This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the oldest superspeedway on the schedule, Darlington Raceway, for their third visit of the year.  The Cook Out Southern 500 can be seen starting on NBCSN with NASCAR America Sunday at 5 p.m., followed by Countdown to Green at 5:30. The green flag is scheduled to drop around 6:16 p.m.  The race can also be heard on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

Records and facts

Last year's Bojangles' Southern 500 was delayed by four hours due to rain and finished at nearly 2 a.m.  Kyle Busch was the dominant driver that night, but Kyle Larson had taken the lead with a little more than 100 laps to go.  A multi-car crash broke out with 90 laps to go.  Larson won the race off of pit road, but on the final restart, Erik Jones was able to get past and take the lead.

From there, Jones only relinquished the lead during the final round of pit stops en route to his second career victory.  Larson was four seconds back in second, then Busch.  Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski were fourth and fifth.

All-time, David Pearson has the most wins at the "Track Too Tough to Tame" with 10, the most recent of the wins coming in the CRC Chemicals Rebel 500 in 1980.  Dale Earnhardt has nine wins, including season sweeps in 1987 and 1990.  Jeff Gordon is third with seven career wins, while four different drivers (Bobby Allison, Bill Elliott, Darrell Walrip and Cale Yarborough) have five each.

Among active drivers, Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson have the most wins with three each.  Kevin Harvick has two wins.  No other active driver on the circuit has more than one.

Track Facts
Track / Race Length: 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval, 367 laps (501.322 miles)
Banking: 25 degrees in Turns 1-2, 23 degrees in Turns 3-4

Frontstretch: 1,229 ft., banked 3 degrees

Backstretch: 1,229 ft., banked 3 degrees

Grandstand Seating: 58,000
Pit Road Speed: 45 mph
Pace Car Speed: 50 mph
Opened: 1950

Website: http://www.darlingtonraceway.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarlingtonRaceway

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TooToughToTame

Say What?!

"I like the uniqueness of the track. I’ve struggled to have good finishes there but we’ve always raced well. We just can’t seem to seal the deal at the end. Something always goes haywire in the end but, sooner or later, we are going to overcome that and have a good weekend. Doing that this weekend would be perfect." - Clint Bowyer

"It’s a very narrow and challenging racetrack, especially for the speeds that we carry around there, now. We’re looking forward to the challenge with our M&M’S Throwback Camry this weekend. You’ve really got to be able to get as close as you can to the wall in order to carry your momentum through the corners because you’ve got to make the straightaways as long as you can. The track is very narrow on entries and exits, so you’re always trying to round the place as much as you can. It’s very one-groovish. You can’t really run side-by-side there. Any time you get alongside somebody, you basically have to let them go. It’s a very big give-and-take type of track. It’s a lot harder to pass now, with the fresh asphalt, than it used to be. It’s really aero-sensitive now, to where it used to be more about mechanical grip and getting your car to handle well and handle over the bumps well and keep the tires on it. Now you’re restricted off the car in front of you and are trying to find some air, basically." - Kyle Busch

"Earlier this year we had some good runs at Darlington. The first race back from the brief pause was really good for us as a team. We finished second and really capitalized on stage points. Our goal for Sunday is to do the same thing. We need to have a solid race, earn stage points and get a good finish at the end of the night to start these playoffs off right." - Alex Bowman