The NASCAR Cup Series heads to one of its oldest tracks for the annual ‘Throwback Weekend’ at Darlington Raceway. The event will feature a number of old-school paint schemes, visits from legendary personalities and one throwback driver in the field.
Goodyear 400 TV and streaming schedule
All times Eastern
Saturday, May 13
10:30-11:20 a.m.: Practice (FS1, MRN, Fox Sports app)
11:20 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Qualifying (FS1, MRN, Fox Sports app)
Sunday, May 14
1:30-3 p.m.: Pre-race show (FS1)
3-6:30 p.m.: Goodyear 400 (FS1, MRN, Fox Sports app)
Goodyear 400 details
Track: Darlington Raceway (1.366-mile egg-shaped oval), Darlington, South Carolina
Length: 293 laps for 400.238 miles
Banking: • 3 degrees on the front straight
• 25 degrees in turns 1-2
• 2 degrees on the back straight
• 23 degrees in turns 3-4
Last year’s winner: Joey Logano
Opened in 1950, the track they’ve dubbed “Too tough to tame” is one of the oldest on the circuit and one of its most celebrated. The unique egg-shaped 1.366-mile oval features wide, sweeping Turns 1 and 2, but has a tighter third and fourth turns in order to preserve the pond that the original owner of the farmland stipulated must stay in place when the speedway was built. Famous for multiple racing grooves, drivers enjoy finding what works for them on long runs and in-race adjustments are crucial.
Top drivers and best bets for the Goodyear 400
Despite never having won at Darlington in 10 career starts, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson enters the weekend as the favorite at BetMGM. Three Toyotas and two Chevrolets follow as the six entries with 10-to-1 or better odds.
Best odds to win
• Kyle Larson +500
• Denny Hamlin +600
• Martin Truex Jr. +700
• Tyler Reddick +900
• Kyle Busch +1000
• William Byron +1000
Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg suggests you can find good mid-tier value in Larson’s teammate Chase Elliott (+1400) and the Stewart-Haas Racing Ford of Kevin Harvick (+1400). Elliott has three top-5 finishes in 12 starts at Darlington while Harvick has been a top-10 machine, having finished there 18 times in 30 career starts. If you’re looking for a longshot, Josh Berry, driving the fourth Hendrick Motorsports entry in place of the injured Alex Bowman, enters the weekend at +6600.
‘Throwback Weekend’: Hello … Newman
Mother’s Day weekend at Darlington is always a celebration of NASCAR’s heritage. Some cars will have classic paint schemes, certain branding around the track turns back the clock and legends of the sport descend on the small South Carolina town to meet with fans and sign autographs. This ‘Throwback Weekend’ will also feature a former driver returning to the field.
Ryan Newman, who drove full-time in the Cup Series from 2002-21, makes his return to the track in his first of several select events driving for Rick Ware Racing. Newman, 45, has won 51 Cup Series poles, 18 races and was the championship runner-up in 2014.
Goodyear 400 entry list
Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Brennan Poole (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Josh Berry (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ryan Newman (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
B.J. McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Goodyear 400 weather forecast
It’s going to be warm with a 51% chance of rain on both days of Cup Series running. The forecast calls for sunny skies during Saturday’s qualifying, while there will be cloud cover for the race Sunday which could make for a mixed up grid and good racing in Darlington’s multiple grooves.
