The ‘Lady in Black’ is on the radar of the entire NASCAR world as it is set to host its first regular season finale. Many drivers on the field have danced with this ‘too tough to tame’ lady and have conquered it with victory lanes. Some of the names include Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, and Kyle Busch. Hamlin is the only active driver to have won four times on this testing track, with his most recent win in 2022.

The track has a record of deep purses owing to the crowds it attracts given the excitement it entails. And the purse is deeper this time around for this being the finale race. The hype is as real as it gets with an arguably eventful 25 races of the 2024 season. And there are hopes for more this weekend.

What’s in store for the Darlington payouts?

The numbers are out, and as usual, FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass is the first to tweet. The prize money for the Cup Series winners of the Cook Out Southern 500 has increased by $383,885, bringing the total to $8,644,143. This amount includes all fund contributions, charter payouts, contingency awards, and position-based payouts.

Apart from the Cup Series awards, the Xfinity and Truck Series winners will receive a combined total of $2,023,970. This brings the overall prize money for Darlington winners across the NASCAR Series to a remarkable $10,668,113. However, this amount is still far from the payout for this year’s Daytona 500, which exceeded $28 million.

The money usually comes in from the broadcasters depending on the traction it gets and a major chunk of it goes to the track owners. Plus, there is no transparency on what the drivers will actually get until the check really arrives after the new charter system. But at this stage, drivers, especially in the NASCAR Cup Series, are really more concerned about their Standings.

This Crown Jewel race is known for favoring drivers who start up front, making the Busch Light Pole Qualifying crucial in shaping the race. Additionally, drivers on the Playoffs bubble must have their strategies set, as Darlington has a history of not rewarding Stage 2 winners with overall race victories.

Who is most likely to take the win this weekend?

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The season finales are usually unpredictable, but 2024 has been as such throughout the season. While Bubba Wallace won the Daytona finale last year, he has already clarified that Darlington will be more difficult to clinch. And with just three Playoff spots remaining for the non-winners, it will be a dire hope of the bubble bunch to have a repeat winner if none of them stands a chance to the victory lane.

Martin Truex Jr. is most likely to keep his spot with the points alone. So, effectively, the battle is on for just two spots. Talking about the chart leaders, Tyler Reddick will be the sixth driver to win the regular season championship. The #45 driver won the pole at this track earlier this season and led ample laps to defend his title lead. But Kyle Larson is way ahead in the lap leading the tally.

If either of the Hendrick Motorsports drivers want to have a chance at the lead, they will have to do it with some support. But HMS is also the team with the most wins, 11 in total, at the 1.366 miles ‘Track too tough to tame’.

The first of this track’s finale will reveal every driver’s true techniques and the urge to enter the post-season. May the best man win.