Drivers anticipating 'out of control' action at Darlington

It's bad enough to roll into Darlington, S.C., less than 10 miles off Interstate 95, and realize a tough weekend lies ahead at the 1.366-mile facility dubbed "The Track Too Tough to Tame."

Now it will be tougher.

Small changes have occurred at Darlington Raceway, NASCAR's distinguished, oldest superspeedway that began hosting races in 1950 and is widely regarded as the sport's most difficult layout -- a genuine "driver's track" where few are gifted wins easily or at all.

The track flipped around the start/finish line in 1997, making the frontstretch the backstretch. In 2004, the sanctioning body added SAFER barriers, shrinking an already narrow racing groove in the turns into an even more svelte version that drivers have to charge into with more concern.

Sticky grip is rare, too.

Like neighboring Rockingham Speedway just across the North Carolina state line, also boasting a gritty though recently repaved surface with a long history of chewing up rubber and spitting out marbles, Darlington forces drivers to try to conserve what little grip they have, but it always eventually goes away sooner than later.

Now there is another variable to conquer: chaos.

On his "Actions Detrimental" podcast, Las Vegas winner Denny Hamlin predicted a wacky weekend in the Palmetto State over the Goodyear 400's 293 scheduled laps due to the higher horsepower propelling the short-track package being used.

"These cars (have) essentially little to no underbody," said Hamlin, who has notched five of his 61 career wins at Darlington and is the reigning race winner. "These cars are out of control. ... I'm predicting four seconds of fall off. It might be more."

In the point standings that reflect Toyota having won four of five races run, 23XI Racing teammates Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace pace the field with 255 and 194 points, respectively, as Camry XSE drivers occupy four of the top six positions (Hamlin in fourth, Christopher Bell sixth) with Ford's Ryan Blaney slotting third and Chevrolet's Chase Elliott riding fifth.

Most noticeably missing among the top 16 in the standings are former Darlington winners of the track's most prestigious race -- the fall's Southern 500 -- who could use a strong showing Sunday and some of that "Lady in Black" magic.

On Jeff Gluck's podcast over the weekend, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Chase Briscoe seconded his teammate Hamlin's dire warning.

"It's going to be out of control," Briscoe told Gluck, who provides motorsports coverage for The Athletic. "It's going to be the hardest track we have been on all year long.

"Added power is one thing. But the biggest thing is taking the diffuser and everything off. I have run the sim for a week and a half now. You are crashing every corner, every lap."

Triumphant in the past two Southern 500s, Briscoe sits 26th in points and only arrived there after gaining seven positions with an eighth-place showing in Las Vegas.

Like Briscoe, Erik Jones has won the 500-miler twice, in 2019 in JGR's No. 20 and 2022 in a No. 43 Chevrolet for Petty GMS Motorsports.

The 29-year-old Legacy Motor Club pilot could use some help in moving up the grid, as he ranks 27th out of 38 points-holders.

Coping with chaos may help Briscoe and Jones make up some points at a track where they excel.

--Field Level Media