Charlotte Motor Speedway creates grass 'transition barrier'

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Nascar

There will be a slightly different look to the frontstretch when NASCAR teams travel to Charlotte Motor Speedway in October for Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series events.

Track engineers and turf specialists began the process this week of installing a 6-foot wide “transition barrier” between the pavement and the grass area that separates the racing surface from pit road.

The border, which consists of a sand/soil mix with rye grass and will be the same level as the asphalt, is expected to decrease the likelihood of damage to a car should it travel off the racing surface and onto the infield grass.

“The goal is to create something similar to a fairway to rough transition you might see on a golf course,” Scott Cooper, Vice President of Communications for CMS, told NASCAR.com. “If a driver gets pinched down, he or she should have a good opportunity to get back on the track without suffering too much damage to the car.”

Current ride-height rules have Sprint Cup cars much lower than in previous years, and damage to splitters and other front-end pieces of the cars often occur after nothing more than a spin through the grass at some facilities.

Crews will put down approximately 140 tons of the sand/soil mix to complete the project.

Only the grass transition barrier will be lower – the infield grass beyond the 6-foot area where sponsor and track logos normally appear — will be unchanged.

“Hopefully, this will create another ‘Pass in the Grass’ opportunity,” Cooper said, referencing Dale Earnhardt’s brief run through the infield grass en route to winning the series’ 1997 All-Star Race.

Contact between Earnhardt and Bill Elliott as the two battled for the lead sent Earnhardt’s blue-and-yellow No. 3 briefly off-track; Earnhardt maintained control of his car and remained the leader as he shot back up onto the racing surface.

CMS will host the Bank of America Sprint Cup Series race Saturday, Oct. 10. It is the first race of the Contender Round in this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup.

The Drive for the Cure 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 9.

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Nascar

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Jennifer Jo Cobb has been fined $7,500 by the sanctioning body as a result of a rules violation Aug. 30 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

RELATED: NASCAR statement on No. 10 penalty

Cobb, driver of the No. 10 Chevrolet, was assessed a P3 level penalty on Tuesday for having “a non-engine electronic component” in her truck.

She was fined $5,000 for the infraction, as well as an additional $2,500 because she is currently on probation for a rule violation earlier this year.

Cobb was involved in a two-vehicle crash during final practice for Saturday’s Chevrolet Silverado 250 at CTMP. After climbing from her truck, which came to rest against a tire barrier, Cobb returned to the vehicle to retrieve what appeared to be a cell phone.

The incident was shown during coverage of the practice on Fox Sports 1.

NASCAR banned cell phones and similar electronic devices from driver compartments in 2012 shortly after Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski tweeted a picture during a red-flag period in the season-opening Daytona 500. The photo, which was taken after former Sprint Cup driver Juan Pablo Montoya struck a jet dryer while the race was under the caution flag, drew national attention and increased Keselowski’s Twitter following substantially.

In November of that year, Keselowski was fined $25,000 and placed on probation for having a cell phone in his race car at Phoenix International Raceway. The driver, who would go on to win that year’s series championship, had once again tweeted photos from his car during a red-flag stoppage.

Cobb, who finished 20th in Saturday’s race, was fined $5,000 and placed on probation earlier this season for exiting her vehicle and walking onto the track before safety workers arrived on the scene at Dover International Speedway.

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Nascar

It’s 1.366 miles of character-testing asphalt; a track so demanding it required not one nickname, but two.

The Lady in Black.

Too Tough to Tame.

Welcome to Darlington Raceway, host for six and a half decades of one of the most anticipated, most difficult events on the NASCAR schedule.

The Bojangles’ Southern 500 returns to what many believe is its rightful place on the Sprint Cup Series schedule, Labor Day weekend, with history in tow. That history will be on display as the track and various teams adhere to a throwback theme, part of a five-year program that launches this weekend.

“I remember that 1968 Southern win that was on the old (layout); I wouldn’t take anything for that win and then went on to win five Southern 500s,” NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Cale Yarborough said recently.

“I just have so many fond memories of racing here. Even though I had rather win here than anywhere else — because it’s home, it’s the first superspeedway — I absolutely hated to drive this place. It was just so tough to drive. But I still would rather win here than anywhere.”

Yarborough, a three-time champion and member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, hails from nearby Timmonsville, South Carolina. He made his first Darlington start in 1957 as a teenager. More than 20 years later, he became the first driver to win five Southern 500 titles.

“I was definitely in over my head,” Yarborough said of that first start, which came with car owner Bob Weatherly. “But I came back and won five times and that record stood for 30 years. When Jeff Gordon tied my record (in 2002), I told him, ‘Jeff, you’ve got a long way to go son. Because you never won one on that old Darlington race track.’

“This is a unique place. There’s not another one like it. I think any driver would love to have a win at Darlington on his resume.”

• • •

Fast Fact I: In 1965, Ned Jarrett won the Southern 500 by a whopping 14 laps, the largest margin of victory ever recorded in NASCAR’s premier series.

• • •

The story goes that after purchasing the land for the track, owner Harold Brasington was instructed that he wasn’t to disturb a nearby minnow pond when constructing NASCAR’s first paved speedway. What resulted was a layout that features two vastly different ends of the facility, giving the track a somewhat egg-shaped appearance.

The unique design, along with the application of what was known as “bear grease,” resulted in yet another piece of NASCAR terminology — the Darlington stripe. Cars would often ricochet off the wall as they skirted along the very edge of the outside racing groove.

Because of laws that restricted certain types of commerce on Sunday, the Southern 500 was contested on Labor Day, the first Monday of September, annually from 1950 through 1983.

“I guess what they had in South Carolina at the time were what they called Blue laws. We couldn’t run on Sunday,” Dale Inman, winner of seven championships as a crew chief for Richard Petty and eight championships overall, said. “We’d practice three or four days, practice on Saturday and then we didn’t do anything on Sunday. Then we’d come back and run Labor Day.

“Golly, while we were gone they’d paint the track in bear grease, so when we started the race it was just a different world for awhile.”

The appeal was obvious. Not only was Darlington the first big paved track in NASCAR’s realm, but the purse in the early years was equally impressive as well.

“The first time I went there I think was 1951,” Inman said. “Lord, in those years they started them three abreast. They didn’t use the banking, or very few used it. It was just unheard of at that time.”

Petty won three times at Darlington, including the 1967 Southern 500. But the race that stands out in Inman’s mind came three years later in the spring event.

The track, already known as one of the most treacherous on the circuit, lived up to its billing when Petty’s blue No. 43 Plymouth came off Turn 4, broke loose and struck the inside pit wall with such force that it destroyed the concrete barrier. Petty’s car flipped violently before coming to rest on its roof.

“When we got to him, (the car) was … in the middle of the race track and cars were still going by on both sides,” Inman said. “We unhooked the seatbelt, he kind of came down pretty hard on the roof because he was laying upside down.

“Until he groaned we didn’t think he was still with us. But he did groan so we knew he was OK. The big thing was his shoulder was out of place. It knocked him out.”

Darlington favored no one. Not even NASCAR’s soon to be King.

• • •

Fast Fact II: In 1976, David Pearson won NASCAR’s version of the Triple Crown by capturing the Daytona 500, the World 600 and Southern 500.

• • •

“Bear grease” is no longer a part of track preparation, but the Darlington stripe remains very much in evidence. When track officials moved the start/finish line to what had previously been the backstretch in 1997, the difficulty in navigating the cantankerous old circuit remained unchanged.

Turn 1 didn’t become any easier simply because it was now Turn 3.

“You don’t go to race tracks … going, ‘Man, I’ve got to beat this track,’ ” Hendrick Motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. “The track’s not even a factor, not even a part of the conversation. … But when you go to Darlington, the track is a competitor. The track becomes as big of a challenge as trying to beat the next guy in front of you or outrunning your peers.

“Darlington is one of the few ovals that can reach out and grab you if you’re not paying attention or being careful. Most of the tracks we go to you won’t really run into the wall or spin out unless you have a failure on the car. Here, if you don’t watch every corner, every little thing you do … that challenge of it, how hard it is and the odds are so bad to come here and get a win, you’re up against so much more. I think that’s what adds to the appreciation for what it means to win here.”

• • •

Fast Fact III: The movie “Days of Thunder” starring Tom Cruise debuts in 1990. Cruise’s character, Cole Trickle, scores his first NASCAR win at Darlington Raceway. Naturally.

• • •

At the close of the 1984 season, then series sponsor RJ Reynolds, through its Winston brand, unveiled what was known as the Winston Million, a program that offered a $1 million bonus to any driver winning three of the series “Big Four” events — the Daytona 500, the Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, the Coca-Cola 600 and the Southern 500.

Previously, only two drivers had won three of the four races in a single season — LeeRoy Yarbrough (1969) and Pearson (1976).

In the first year of the Winston Million program, Bill Elliott came to Darlington having won two of the first three, at Daytona and Talladega. In the Southern 500, the future Hall of Famer had to nimbly avoid a spin by Dale Earnhardt and a smoking Yarborough entry in the latter stages of the race to seal the victory.

It was a career-defining moment for the Dawsonville, Georgia native, earning him the nickname “Million Dollar Bill.”

It wasn’t until 1997 before another driver collected the bonus, again with a victory in the Southern 500. Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon held off a tremendous charge by Jeff Burton in the final two laps to pocket the bonus in the final year of the program.

• • •

Fast Fact IV: Johnny Mantz won only one NASCAR premier series event — the inaugural Southern 500 held Sept. 4, 1950. The race featured a 75-car starting lineup and took more than six hours to complete.

• • •

Former crew chief Ray Evernham guided Gordon to four consecutive Southern 500 wins from 1995 through 1998. The most memorable win?

“The million dollar win,” Evernham said without hesitation. “Because we did not have a car to win that day.

“We won that as a team and driver; we kept working on the car. I think we made 16 pit stops that day.

“The car was basically destroyed — front clip bent, rear clip bent, door bars … we just stayed after it and won that race and we really shouldn’t have. But we did.”

Evernham won 47 races as a crew chief for Gordon, with victories coming at nearly every stop on the schedule, including Daytona, Charlotte and Indianapolis. But Darlington, he said, holds a special place.

“I love this place,” he said. “It’s still my favorite track. It challenged me. I could make a difference as a chassis person — that’s different from being a crew chief.

“I loved making the car handle. The springs, the shocks, getting all that stuff right. You could make changes here. This is like a damn dirt track. You have to chase it. You chase it all day long — 500 miles, five hours sometimes, you chase this race track.

“You had to have a tough driver and a great pit crew. Our wins here to me are some of our best wins because we really won those races as a group. Jeff had to be the best, I had to be the best, the crew had to be the best. This place, to run as hard and as long as you do here, everything had to be just right. And when I look back at Darlington, they’re some of the most satisfying wins that I had as a crew chief.”

MORE: Photos, facts about Darlington

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Holly Cain

Just when it looked like Darlington Raceway‘s 1970s “throwback” promotion couldn’t get any groovier with retro race car paint schemes and a return to the track’s historical Labor Day weekend calendar spot, NBC Sports upped the game again.

The network announced Tuesday that iconic broadcaster Ken Squier will team with NASCAR Hall of Famers — and father and son — Ned and Dale Jarrett in the broadcast booth for a portion of Sunday’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 telecast on NBC (7 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Not only will the race look like a blast from the past, it will sound like one, too.

“Something I’m looking extremely forward to is to have a chance to call some of the race with my dad and Ken Squier, who really helped put our sport on the map,” said Dale Jarrett, who appears on NBC’s pre-race show along with Krista Voda and Kyle Petty.

Viewers can expect to be transported to a different era in the sport with approximately 30 cars running retro paint schemes and the broadcast set to adjust even fine details, like making its graphics and logo authentic to the time. The track nicknamed “Too Tough to Tame” is itself a perennial “throwback” to some of the most noteworthy historical times in NASCAR.

Described Squier, “Darlington is truly like no other, its imperfections … it’s the perfect competitive place for NASCAR.”

“Authentic” was the buzzword Tuesday afternoon as the NASCAR on NBC team shared its collective thoughts about one of the sport’s most traditional races, the Southern 500 and its long-awaited move back to its Labor Day weekend position on the schedule for the first time since 2003.

Squier called it “the best move NASCAR has made in a decade.”

Others spoke at length about how this weekend’s race at the notoriously tough Darlington venue also represents a bridge between the longtime NASCAR purists and the new generation of fans.

“I think it’s really important to understand where you came from to know where you’re going, and what a perfect weekend to do it,” NBC analyst and former Darlington winner Jeff Burton said. “At a time we look back and celebrate the past, we can celebrate what’s going on now too.”

Fellow analyst Petty agreed the weekend would please those who hang onto the memories of Richard Petty battling David Pearson, Ned Jarrett’s record 14-lap margin of victory, Dale Earnhardt’s afternoons charming “The Lady in Black” and Bill Elliott winning $1 million in the old Winston Million incentive program. At the same time, there is hope the attention generated this weekend will pique the interest of new fans who have a wide field of young new talent ready to follow in the legends footsteps here.

“It’s a time to wax nostalgic, but also an opportunity to educate fans to the history of the sport at a place that has that much history … and at the same time introduce them to what the sport has now,” Petty said. “There are certain places that evoke history and the guys that came before you, and Darlington’s that place. It’s still the exact same place my granddad drove around 50-60 years ago.

“I was ecstatic when they moved it back to Labor Day. … This is where it should be.

“All is right with the world this week for me because we’ll be in Darlington and it’s Labor Day.”

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Holly Cain

RELATED: Chase Grid | Chase Bubble Watch

Kyle Larson spent three intense days at Homestead-Miami Speedway last week logging laps, studying data and working on what could potentially be the most important homework assignment of his career. So far.

Knowing that the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion will be crowned at the Nov. 22 season-finale at the 1.5-mile speedway, the test session — a two-day Goodyear tire test followed by a one-day open test — was an essential learning tool.

Thing is, Larson, last year’s Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year, still has to earn a spot in the 16-driver Chase field to even be among the title discussion by the time the series heads back to the South Florida track to race.

And time’s running out.

Only two chances remain to grab one of the playoff spots — this week at Darlingon and next week at Richmond. Because Larson is not currently ranked among the top-16 in the points standings, his only chance of earning a Chase berth is winning a race and making his first career trip to a Sprint Cup Victory Lane. It’s crunch time, and Larson knows it.

“We know we have to win,” Larson said. “And still right now, we have to find some more speed to compete for a win. We’ve been close a couple times this year just based on strategies.

“It could happen even with just two races left. We tested at Richmond earlier in the year and it went well. I always run just outside top-10 at Richmond and I thought I learned a lot (at the test). So we’ve got good stuff for Richmond, and Darlington is a track I like a lot.”

Having his season’s fate decided in such dramatic fashion wasn’t exactly what Larson or others predicted. Larson was widely considered a shoe-in for a title run — at least a playoff berth — after an impressive rookie season.

A natural talent from the same kind of open-wheel background as three-time Cup champ Tony Stewart and four-time champ Jeff Gordon, Larson has emerged as one of the sport’s new young headliners and is widely regarded as future championship material.

Now the 23-year-old must seal the deal.

“I’m definitely surprised it’s come down to this,” Larson said while waiting out a rain delay last week at Homestead. “The way both Jamie (McMurray, CGR teammate) and I ended last year, we thought we’d be a contender this year.

“We’ve been fast but just haven’t had any luck at all this year and that’s been really frustrating. When we have speed in the cars we run in top-10. At Bristol, for example, we blew two front tires. Last year we’d run way worse but have better finishes.”

WATCH: Rough night for Larson at Bristol

There’s no denying it’s been a no-luck, hard-knock kind of season despite the team’s best efforts. While Chip Ganassi Racing‘s other Chevrolet driven by McMurray is in promising position to earn a Chase position based on points, it’s been a tough road for the team’s second-year driver.

Larson’s third place at Dover in May is his best finish of the season and only top-five showing after a rookie year when he was regularly mixing it up at the front of the field, posting five top-three finishes, including three runner-ups.

He’s had only two top-10s in the No. 42 Target Chevrolet since Dover this spring, and his four DNFs equal the number he had all of last year.

But there is encouraging news to consider, and Larson has not conceded a thing.

His No. 42 Chevrolet was easily one of the best cars in the Chase last year with six top-10 finishes in the final 10 races, including a streak of five consecutive as the postseason kicked in.

MORE: Larson’s Darlington ‘Days of Thunder’ throwback scheme

Should Larson earn a playoff chance, he feels the team should be strong down the stretch.

“Last year I thought we were running better at this point in the season than we are now,” Larson said. “But a lot of the tracks in the Chase I really enjoy running at and I think that’s part of why we had success in the Chase.

“I think we’ll be good again this year in the Chase. It’s just right now, we’re not in it.”

He added quickly: “That could change.”

MORE: Who’s most likely to win way into Chase?

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Staff Report

RELATED: Dale Jr. proud of JRM teams

Josh Berry will make his first NASCAR XFINITY Series start of 2015 for JR Motorsports on Sept. 11 at Richmond International Raceway.

Berry will pilot the No. 88 Chevrolet in the Virginia529 College Savings 250 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The No. 88 car will carry sponsorship from Speedco for the race.

“We’re happy to be able to put Josh in our XFINITY car again at a track he has some laps on to allow him to show what he can do,” JRM co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. said in a release provided by the team. “I felt like he performed well last year in the two races he was able to run. He’s really elevated himself as a driver this year, winning at multiple tracks in the late model to earn this opportunity and I expect him to make the most of it.”

Berry made two XFINITY Series starts last season for JRM at Iowa (in August) and the season finale at Homestead. His best finish was a 12th-place result at Iowa.

“I’m just really excited to have another opportunity to move up,” Berry said in a team release. “We’ve had a really good season so far in the late model car, and I’m really excited to get to do another XFINITY race, especially at a race track I’ve been to before. I ran in the XFINITY Series twice last year and wasn’t sure I would have the opportunity to do it again, but luckily Speedco came on board for this race. I’m really thankful for their support and for the opportunity Dale, Kelley, L.W. (Miller) and everyone at JRM are giving me.”

Berry runs a late model for JRM and has totaled nine wins this season.

The No. 88 car is currently 10th in the owner standings in the XFINITY Series. Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne and Ben Rhodes all have piloted the No. 88 car this season. Harvick has driven the team to its two wins and will be behind the wheel this weekend at Darlington in the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Staff Report

Meet Todd, Official NASCAR Fan Council member of the month

Name: Todd

Current City: Fayetteville, North Carolina

Member since: 2010

Getting to know Todd

Q. Why did you join the Official NASCAR Fan Council?

"I am very passionate about NASCAR and have been a fan for over 30 years. I joined the NASCAR Fan Council to have a voice and help improve this sport in any way I can."

Q. What comes to mind when you think of NASCAR? What’s your favorite NASCAR memory?

"I am a fan of several sports and I think that NASCAR, by far, is the best sport in the world. It is filled with passionate fans and drivers. I like the fact that drivers, whether good or bad, show their passion and emotions and NASCAR allows them to.

"I have attended many races over the years and have many great memories but my greatest memory was my very first Daytona 500 in 2007. It is a day I will never forget. I have continued to go every year since."

Q: Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?

Driver: "Austin Dillon"

Track: "Daytona"

Memorabilia: "I have a ton of memorabilia but my two favorite items are a Dale Jarrett autographed diecast and an autographed Austin Dillon hat (I met him last year). My picture even made the NASCAR website from that one."

Q: If you could go to any NASCAR race/track, where would you go?

"A night race at Bristol"

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

"I like to hunt, fish, watch NASCAR racing, and spend time with my family. We love to travel."

Q: Tell us about your family. Do you have children and/or pets?

"I am happily married and have two children."

Q: What’s your dream car?

"I would have to say a Corvette."

From all of us at NASCAR, we thank todd for His continued support and look forward to hearing from him in 2015! Look for Todd on the Official NASCAR Fan Council page on NASCAR.COM.

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Staff Report

Darlington Raceway will host the Bojangles’ Southern 500 this weekend. Numerous teams are participating in the throwback theme at the South Carolina track and paying homage to some of NASCAR’s most famous cars — and drivers.

Here’s how some of the cars looked originally, with footage of the vehicles driving around Darlington.

Brad Keselowski

Brad Keselowski‘s scheme is paying homage to Bobby Allison’s car in the 1983 Southern 500. | Watch old footage of Allison’s car in action

Austin Dillon

Austin Dillon is keeping it in the family and honoring grandfather Richard Childress. The paint scheme of the No. 3 Chevrolet is a tribute to Childress’ car during the 1979 Southern 500. | Watch old footage of Childress’ car in action

Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin‘s No. 11 JGR Toyota mirrors the car of NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough’s look from 1973. | Watch old footage of Yarborough’s car in action

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is honoring three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson and paying tribute to his car from the 1968 Southern 500. | Watch old footage of Pearson’s car in action

Chase Elliott

The No. 25 of Chase Elliott is one of the many cars getting a vintage makeover. Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet resembles the paint scheme of his father Bill Elliott‘s car from 1974. | Watch old footage Elliott’s car in action

Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson‘s No. 42 Chevrolet is going to replicate Kyle Petty’s Mello Yello look. | Watch old footage of Petty’s car in action

Clint Bowyer

As Clint Bowyer looks for a strong performance at Darlington in hopes to maintain his spot on the Chase Grid, his car will be rocking a pretty awesome paint scheme honoring the late Buddy Baker. Bowyer’s Toyota is similar to Baker’s No. 15 Ford from the 1974 Southern 500. | Watch old footage of Baker’s car in action

More videos

• Ward Burton’s iconic No. 22 car comes back to life this weekend at Darlington as his son, Jeb, will be sporting an almost identical paint scheme. | Watch the old footage of Ward Burton’s car in action

• Two-time Darlington winner, Sterling Marlin, is being honored at “The Lady in Black” by Landon Cassill. Cassill’s No. 40 Chevrolet will mirror Marlin’s paint scheme on his own No. 40. | Watch the old footage of Sterling Marlin’s with a Coors Light paint scheme he me

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. is contributing to the throwback weekend by paying homage to Cale Yarborough’s No. 15 car. | Watch the old footage of Yarborough’s car in action

• The No. 43 of Aric Almirola Almirola’s is in honor of Richard Petty’s 1972 Plymouth Roadrunner, the first time The King’s car featured sponsor STP with the Petty Blue and Day-Glo Red on the quarter panels. |Watch old footage of Petty’s iconic car

• Kasey Kahne‘s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet is paying respect to one of the NASCAR greats, Geoff Bodine. | See the clip of Bodine’s car in action

• The throwback inspiration for the paint of Trevor Bayne‘s No. 6 Ford comes from Mark Martin‘s own No.6. Martin is a two-time Darlington winner. | Watch Martin’s memorable Ford in action

• Sam Hornish Jr. is, too, honoring Mark Martin in his No. 9 Winn Dixie Ford. | Watch more footage of Martin’s car in action

• The No. 41 Chevrolet of Kurt Busch has a familiar paint scheme as it is a replica of Jack Sprague’s No. 60. | Watch the No. 60 in action

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Staff Report

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 31, 2015) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina going into the Bojangles’ Southern 500 on September 6 (7 p.m. ET on NBC).

DARLINGTON-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Ortho Ford)

· Two wins, three top fives, six top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 12.800, eighth-best

· Average Running Position of 10.597, fifth-best

· Driver Rating of 105.7, fifth-best

· 296 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 160.175, fifth-fastest

· 2642 Laps in the Top 15 (71.7), seventh-most

· 326 Quality Passes, second-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Crispy Toyota)

· One win, two top fives, six top 10s

· Average finish of 13.600, 11th-best

· Average Running Position of 8.995, third-best

· Driver Rating of 106.1, fourth-best

· 236 Fastest Laps Run, third-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 160.348, third-fastest

· 3134 Laps in the Top 15 (85.1), third-most

· 374 Quality Passes, series-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr (No. 88 Valvoline Chevrolet)

· Four top fives, nine top 10s

· Average finish of 11.200, sixth-best

· Average Running Position of 11.404, seventh-best

· Driver Rating of 94.3, eighth-best

· 110 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 159.954, ninth-fastest

· 2650 Laps in the Top 15 (71.9), sixth-most

· 312 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Carl Edwards (No. 19 ARRIS Toyota)

· Three top fives, seven top 10s

· Average finish of 13.100, ninth-best

· Average Running Position of 13.732, 11th-best

· Driver Rating of 91.0, 12th-best

· 151 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 159.807, 12th-fastest

· 2262 Laps in the Top 15 (61.4), 12th-most

· 287 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 3M Chevrolet)

· Seven wins, 19 top fives, 23 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 7.400, second-best

· Average Running Position of 7.629, series-best

· Driver Rating of 112.7, series-best

· 262 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 160.593, series-fastest

· 3356 Laps in the Top 15 (91.1), series-most

· 314 Quality Passes, third-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota)

· One win, four top fives, seven top 10s

· Average finish of 6.889, series-best

· Average Running Position of 8.644, second-best

· Driver Rating of 107.1, second-best

· 186 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 160.315, fourth-fastest

· 2849 Laps in the Top 15 (86.0), second-most

· 303 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John’s/ Budweiser Chevrolet)

· One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 16.300, 12th-best

· Average Running Position of 14.772, 12th-best

· Driver Rating of 93.1, 10th-best

· 167 Fastest Laps Run, second-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 159.885, 10th-fastest

· 2531 Laps in the Top 15 (68.7), ninth-most

· 267 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)

· Three wins, nine top fives, 12 top 10s

· Average finish of 8.800, third-best

· Average Running Position of 9.992, fourth-best

· Driver Rating of 106.8, third-best

· 256 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 160.443, second-fastest

· 2789 Laps in the Top 15 (75.7), fourth-most

· 291 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 HendrickRideAlong.com Chevrolet)

· Three top fives, four top 10s; four poles

· Average finish of 17.500, 13th-best

· Average Running Position of 10.665, sixth-best

· Driver Rating of 97.9, sixth-best

· 230 Fastest Laps Run, series-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 160.069, seventh-fastest

· 2597 Laps in the Top 15 (70.5), eighth-most

· 233 Quality Passes, 13th-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)

· One win, three top fives, ten top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 10.100, fourth-best

· Average Running Position of 13.487, 10th-best

· Driver Rating of 93.2, ninth-best

· 123 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 159.814, 11th-fastest

· 2382 Laps in the Top 15 (64.7), 11th-most

· 264 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Ryan Newman (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)

· Seven top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 11.300, seventh-best

· Average Running Position of 11.409, eighth-best

· Driver Rating of 95.8, seventh-best

· 64 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 160.086, sixth-fastest

· 2778 Laps in the Top 15 (75.4), fifth-most

· 259 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Bass Pro Shops / Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

· Four top fives, 12 top 10s

· Average finish of 10.900, fifth-best

· Average Running Position of 14.805, 13th-best

· Driver Rating of 88.1, 13th-best

· 105 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 159.791, 13th-fastest

· 2153 Laps in the Top 15 (58.4), 13th-most

· 311 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Martin Truex Jr (No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet)

· One top five, three top 10s

· Average finish of 13.111, 10th-best

· Average Running Position of 13.116, ninth-best

· Driver Rating of 92.1, 11th-best

· 127 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 159.992, eighth-fastest

· 2153 Laps in the Top 15 (65.0), 10th-most

· 278 Quality Passes, ninth-most

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2015 Top 10 at Darlington Raceway

Rank	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
Rank	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Kevin Harvick	18	1	1	4	7	1	17	93.1
2	Joey Logano	6	0	0	0	2	1	23	77.9
3	Dale Earnhardt Jr	20	0	0	4	9	1	14.3	94.3
4	Brad Keselowski	6	0	0	1	2	0	14.3	84.7
5	Jimmie Johnson	16	0	3	9	12	1	8.4	106.8
6	Martin Truex Jr	9	0	0	1	3	0	13.1	92.1
7	Matt Kenseth	21	1	1	3	10	1	16	93.2
8	Kurt Busch	18	2	0	2	5	1	17.9	81.6
9	Denny Hamlin	9	0	1	4	7	0	6.9	107.1
10	Jamie McMurray	14	1	0	3	5	1	16.1	82.6

* – Based on last 10 races at Darlington Raceway (2005 – 2014).

Darlington Three Year Average Finishes Of Drivers Currently 17th – 30th In The Standings

Points Pos.	Driver	3 Yr. Average Finish (2012 – 2014)
17	Aric Almirola	21.0
18	Kasey Kahne	20.7
19	Greg Biffle	10.0
20	Austin Dillon	11.0
21	Kyle Larson	8.0
22	Danica Patrick	27.0
23	Casey Mears	25.7
24	AJ Allmendinger	24.0
25	David Ragan	33.0
26	Sam Hornish Jr. *	0.0
27	Tony Stewart	9.0
28	Trevor Bayne *	0.0
29	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	19.0
30	Justin Allgaier	23.0

* Sam Hornish Jr. and Trevor Bayne have not made starts in the last three seasons at Darlington in the NSCS.

Statistical Advance

At Darlington Raceway:

History

· Darlington Raceway was built as a 1.25-mile paved superspeedway in 1949-1950.

· Darlington Raceway hosted the first 500-mile race in NASCAR history and the first on asphalt on Sept. 4, 1950 – 75 cars competed in the event – Curtis Turner won the pole at 82.034 mph, and the race was won by Johnny Mantz (Plymouth, 75.250 mph, 6:38:40).

· The track was re-measured to 1.375 miles in 1953.

· The track was re-configured to 1.366 miles following the spring race in 1970.

· The track was repaved in 1995.

· The 2005 race was the first Saturday night race at Darlington.

· The track was repaved again prior to the 2008 season.

Starts

· There have been 111 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington Raceway. The 1.366-mile track has hosted the fifth most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points paying races.

· 709 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway; 428 in more than one.

· NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Darlington with 65. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 34 starts; followed by Tony Stewart with 22.

· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Darlington with a 6.824.

· Jeff Gordon (6.8), Ryan Newman (8.6) and Kasey Kahne (9.1) are the only active three drivers with an average starting position in the top 10.

· 125 different drivers have made NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career debut at Darlington Raceway.

Poles

· Curtis Turner won the inaugural Coors Light Pole Award at Darlington in 1950 in an Oldsmobile with a speed of 82.034 mph.

· 48 drivers have Coors Light poles at Darlington, led by David Pearson with 12. Kasey Kahne leads all active drivers with four.

· Nine drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Darlington. Kasey Kahne is the only active driver with consecutive Coors Light poles (2005-2006).

· David Pearson holds the record for most consecutive poles at Darlington with five (1975 – 1977).

· Youngest Darlington pole winner: Kurt Busch (09/02/2001 – 23 years, 0 months, 29 days).

· Oldest Darlington pole winner: David Pearson (09/06/1982 – 47 years, 8 months, 15 days).

· Eight drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup pole at Darlington Raceway: Cotton Owens (1957), Fred Lorenzen (1961), Bill Elliott (1981), Ken Schrader (1987), John Andretti (1995), Kurt Busch (2001), Elliott Sadler (2003) and Clint Bowyer (2007).

Wins

· 47 different drivers have won at Darlington Raceway, led by David Pearson with 10. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with seven wins; followed by his HMS teammate Jimmie Johnson with three.

· Six drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Darlington Raceway: Johnny Mantz (1950), Nelson Stacy (1961), Larry Frank (1962), Terry Labonte (1980), Lake Speed (1988) and Regan Smith (2011).

· Youngest Darlington winner: Kyle Busch (05/10/2008 – 23 years, 0 months, 8 days).

· Oldest Darlington winner: Harry Gant (09/01/1991 – 51 years, 7 months, 22 days).

· Hendrick Motorsports has the most wins at Darlington in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 14.

Manufacturer	Wins
Chevrolet	41
Ford	28
Mercury	10
Oldsmobile	6
Dodge	5
Pontiac	5
Buick	4
Plymouth	4
Hudson	3
Toyota	3
American Motors Company	2

· 11 different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Darlington; led by Chevrolet with 41 victories; followed by Ford with 28 and Toyota has three.

· 20 of the 111 (18.02%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Kevin Harvick in last season’s event.

· NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson has won from the pole four times at Darlington – the series’ most.

· The Coors Light pole starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (20) than any other starting position at Darlington. The outside front row (second-place) has produced the second-most wins (17).

Wins

· 37 of the 111 (33.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington have been won from the front row: 20 from first-place and 17 from second-place.

· 96 of the 111 (86.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Darlington have been won from a top-10 starting position.

· Six of the 111 (5.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Darlington is 43rd by Johnny Mantz in 1950 – the inaugural NSCS event.

· 13 drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have posted consecutive wins at Darlington; Dale Earnhardt (1989-1990) and Jeff Gordon (1995-1996) are tied for the series-most in consecutive wins at Darlington with three each.

· All seven active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Darlington Raceway participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Among active drivers, Kyle Busch won at Darlington in the fewest previous appearances (three).

· Matt Kenseth competed at Darlington Raceway 19 times before winning last season; the longest span of any the six active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.

· Tony Stewart leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Darlington without visiting Victory Lane at 22.

Additional Finishing Position Stats

· Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty are tied for the series most runner-up finishes at Darlington with eight each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in second-place finishes at Darlington with four.

· Richard Petty leads the series in top-five finishes at Darlington with 25. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 19; followed by Jimmie Johnson with nine.

· Bill Elliott leads the series in top-10 finishes at Darlington with 35. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 23; followed by Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart with 12 each.

· Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Darlington with a 6.889.

· Three active NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers have an average finish in the top 10 at Darlington: Denny Hamlin (6.8), Kyle Larson (8.0) and Jimmie Johnson (8.4).

Track/Event Specific Stats

· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Darlington Raceway is the (03/16/2003) race won by Ricky Craven with a MOV of 0.002 second over Kurt Busch. The MOV is tied with the 2011 Talladega race as the closest finish in the NSCS since the inception using electronic timing and scoring.

· There have been four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting in a green-white-checkered finish at Darlington Raceway: 2005 (367/370), 2011 (367/370), 2012 (367/368) and 2014 (367/374).

Additional Finishing Position Stats

· Eight of the 111 races at Darlington Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the fall race of 2000.

· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Darlington Raceway five times; most recently was the fall race of 2004.

· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Darlington with 1,744 laps led in 34 starts.

Female Competitor Stats

· Three female drivers have competed at Darlington Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series:

Active Drivers	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Danica Patrick	38	31	5/12/2012
Danica Patrick	40	28	5/11/2013
Danica Patrick	33	22	4/12/2014
*Averages*	*37.0*	*27.0*
Inactive Drivers	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Janet Guthrie	26	16	9/5/1977
Shawna Robinson	42	42	3/17/2002

NASCAR in South Carolina

· There have been 221 NASCAR Sprint Cup races among 10 tracks in South Carolina.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Darlington Raceway	Darlington	111
Columbia Speedway	Columbia	43
Greenville-Pickens Speedway	Greenville	29
Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds	Spartanburg	22
Rambi Race Track	Myrtle Beach	9
Coastal Speedway	Myrtle Beach	2
Lancaster Speedway	Lancaster	2
Gamecock Speedway	Sumter	1
Hartsville Speedway	Hartsville	1
Newberry Speedway	Newberry	1

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held in the state of South Carolina was at Darlington Raceway on Sept. 4, 1950 – the event was won by Johnny Mantz in a Plymouth.

NASCAR In South Carolina

· 133 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as South Carolina.

· 117 of the 133 (87.9%) South Carolina drivers have competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

· 10 drivers from South Carolina have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series; seven have won in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Driver	NSCS	NXS	NCWTS
David Pearson	105	1	0
Cale Yarborough	83	0	0
Cotton Owens	9	0	0
Tiny Lund	5	0	0
James Hylton	2	0	0
Johnny Allen	1	0	0
Joe Eubanks	1	0	0
Larry Pearson	0	15	0
Jason Keller	0	10	0
Butch Lindley	0	6	0

Milestones – 2015 Season – Race 25

DRIVER	HAS	NEEDS	MILESTONE	DESCRIPTION
DRIVER	HAS	NEEDS	MILESTONE	DESCRIPTION
Jeff Gordon	785	3	788th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Consecutive Starts	In three starts Jeff Gordon will tie Ricky Rudd (788 consecutive starts) for the series all-time lead in consecutive starts.
Tony Stewart	578	1	579th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Start	Stewart can tie Buck Baker (579 starts) for 23rd on the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts list.
Clint Bowyer	349	1	350th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Start	Bowyer is tied with Ned Jarrett for 69th on the all-time NSCS starts list, one start behind Denny Hamlin in 68th (350 starts).
Cole Whitt	74	1	75th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Start	Whitt is 225th on the all-time NSCS starts list, one start behind Casey Atwood in 224th (75 starts).
Jimmie Johnson	74	2	76th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win	Jimmie Johnson is eighth on the all-time NSCS wins list, two wins behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt in seventh (76 wins).
Tony Stewart	48	2	50th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win	Stewart is 13th on the all-time NSCS wins list, two wins behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett in 12th (50 wins).
Carl Edwards	24	1	25th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win	Edwards is 31st on the all-time NSCS wins list, one win behind Dale Earnhardt Jr. , Joe Weatherly and Denny Hamlin tied for 28th (25 wins).
Denny Hamlin	99	1	100th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top-Five Finish	Hamlin is 38th on the all-time NSCS top-five list, one top five behind Geoff Bodine in 37th (100 top fives).
Tony Stewart	299	1	300th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top-10 Finish	Stewart is 17th on the all-time NSCS top-10 finishes list, two top 10s behind James Hylton in 16th (301 top 10s).
Jeff Gordon	24,831	169	25,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led	Gordon can become the sixth driver in NSCS history to lead 25,000 laps; joining Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson and Bobby Allison.
Matt Kenseth	9,748	252	10,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led	Kenseth can become the 16th driver in series history to lead 10,000 or more laps.
Kevin Harvick	7,969	31	8,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led	Kevin Harvick can become the 24th driver in series history to lead 8,000 or more laps.
#43 car	199	1	200 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Wins	The No. 43 car is second on the all-time NSCS wins list, five wins behind the No. 11 car in first (204). The last win for the No. 43 car came at Daytona last season.
Chevrolet	749	1	750th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win	Chevrolet will attempt to post the manufacturer’s 750th win in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this weekend. Chevrolet leads the series in wins.

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 1, 2015) — The No. 10 team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has been assessed a P3 level penalty for having a non-engine electronic component in the truck during the event on August 30 (Section 20.18.13.b). Driver Jennifer Jo Cobb has been fined $5,000, plus an additional $2,500 for an infraction occurring while on probation (Section 12.5.2 – Recurrence Multipliers).