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Historically Challenging Darlington Raceway Sets the Stage for Regular Season NASCAR Cup Series Finale

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

Driver talent will truly be tested this weekend, as Darlington Raceway sets the stage for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale, the Cook Out Southern 500, this Sunday, September 1 at 6 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Only three spots are still available in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, and this is the final chance the drivers have to lock themselves into the postseason.

Facing the competitors Sunday night is the historic Darlington Raceway, which is unlike any other track on the schedule. The 1.366-mile, egg-shaped, paved oval has hosted 126 NASCAR Cup Series races dating back to 1950, and with its rich tradition of history it has become one of the most iconic tracks amongst competitors, earning the nickname ‘The Lady in Black’, and this weekend’s Cook Out Southern 500 is considered a ‘Crown Jewel’ event.

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NASCAR Xfinity Series Heads Back to the Lady in Black

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

After some superspeedway action at the World Center of Racing in sunny Daytona Beach, Florida, the NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to Darlington Raceway, in Darlington, South Carlonia, for Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 on Saturday, August 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET on the USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Heading into the weekend, this will be the 69th NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the “track too tough to tame.” The previous 68 races have produced 36 different race winners and 32 different pole winners.

Fifteen NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Darlington Raceway have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by Denny Hamlin in 2017.

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There’s Plenty of Uncertainty in Race for NASCAR Xfinity Playoff Spots

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

The cutoff race for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs won’t take place until Friday, Sept. 20 at Bristol Motor Speedway, leaving plenty of time for drivers to jockey for position on the Playoff grid.

That said, for practical purposes, the race to qualify for the Playoffs on points features a small field. Ryan Sieg leads Sammy Smith by 15 points for the final Playoff-eligible position entering Saturday’s Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway (3:30 p.m. on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Among winless drivers in the series, Parker Kligerman leads Smith by 44 points, Sheldon Creed holds a 93-point edge, and AJ Allmendinger enjoys a 113-point cushion with four races left in the regular season.

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Regular-Season Title, Final NASCAR Cup Playoff Berths On The Line At Darlington

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

It could happen again.

Harrison Burton’s unlikely victory in last Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway caused consternation around the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff bubble.

The same thing could happen in the “last-chance qualifier” for the Cup Playoffs—Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway (6 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

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Young’s Motorsports Darlington Raceway August Xfinity Team Preview

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

Movin’ on Up!: In January, Young’s Motorsports announced it would graduate from the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series to the NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time in 2024 with rising star Leland Honeyman Jr. behind the wheel of the team’s No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro for the entire 33-race season continuing with Saturday afternoon’s Sport Clips Haircuts Help a Hero 200 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

About Leland: The Phoenix, Ariz. native began honing his racing skills at the tender age of two racing Quads. By four years old, he moved into Trophy Karts and then collected three series championships in off-road racing Trophy Karts.

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RCR Race Preview: Darlington Raceway

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway… In 145 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway, Richard Childress Racing has eight wins, all by Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt claimed the checkered flag in 1986 (spring), both races in 1987, 1989 (fall), another sweep in 1990 plus spring events in 1993 and 1994. RCR drivers have 26 top-five and 48 top-10 finishes at the historic South Carolina speedway.

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at The Lady in Black… Richard Childress Racing is looking to find Victory Lane for the first time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Darlington Raceway. Austin Hill owns back-to-back second-place finishes in his two most recent starts at the track. The Welcome, N.C. based team has 14 top-five and 32 top-10 finishes.

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AM Racing | Christian Rose The DuQuoin State Fairgrounds ARCA Preview

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

Welcome Back: AM Racing returns to the ARCA Menards Series full-time in 2024 with sophomore Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) driver Christian Rose behind the wheel of the team’s No. 32 Ford Mustang, continuing with Sunday night’s Southern Illinois 100 at the DuQuoin (ll.) State Fairgrounds.

The 2024 ARCA Menards Series season will mark the first time that AM Racing has competed back-to-back full-time in the NASCAR-owned development series since three-time ARCA Menards Series winner Gus Dean drove for the organization during the 2017 – 2018 seasons, respectively. (more…)

Rette Jones Racing and Noah Gragson Readily Prepared for Final Xfinity Series Race of 2024

by MikeAugust 30, 2024August 30, 2024

DARLINGTON, S.C.: The fourth installment of a part-time NASCAR Xfinity Series program for Rette Jones Racing and Noah Gragson will take the checkered flag in Saturday afternoon’s Sport Clips Haircuts Help a Hero 200 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

Rette Jones Racing graduated from the ARCA Menards Series and invaded the NASCAR Xfinity Series with arms wide open, guiding Gragson, a native of Las Vegas, Nev., to three straight top-10 finishes at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway and Michigan International Speedway respectively.

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23XI Media – MoneyLion Teamed Up with 23XI Racing and Tyler Reddick to Drive Back-to-School Change with Donation in Daytona

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

WHAT: In an initiative that underscores its commitment to financial empowerment and community support, MoneyLion partnered up with 23XI Racing and NASCAR driver Tyler Reddick on August 23, 2024. The collaboration will make a meaningful impact on the local Daytona community. Together, they donated $10,000 to Turie T. Small Elementary School in Daytona Beach, FL, to help ease the financial burden of the back-to-school season for teachers, parents and students.

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New England’s Only NASCAR Weekend Moving to September and the Playoffs in 2025

by Lou ModestinoAugust 30, 2024

LOUDON, N.H. – NASCAR roars back to Loudon in a big way in 2025 with New England’s only NASCAR weekend moving to the Playoffs Sept. 19-21, and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) joining the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS). The NCS will kick off the Round of 12 while the NCTS drivers will battle it out to remain above the cut line for the Round of 8.

“The two questions fans ask me the most are ‘When are we getting a September race back?’ and ‘When are we getting the Trucks back?’, and now we have both,” said New Hampshire Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager David McGrath. “We are so thankful to our loyal fans who have supported us during NASCAR’s annual summer stop in New Hampshire, but they wanted this, they deserve this, and we are ecstatic to not only be returning to the NASCAR Playoffs, but we are thrilled to host the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series as well.

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