Darlington Preview

By Nate Ryan

It’s the fifth annual edition of NASCAR’s Throwback Weekend and the 70th running of the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. One of the most storied and celebrated races on the Monster Energy Cup Series circuit is also among the most difficult.

Here are my picks:

STAGES

First stage (Kurt Busch, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, Joey Logano):

PICK: Chase Elliott. The Hendrick Motorsports driver won at Darlington in Xfinity, finished fifth in last year’s Southern 500 and is ready to get in playoff form.

Second stage (William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman):

PICK: Kyle Larson. Few drivers are better running the high line, and Larson nearly won this race last year (leading 284 of 367 laps) before late trouble in the pits.

Third stage (Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr.)

PICK: Brad Keselowski. The defending winner of this race is coming off a solid third place at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Top 3 Overall:

1. Kyle Larson: The Chip Ganassi Racing driver finds redemption for last year’s disappointment.

2. Brad Keselowski: At a track that rewards race management, his wits make him a strong contender.

3. Denny Hamlin: The hottest driver in the Cup Series remains in form heading for the playoffs.