NCS: Darlington Raceway: Where Starting Upfront Matters - Speedway Digest

Darlington, SC – Darlington Raceway—a place where legends are made, and cars dance with the ‘Lady in Black.’ As the NASCAR Cup Series gears up for the Cook Out Southern 500, let’s dissect the strategic importance of starting positions at this historic track.

The Winning Grid: A Tale of Starting Positions

Darlington Raceway has witnessed 21 different starting positions on the grid leading to victories. But there’s one spot that stands out—the coveted pole position. Drivers who launch from the front have claimed 21 wins, making it the most proficient starting position at Darlington (16.7%).

Pole Position Dominance: Twelve different drivers have clinched victory from the pole at Darlington. Among them, NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson shines brightest. The ‘Silver Fox’ boasts four wins from the pole (1971, 1972, 1976 sweep). Joey Logano, the lone active driver to achieve this feat, triumphed in 2022.
Pearson’s Prowess: Pearson not only leads in pole-to-win conversions but also holds 12 Darlington poles overall (1967, ’70, ’72, ’73 sweep, ’75 sweep, ’76 sweep, ’77, ’78, and ’82). His 12 poles tie with another legend, Cale Yarborough (who secured 12 poles at Daytona), for the second-most poles at a single track in the Cup Series. Pearson’s true record? Fourteen poles at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Active Contenders: This weekend, seven of the 55 past pole winners at Darlington are still in the game. Joey Logano, with a 2022 sweep, leads the charge with two poles.

Top-10 Magic and Unlikely Victories

Worth noting, top-10 starting positions have been golden. They’ve clinched 105 out of 126 Cup Series races at Darlington—a remarkable 83.3% success rate. But occasionally, the underdogs prevail:

Outside the Top 15: Only eight times in Darlington’s history has a race winner emerged from a starting position outside the top 15 (6.3%). Last season, Kyle Larson defied the odds, charging from 18th to victory.
Johnny Mantz’s Heroics: The deepest starting position for a race winner? A jaw-dropping 43rd. Johnny Mantz achieved this improbable feat in 1950—the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event at this historic track.

Masters of the Track

Navigating Darlington’s treacherous curves demands skill, finesse, and a dash of fearlessness. Two names stand out:

David Pearson: The ‘Silver Fox’ reigns supreme with 10 Cup Series wins at Darlington (1968 to 1980). His victories include memorable years like 1970, ’72, ’73, ’74, and the ’76 sweep.
Denny Hamlin: Among active drivers, Denny Hamlin leads the pack with four Darlington triumphs (2010, 2017, 2020, 2022) under the Joe Gibbs Racing banner.

2024 Season: Records and Rivalries

This year’s Cup Series has been electric. Here are some superlative stats:

Lead Changes: Across the first 25 races, we’ve witnessed 13 lead changes among eight points leaders. Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) currently holds a 17-point edge over Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports).
Diverse Winners: Fourteen different winners have graced victory lane—a feat matched only by select seasons in the Modern Era (2007, 2012, 2017, 2021, and 2023).
Lap Leaders: An average of 11.08 lap leaders per race—a statistic tied with 2006 and 2010—has kept fans on the edge of their seats.

As the engines roar at Darlington, we anticipate more drama, more records, and the thrill of racing history. The ‘Track Too Tough To Tame’ awaits its next chapter.