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Overstock.com Racing: Josh Berry Darlington Advance

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway marks the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale. It’s also the site of Josh Berry’s best finish this season, a third-place drive in the Goodyear 400 when the Cup Series first visited the quirky, 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval in May. Berry scored another third-place finish five races later in June at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. Both were one spot shy of Berry’s career-best Cup Series finish of second, earned in only his sixth career start on April 2, 2023 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. (more…)

Sheldon Creed / No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra Preview – Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

CREED AT DARLINGTON: Sheldon Creed heads to Darlington Raceway this weekend for the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200. Creed has claimed Darlington as one of his favorite tracks throughout his Xfinity Series career, making this weekend a highlight on his 2024 schedule. As he heads into his seventh NXS start at the lady in black, Creed holds one top-five, three top-10s. and 47 laps led. He narrowly missed his first career win at the track in 2022 as he lost the lead on a pass in the final corner by Noah Gragson. In his last run at Darlington in the spring, Creed came home in ninth.

DAYTONA RECAP: In typical Daytona fashion, Creed had an up-and-down day under the lights of Daytona, but he showed up when it mattered. After starting seventh, Creed raced his way to a fourth-place finish in stage one and a seventh-place finish in stage two, thus securing a crucial 11 stage points on the day. After falling back in the lead pack during the third stage, Creed worked his way back up to an eighth-place finish, which secured his 14^th top-10 on the year. (more…)

Stewart-Haas Racing: Darlington NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

Cole Custer and the No. 00 Haas Automation team are hoping to rebound after bad luck struck in last Friday’s race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. In the rearview mirror for Custer is a superspeedway where anything can happen as he looks to Saturday’s Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, a track he’s tamed in the past. Custer started 14th at Daytona after a qualifying session shortened by lightning. He ran in the top-10 in the first stage of the race before finishing it just outside the points-paying position. (more…)

Todd Gilliland, Long John Silver’s Ready for Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 28, 2024) – Todd Gilliland returns to the Darlington (S.C.) Raceway for the famed Southern 500. Long John Silver’s will partner with Gilliland for the crown-jewel event.

Gilliland heads to the 1.3-mile track facing a must-win situation in order to make the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Gilliland has a career best finish of 11th at the “Track too Tough to Tame” in the Cup Series, and a 4th place finish in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. He finished 15th in the May Cup race at Darlington.

The weekend will kick off on Saturday, August 31 with practice and qualifying at 12:30 pm ET. The Southern 500 is scheduled for Sunday, September 1 at 6:00 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on the USA Network. Fans can also listen in from the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90. (more…)

William Sawalich – No. 18 Starkey/SoundGear Toyota Camry Preview – Southern Illinois 100 at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

SAWALICH ON DIRT: William Sawalich claimed his first victory on dirt two weeks ago at Springfield. Last year, the 17-year-old earned the pole for the race at DuQuoin and finished fifth after suffering damage during the race.

LAST TIME OUT: Sawalich claimed his second-consecutive victory at the Milwaukee Mile last weekend. Sawalich won the pole and led all but two laps on his way to the win. The 17-year-old has won his last four starts across ARCA Menards Series (AMS) – Salem Speedway, Elko Speedway, Springfield Mile, and the Milwaukee Mile. His strong day at Milwaukee helped him gain six points in the ARCA Menards Series East (AMSE) driver standings. He now sits 16 points behind the leader headed into the AMSE season finale at Bristol Motor Speedway in September. (more…)

Chandler Smith – No. 81 QuickTie Toyota GR Supra Preview – Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

SMITH AT DARLINGTON: Chandler Smith has three previous NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) starts at Darlington Raceway with a best finish of 12^th earlier this year. He also has four NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) starts at the Lady in Black with one top-10 finish.

DAYTONA RECAP: Smith finished runner-up to Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) teammate Ryan Truex on Friday night at Daytona. The No. 81 team earned their first pole of 2024 Friday afternoon and ran in the top-10 for most of the night, finishing Stage 1 in second and Stage 2 in eighth. (more…)

JR Motorsports — NXS Darlington Preview

by MikeAugust 30, 2024

JR Motorsports at Darlington Raceway: JR Motorsports has competed at Darlington Raceway a combined 72 times in the NXS since its first trip there in 2006. In those starts at the 1.366-mile oval, the organization has recorded seven wins, 23 top-fives and 45 top-10s, with an average finish of 11.7.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones and Carson Kvapil will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, Aug 31 from 12:45 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. ET. (more…)

Denny Hamlin – No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota Camry XSE Preview – Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway

by MikeAugust 28, 2024

HAMLIN AT DARLINGTON: Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with four wins, 13 top-five finishes, 17 top-10s and 979 laps led at Darlington Raceway. His 8.8-average starting position and 8.3-average finishing position are also best among active drivers. Last September, Hamlin led 177 laps and won both stages before an unscheduled pit stop dropped him to a 25th-place finish in the Southern 500. Earlier this year, Hamlin started seventh and finished fourth at the 1.366-mile oval. He has led in nine consecutive Darlington races dating back to May 2020. Hamlin’s Darlington resume also includes six NASCAR Xfinity Series wins.

FLYING 11: The No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota Camry XSE will feature the Flying 11 this weekend to pay homage to the late Roy Hendrick. Hendrick, who passed away earlier this month, was a weekly competitor at Hamlin’s home track, Southside Speedway. The No. 11 Sport Clips team previously honored the Hendrick family, including Roy’s father, Ray Hendrick, by carrying the Flying 11 colors to victory lane in the 2017 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. (more…)

Ty Gibbs – No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE — Southern 500 – Darlington

by MikeAugust 28, 2024

SECOND SEASON: Ty Gibbs is competing in his second full NASCAR Cup Series season driving the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing. He has 11 top-10 and seven top-five finishes and 15^th in points 39 points ahead of 17^th place Bubba Wallace. The top-16 advance to the Playoffs.

LAPS LED: He has led 351 laps this season, which is the most he has led in any Cup season.

FIRST: In May at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Gibbs scored his first career pole position in the Cup Series. He second pole position was won on July 13 at Pocono Raceway. (more…)

Christopher Bell – No. 20 Rheem Toyota Camry XSE Preview – Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway

by MikeAugust 28, 2024

BELL AT DARLINGTON: Christopher Bell had one of his strongest NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) runs at Darlington a year ago when he qualified on the pole and led 40 laps. Overall, Bell has one top five and two top-10 finishes in his previous 10 starts at Darlington Raceway.

DOUBLE DUTY: Bell will be driving the No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing in Saturday’s Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200. This is the second NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start for Bell this season. Bell ran double duty at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and swept the weekend. (more…)