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NASCAR Cup Series heads to Darlington Raceway this weekend for the Goodyear 400. This race weekend drivers and teams will be paying tribute to the past icons of the sport during the throwback celebrations.
The 1.366-mile oval, dubbed as 'The Track Too Tough to Tame' is one of the most challenging tracks on the season calendar. The oblong oval has different configurations on both ends of the tracks, which presents challenges for the drivers.
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Hendrick Motorsports drivers won both NASCAR Cup races at Darlington Raceway last year. William Byron won the race during the throwback weekend, while Kyle Larson clinched victory in the second event, kicking off the playoffs.
Ahead of NASCAR's first date with 'The Lady in Black' this season, let us take a look at five drivers who could tame the 1.366-mile oval.
5 NASCAR drivers to watch out for in the Goodyear 400
#5 Erik Jones
The Legacy Motor Club driver will return behind the wheel of his #43 Toyota this weekend, after sitting out two races while nursing his back injury sustained at Talladega Superspeedway.
Erik Jones is a two-time winner at Darlington Raceway and finished 10th in the playoff race last season. Jones could put together a note-worthy performance if he is at his best this Sunday.
#4 William Byron
The #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy driver had a rare disappointing weekend during last weekend's race at Kansas Speedway and will aim for a quick turnaround at Darlington Raceway.
A two-time winner at the 1.366-mile oval, William Byron has recorded a fourth, first, and eighth-placed finish in the last three visits to the track. Sporting NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon's iconic 'Firestorm' paint scheme, Byron is one of the favorites to park his car in the victory lane.
#3 Kyle Larson
The 2021 NASCAR Cup champion is coming off a sensational victory at Kansas Speedway, beating Chris Buescher to the line by a margin of 0.001 seconds, marking the closest finish in the sport's history.
Kyle Larson was in contention for a race win in the Goodyear 400 last season but was wrecked by Ross Chastain. He managed to secure his first win at the track in the playoffs. Watch out for Larson in Terry Labonte's iconic paint scheme this weekend.
#2 Tyler Reddick
The 23XI Racing driver boasts the second-best average finish in the last six visits to the track, recording three top-five finishes in the period. He was poised to win the playoff race last season but had to settle for a second-place finish.
Reddick will pay tribute to Tim Richmond this weekend in the Goodyear 400, aiming for his second win of the season and his first at Darlington Raceway.
#1 Denny Hamlin
The #11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver is the most successful active driver in Darlington, having tamed the track on four occasions in his Cup Series career. Hamlin has also finished in the top five in 12 out of his 23 races at the track.
Denny Hamlin has three victories in his bag this season, tied with William Byron, and will be aiming to take his fourth this weekend at Darlington.
The Goodyear 400 will be contested over 293 laps and is scheduled this Sunday, May 12 at 3:00 PM ET. Catch the race live on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM.
