. It is totally the track of the unexpected.”
Dale Jarrett, Hall of Fame driver and NASCAR on NBC analyst: “The idea to go back to Labor Day and run the Southern 500 is something that our sport really needed.”
Harold Brasington III, grandson of Darlington Raceway founder: “I have to admit I felt pretty special knowing that my granddad built this place. I can remember the first time he drove me up into the infield through that tunnel it was like a portal into another world. I saw these structures coming out of the beds of pickup trucks. The crowd was overwhelming.”
Tune in to watch the Bojangles’ Southern 500 this Sunday, Sept. 4, at 6 p.m. ET on NBC, or listen live on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Fans can also purchase tickets to catch all the on-track action in person by visiting www.nascar.com/tickets.
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 31, 2016) — Richard Petty Motorsports today announced competition changes to improve their on-track performance. Effectively immediately, Philippe Lopez and Scott McDougall will temporarily oversee all competition duties and roles previously held by Sammy Johns both at the track and at the race shop.
The change comes as part of an immediate, aggressive strategy by RPM leadership to improve speed, performance and future growth of RPM. The goal is to improve on-track results from 2016 and to capitalize on the progress made in previous seasons.
“The past several years, we have made significant investments in our organization with the goal of winning races and to compete at a high level on a weekly basis,” said Brian Moffitt, Chief Executive Officer, Richard Petty Motorsports. “We now have direction over our own chassis and bodies and work closely with Ford Performance on technology and engineering. With these investments, unfortunately, we have not seen the on-track results that we expected this season.
“As we look ahead to 2017, we are taking steps forward to improve our on-track product to better serve our partners and fans. This means analyzing every part of our organization and making adjustments where needed. Sammy Johns has been a big part of our organization; he helped us succeed in many different ways and helped us become a winning race team. We wish him nothing but the best going forward.”
RPM has seen success on the track in recent seasons. Aric Almirola and the No. 43 Ford Fusion had their most consistent season together and highest average finish to date in 2015. They were also a race winning team in 2014 and competed in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Off the track, the organization has continued to grow relationships with primary partners Smithfield Foods, Albertsons Companies, Shore Lodge, U.S. Air Force, Twisted Tea, STP, Fresh From Florida and Jacob Companies.
“Our partners have seen success and believe in our mission,” continued Moffitt. “They share in our commitment to see Aric and Brian competing at a higher level each weekend.”
Lopez and McDougall will begin their duties at the track in Darlington this weekend.
STAMFORD, Conn. — August 31, 2016 — NBC Sports gears up for a throwback weekend of racing from Darlington highlighted by the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on NBC and the XFINITY Series race Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
NBC Sports joins Darlington Raceway in celebrating the sights and sounds of the 1975-1984 era with throwback themes integrated into this weekend’s coverage. In addition to traditional graphics and historic logos, NASCAR on NBC’s on-air team will dress in their best time period apparel. Throughout the weekend, NASCAR on NBC’s pre-race set will be flanked by a series of old school cars from the decade. Music and footage from the era will also bring viewers in and out of commercial breaks.
Race day coverage kicks off with a revamped version of Blake Shelton’s NASCAR on NBC “Bringing Back the Sunshine” Open, full of racing moments spanning the track’s incredible history. Legendary NASCAR broadcasters Ken Squier and Ned Jarrett return to the booth, alongside Dale Jarrett, to call a portion of the race. Squier adds his voice to a special pre-race feature on the storied Raceway. Pre-race coverage also includes a special three-car on-track preview of Darlington Raceway. In addition to Jeff Burton in the Toyota Camry on-track car, Kyle Petty will drive his father’s famed 1979 No. 43 Championship race car alongside Dale Jarrett in fellow Hall of Famer Benny Parsons’ No. 72 car.
NBC SPORTS PRESENTS NASCAR SPRINT CUP RACING FROM DARLINGTON SUNDAY AT 6 P.M. ET
NBC Sports begins its Sprint Cup coverage from “The Lady in Black” Friday with practice at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, followed by final practice at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. An on-site edition of “NASCAR America” wraps up the day at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Saturday’s coverage from Darlington Raceway includes “NASCAR America” at 1 p.m. ET followed by qualifying at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
Sunday’s race day coverage kicks off on NBCSN with NASCAR America at 5 p.m. ET. NBC’s coverage begins with “Countdown to Green” at 5:30 p.m. ET followed by race coverage at 6 p.m. ET. “NASCAR Victory Lap” at 11 p.m. ET wraps up the day.
Race announcer Rick Allen calls this weekend’s action alongside analysts Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton. Pre- and post-race coverage is handled by host Krista Voda, and analysts Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett. Marty Snider, Mike Massaro, Dave Burns and Kelli Stavast report from pit road. Rutledge Wood, fresh off his journey to the Olympic Games in Rio, returns to bring viewers closer to the sights and sounds of the original paved superspeedway.
XFINITY SERIES RACING RETURNS TO NBC SATURDAY AT 3:30 P.M. ET
NBC Sports XFINITY coverage from “The Track Too Tough To Tame” begins Friday with practice at 12 p.m. ET on NBCSN, followed by final practice at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Race day coverage begins with qualifying on 11:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN. NBC’s XFINITY coverage begins with Countdown to Green at 3 p.m. ET followed by race coverage at 3:30 p.m. ET.
NBC SPORTS PRESENTS “SOUTHERN SPEED: THE LEGEND OF DARLINGTON” TONIGHT AT 9 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
Leading up to this weekend’s live NASCAR action from Darlington Raceway, NBC Sports presents a new one-hour special created to take fans inside the storied history of “The Track Too Tough To Tame.” Produced in partnership with NASCAR productions, “Southern Speed: The Legend of Darlington” premieres tonight at 9 p.m. ET on NBCSN, following a special 8 p.m. ET presentation of “NASCAR America.” This morning’s release previewing the special is available here.
ARIC ALMIROLA & “THE KING” STAR IN THIS WEEK’S “PHONE A FAN” SOCIAL WEB VIDEO
Aric Almirola and Richard Petty star in this week’s new NASCAR on NBC “Phone a Fan” web video, where unsuspecting fans receive calls from their favorite NASCAR drivers. In the video released today on the NASCAR on NBC Facebook page and Twitter accounts, Barry from Egg Harbor, N.J., grills Almirola and Petty on when the No. 43 is going to make its way back Victory Lane. Check out the full video here.
Ben Kennedy joins Ryan on this week’s NASCAR on NBC podcast to discuss his first Camping World Truck Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway and the outpouring of support he received from some NASCAR luminaries. Available on NASCAR Talk, iTunes, AudioBoom, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher and podcasting apps, the NASCAR on NBC podcast discusses the latest NASCAR news each week with the major players in the sport.
UPCOMING NASCAR PROGRAMMING
|
Date |
Coverage |
Time (ET) |
Network |
|
Wed., Aug. 31 |
NASCAR America |
8:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
Southern Speed: The Legend of Darlington |
9:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
Thurs., Sept. 1 |
NASCAR America |
6:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR Whelen Modified Series – Riverhead |
7:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
Fri., Sept. 2 |
NASCAR XFINITY Series Practice – Darlington |
12:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice – Darlington |
1:30 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR XFINITY Series Final Practice – Darlington |
2:30 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – Darlington |
3:30 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR America |
5:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR K&N Pro Series West – Douglas County |
7:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
Sat., Sept. 3 |
NASCAR XFINITY Series Qualifying – Darlington |
11:30 AM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR America |
1:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying – Darlington |
1:30 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR XFINITY Series Countdown to Green |
3:00 PM |
NBC |
|
|
NASCAR XFINITY Series Racing – Darlington |
3:30 PM |
NBC |
|
Sun., Sept. 4 |
NASCAR America Sunday |
5:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup Countdown to Green |
5:30 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Racing – Darlington |
6:00 PM |
NBC |
|
|
NASCAR Victory Lap |
11:00 PM |
NBCSN |
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