Next up for the NASCAR Cup Series will be throwback weekend and also Mother’s Day weekend. This weekend teams will turn back the clock for one day when the Cup Series heads to Darlington. They call it the track too tough to tame with good reason. It will be an action-packed day when NASCAR turns the clock back.
Darlington 2020
Last season Darlington was a key part of the 2020 season. Not only was it the first race of the playoffs but it was the home of the first two races in their return from the lockdown. In those races, Kevin Harvick won two of the three races. Denny Hamlin won the other race. Both will be drivers to watch on Sunday. Kevin Harvick seemed to have the track too tough to tame figured out last year and he will need that success to carry over in this race.
Key starting positions
This weekend there was no practice or qualifying. This means Brad Keselowski has won the Busch Pole and will lead the field to the green. Kevin Harvick will join him on the front row starting in the second spot. The second row will feature two Joe Gibbs cars. Last weekend’s winner Kyle Busch will start in the third spot and his teammate Martin Truex Jr will start in fourth. Finishing up the top five will be the 24 of William Byron.
Odds for Darlington
Currently, Kyle Larson is favored to win the Goodyear 400 at +450. Denny Hamlin currently has the second-best odds at +550. The third-best odds to win at Darlington goes to Kevin Harvick at +700. The fourth-best odds to win go to Martin Truex Jr at +750.
Goodyear 400 Race Info
The Goodyear 400 will begin at 3:30 pm. NASCAR will be using the 750 horsepower package for Sunday. The race will be 293 laps. Stage one will end on lap 90, stage two will end on lap 185 and the last stage will end at 293 laps. Coverage of the race will begin at 2 pm eastern time 11 am pacific time with NASCAR Raceday on Fox Sports 1. The race will begin at 3:30 pm eastern time 12:30 Pacific time. Sunday’s race will be seen on Fox Sports 1. The race can be heard on the Motor Racing Network. It can also be heard on SiriusXM NASCAR radio channel 90.
What to expect
The Goodyear 400 will feature a lot of strategies. The race can easily wear down tires and make it difficult to drive on the high lane. The race will also challenge drivers with staying off the wall as the fastest lane is right up against it. The track is named the Lady in Black for a reason. This is the first of two races at Darlington this year and this race can be vital in the hunt for a title. It is throwback weekend so this race will easily be the most fun weekend of the 2021 season.
