Previewing the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington

The spring race at Darlington Raceway serves as NASCAR's Throwback Weekend. Many of the cars in the field will sport liveries patterned after machines from the sport's past. Whether it is honoring Hall of Famers, recognizing family members, or drawing attention to a special cause or connection, everyone has a different idea on how to make this weekend special.

Fans love seeing the designs they grew up watching on track once again, and often dress up for the occasion if they're attending the weekend's racing in Darlington. Everyone gets involved, even race sponsor and tire manufacturer Goodyear.

Darlington Delivers Great Finishes

Darlington is one of NASCAR's most challenging tracks, forcing drivers to race right on the limit of control. It has also produced some dramatic finishes in recent years.

In 2023, Ross Chastain and Kyle Larson clashed on a late restart battling for the win in the Goodyear 400. That incident opened the door for William Byron to snag the victory. Last year, Chris Buescher, Tyler Reddick and Brad Keselowski all battled fiercely in the race won by Keselowski.

No matter how Sunday's race plays out, expect the finish to feature drivers willing to push the envelope to add their name to the list of winners at Darlington Raceway. Like Martinsville one week ago, Darlington has been on the NASCAR calendar since its earliest years, and winning a race there is a testament to a driver's ability.

Too Tough to Tame

What makes Darlington Raceway so challenging? It is a combination of factors, including its age and unique shape.

The 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval features two distinct sets of corners. Turns one and two have 25 degrees of banking and feature a wider radius than turns three and four, banked at 22 degrees. However, the racing line at Darlington is often right against the fence, testing competitors' finesse for 400 miles.

While the track has been repaved several times since opening in 1950, most recently in 2008, it remains one of the most abrasive and challenging surfaces on the schedule. That adds to the degree of difficulty, as drivers will be fighting for control while racing within inches of the wall on long green-flag runs.

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