With Darlington’s Violent History, Drivers’ Ability to “Tame” the Track Will Be Crucial

While the NASCAR nation got a tough reality check with their favorite driver, Chase Elliott failing to make it to playoffs, the community’s worries are far from over. As we zoom past the horrors at Daytona, Cup Series drivers are staring at yet another Goliath in the form of a 1.3-mile short track at Darlington.

For those who don’t know, the South Carolina short track might be just another track, but for NASCAR drivers and avid fans, the track also has a visceral side to it. Nicknamed, “The Lady in the Black” the track has garnered quite a reputation – one that’s too tough to tame even for veteran drivers of the sport.

Regular season rounds off as the action heads to the “Tough to Tame” Darlington

As we head to the first round of NASCAR’s playoffs, last week’s race at Daytona just brought out the sport’s vicious nature when Tony Stewart‘s driver quite literally went for a toss. The race had 2 horrific crashes – one with Ryan Blaney getting into the wall at the end of Stage 2 and the second one at the closing minutes of the race.

Ryan Preece of Stewart-Haas Racing was thrown into the air after he was bumped off the track, where he spun 10 times before coming to a stop. While the community is still processing the brutality of these 2 incidents, the organization’s playoff round is about to commence at the wild and frenzy Darlington Raceway.

With the regular season in the rearview mirror, drivers have no choice but to make it out of the race without any DNFs if they need to make the next round. And what’s stopping them from doing so? The track itself!

Diehard fans of the sport can resonate with this point as the 1.3-mile egg-shaped track has earned an infamous reputation- to wreck even the best.

The track’s old and abrasive surface makes it a challenge for drivers to keep up a pace. Instead, the distinct rough surface tears the rubber off the tires in just a matter of laps, prompting them to pit more often. This one aspect of the short track can play a decisive factor, as these will certainly affect the pit strategy and the overall pace of the field.

Another aspect that makes Darlington tough to tame is its layout. While one of its turns is a sweeping wide corner, the next one the pack encounters is considerably tight and narrow. These technicalities of the track not only take strategy out of the window but add more pressure on drivers, prompting them to make critical errors.

READ MORE: Outspoken Insider Accuses NASCAR’s “Turtle Shells” for Ryan Preece’s Near Fatal Crash

Take the 2021 season, for instance, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, and Kevin Harvick – some of the best drivers- all lost valuable track positions owing to slow pit stops. And if that’s not enough, the DNF numbers speak for themselves as they indicate the true nature of the track.

Names to look out during NASCAR’s playoff opener

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Starting off the list is Watkins Glen’s triumphant William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports. The 25-year-old has certainly made a mark this season and goes into the race as the points leader (tied with Martin Truex Jr.) The #24 driver who raced 10 times here had decent performances with 4 top 10s, 3 top 5s, and a win.

Next is Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. The veteran who had a bleak 2022 campaign year has bounced back incredibly well to be the rankings leader, tying up with the young gun- William Byron. And out of the 22 starts, he has 10 top-10 finishes and 2 wins. However, the 2017 Cup Series champ hasn’t finished the race last three times, of which 2 are due to crashes.

Moreover, coupling the driver’s capabilities with the momentum he’s carrying this season, anything is possible.

And next name on our list is another JGR driver, Denny Hamlin. The outspoken driver seems to have the numbers advantage here with 16 top-10 finishes, 12 top-fives, and four wins in 22 starts.

WATCH THIS STORY: Denny Hamlin accuses Joe Gibbs’ grandson of invoking Dale Earnhardt’s tragedy on Ryan Blaney: No place to hide 

But what sets apart the 42-year-old is that he completed 99.8% of the possible laps while finishing every single race.