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The NASCAR Darlington race was this past weekend. It’s NASCAR Throwback Weekend. The Camping World Truck Series started the weekend off Friday followed by the Xfinity Series on Saturday and closing out the weekend with the Cup Series on Sunday. With it being Throwback Weekend racers will feature retro paint schemes. This weekend was a blast from the past for all NASCAR fans.
Darlington Speedway Overview
Darlington Raceway is located in Darlington, South Carolina. The race track has a nickname among drivers and fans. It’s known as The Lady in Black or The Track Too Tough to Tame. The track historically earned the nickname The Lady in Black because the night before the race, in the track’s early years, the track maintenance crew would cover the entire track with fresh asphalt sealant, making the racing surface dark black. Darlington Raceway also has the nickname “The Track Too Tough to Tame” because NASCAR drivers can run lap after lap without a problem, but then bounce off of the wall the following lap. NASCAR drivers will explain that they have to race the racetrack itself, not their competition during this race each year. Another historical element of Darlington Raceway is when drivers who hit the wall are considered to have received their “Darlington Stripe” thanks to the missing paint on the right side of the car.
Darlington Race Weekend Recap by Race
The Camping World Truck Series Darlington Race Weekend Recap
Friday night lead off with the Dead on Tools 200 which consisted of 147 laps totaling 200.8 miles. Stages 1 & 2 were 45 laps and stage 3 with 57 laps. The pit window was between laps 54 and 58. Parker Kligerman won stage 1 after being on the bumper of John Hunter Nemechek to pass on the inside in turn three. Stage 2 went to Carson Hocevar from the mistakes of leader Ross Chastain fighting a loose truck in turn three. Which allowed Hocevar to drive right by on the inside. With only 1 to go, John Hunter Nemechek led Ross Chastain by 1 truck length to secure the win at Darlington Raceway.
The Xfinity Series Darlington Race Weekend Recap
Saturday afternoon consisted of the Mahindra Roxor 200. With the same laps and miles break down of the truck series race the day before. Stage 1 went to Noah Gragson after an impressive restart. Noah Gragson also won stage 2 under caution due to an issue with Brandon Brown’s car. In the final stage with two to go, AJ Allmendinger and Justin Allgaier run side by side into turn one, but Justin Allgaier wins the fight on the outside in turn two. With only 1 to go, Justin Allgaier led Noah Gragson to the white flag. Noah Gragson, unfortunately, tags the wall as he drives into turn three. Justin Allgaier wins at Darlington Raceway.
The Cup Series Darlington Race Weekend Recap
To end the weekend on Sunday afternoon the Goodyear 400 for the Cup Series was center stage. Let’s just say the Cup Series drivers tore shit up, babes! All the way to the finish line. The race was a total of 293 laps equalling 400 miles. Stage one was 90 laps and was won by Joey Logano. Stage two was 95 laps and went to Ross Chastain. The final stage was 108 laps, which was won by Joey Logano. During the last two laps, Logano got into the back bumper of William Byron in turn three sending Byron into the outside wall. Byron finished 13th with a good amount of damage to the front of his car. Post-race both Logano and Byron voiced their opinions on the matter during post-race interviews.
Who Won Best Darlington Throwback Paint Scheme this Weekend? My top 5 are listed below.
A two-way tie for first place goes to William Byron in the number 24 and Erik Jones of the 43 car. Racer William Byron’s paint scheme marks the return of the “Fire and Flames” paint scheme that Jeff Gordon drove throughout the 2000s. Jones’s have the throwback to the cars Petty Enterprises fielded in the very first Daytona 500 in 1959 and drove by Richard Petty.
Second place goes to the number 54 of the Xfinity series Ty Gibbs. The paint scheme is from 2002, known as the Shark car drove by one of my childhood favorites Bobby Labonte. This is the paint scheme I grew up with and I love that it was brought back this weekend.
Third place goes to my current favorite driver in the number 4 Kevin Harvick. The throwback is based on the “Chasing a Cure” Rheem paint schemes that were raced in October of both 2011 and 2012.
Fourth place goes to a Camping World Truck Series driver and my favorite in that series the number 1 Hailie Deegan. The paint scheme is a tribute to Bobby Allison who raced in the 70s and 80s. Among Allison’s top achievements include being a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, earning a championship, 85 Cup Series wins, and being listed as one of “NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.
And lastly in fifth place is Chase Briscoe who is throwing back to the Target Chip Ganassi Racing Oldsmobile that Tony Stewart drove in the 2001 Indianapolis 500, and then flew to Charlotte and finished third in the Coca-Cola 600 immediately after the Indy 500. Tony Stewart is the only driver to compete in both races.
Who do you think had the best throwback paint scheme this weekend? Which race was your favorite? Who is your favorite driver? Let me know in the comments below. And don’t forget to keep your eyes open for freebies and product launches really soon! Laters babes.
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