The Essentials
Where: Darlington Raceway
Race: Time: Saturday 7:20 p.m./EDT
TV/Radio: FOX Sports, MRN Radio
Twitter: In-race updates at FanHouseRacing
Forecast: 64 degrees, 20% chance of storms
Distance: 367 laps (500.1 miles)
Pole Winner: Matt Kenseth
2008 Winner: Kyle Busch
The Storylines
NASCAR's gettin' used to this two day show format, it would seem. Both this weekend's action at Darlington Raceway and last weekend's run at Richmond have been run in a quick and simple two day pattern.
The Sprint Cup teams have practiced on Friday morning and afteroon before taking part in qualifying. From then on, there's no more practice, though NASCAR hasn't impounded cars and allows teams to work on them for Saturday's race,
You just know that the teams and crew members have been loving both the format and the stretch of races. Minus any testing, from the Talladega event on April 26 to the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 24 the farthest a team will have had to travel was six hours. Two of those five races are in the teams' backyard, while three are Saturday night races -- meaning their home on Sunday.
That's not a bad schedule for teams to regroup somewhat at home, but they'll have to get it done because the schedule after Charlotte doesn't stay that easy.
Matt Kenseth must have had some pent-up energy after failing to run at the competitive nature that he'd like to see for many of the past few race weekends.
The 2009 Daytona 500 champ took advantage of Kyle Busch's flat tire malfortune late in Friday night's Nationwide Series race at Darlington Raceway to win and earlier in the day, the No. 17 scored its first pole since 2005 over Jeff Gordon.
A weekend can't start off much better than that -- except if Kenseth had won the pole for the Nationwide event. Unfortunately, wet weather on Friday prevented that from happening.
Jimmie Johnson has endured a rough patch that we're not used to seeing from the No. 48 team.
Last weekend at Richmond, brake issues caused a solo spin before the team tried to fix the problem. Then, Johnson got caught up in a wreck that was completely not of his own doing and tore up the race car, leading to an ugly 36th-place finish.
Friday afternoon, Johnson wrecked during the first lap of his qualifying run, meaning he'll start 42nd in the field for Saturday night's Southern 500 with a backup car that will have seen the same amount of practice as wins this year for Dale Earnhardt Jr.
One can imagine he'll be hoping for a solid run, and hoping that he could have saved it like this all over again.
The Predictions
Geoffrey Miller: Denny Hamlin
Holly Cain: Greg Biffle
Enjoy the race.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-09-2009 @ 5:57PM
gregsachiko said...
Come on Kyle, let's go get another win.
Ignore these whinning people.
Greg
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5-09-2009 @ 7:12PM
illsell4u said...
Jeremy Mayfield suspended for drugs!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where is the story Geoffrey? Give us the scoop.
mbl
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5-09-2009 @ 8:22PM
George said...
Leave it to Waltrip to spin himself and bring out another caution,I sure hope Aaron's and Napa drops him,he has no business in the sport.
Reply
5-10-2009 @ 7:39AM
hafttwo said...
geremy had to be on drugs to drive a japcar
Reply
5-10-2009 @ 11:32AM
todd said...
Good Race !! 4 Hendrick cars and both of Tony Stewarts cars all in the top 7! The American auto makers still rule!! Maybe Toyota should stick to racing in Japan
Reply
5-10-2009 @ 1:16PM
biggjp said...
It still makes my Blood boil when I Realize That NASCAR doesb't have but one Race in Darlington ,Especially after abandoning Rockingham,,and too call it The Southern 500 is a disgrace..The 1st NASCAR race I ever attended was The Southern 500 in 1966...On Labor Day......Not Mother's Day week-end.....It's time for NASCAR too get back too it's Roots..and add a 2nd race in the Fall too Darlington.....That is REAL RACING....
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5-10-2009 @ 11:40PM
gregsachiko said...
haftwit,
What is your problem? People cry win Toyota wins and cry "They are cheating"Boo hoo When they have trouble "They are junk, go back to Japan"
You have serious issues twit. You must be white, dumb, never went to college and live in the holler, lost a few teeth from not brushing regular. Every American fan they lose, they gain 100 Japanese fans. You really want to know something funny? Dale Sr got a Japanese driver to race and 90% of the drivers OWN A IMPORT DEALERSHIP!!!!!!! You feel kind of silly now?
Greg
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5-11-2009 @ 9:57AM
VaSteve said...
Why does NASCAR still ban the SCV (Sons of Confederate Veterans)from sponsoring a car?
Why does the site NASCAR.com Community have a WRITTEN rule that you can't even discuss the Reb flag? Does this sound like diversity and inclusiveness? Or discrimination and censorship?
Reply
5-11-2009 @ 12:36PM
illsell4u said...
Steve, it is part of the new Nascar diversity program. Get rid of your roots and spread out all across the country into areas that have little interest in the sport.
The current climate says if you are a white male it is not only OK to discriminate against you it is the politically correct thing to do. You are supposed to be ashamed of your ancestors for taking part in the legal seccession from the Union in 1861.
To the victor goes the spoils and the right to write the history books about what happened. Forget about the fact that the Union encampment was given three chances to get out of Fort Sumpter and offered safe passage to do so. They were tresspassing on Confederate soil when they were shot at and the Union used that excuse to wage war against the peaceful southern CSA.
Sorry, our side lost. Now you not only are supposed to deal with it but be ashamed of the legal action your ancestors took.
MBL
Reply
5-11-2009 @ 5:19PM
nzcr14 said...
OOPS, I think the long ongoing anti jap bash went from poster HART TO HART TO HALFBAKED but it's NOW returning to HART. (2 for 1 deal,for those that doesn't understand) lol.
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