Fast Forward ~ The Bojangles Southern 500 At Darlington Fantasy Race Picks And Preview
“The future is like a corridor into which we can see only by the light coming from behind.”
–Edward Weyer, Jr.
The Track:
Track Size: 1.366-miles
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 25 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 23 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 6 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 6 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 1,229 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,229 feet
Pit Road Speed/Length: 45 MPH/2025 Ft
The Race:
Season Race #: 8 of 36 (04-12-14)
367 Laps/ 501.322 Miles
Defending Champion: Matt Kenseth, 141.383 MPH- May 2013
Most recent winner: Matt Kenseth, 141.383 MPH- May 2013
Track Record: Matt Kenseth, 141.383 MPH- May 2013
Race Record: Matt Kenseth, 141.383 MPH- May 2013
Qualifying record: Kurt Busch, 181.918 MPH – May 2013
2013 Purse: $5,712,982
TV:FOX, 6:45 PM EST 5/11/2013
The History:
1950 - Construction completed, Darlington was first measured at 1.25 miles
September 4, 1950-Johnny Mantz won the first 500 mile race and the first asphalt in NASCAR history, at Darlington
1953 – Track was re-measured to be 1.375 miles
1970 – Track was reconfigured to the current length of 1.366 miles.
April 13, 1980 – David Parson wins his tenth Darlington race, a current record.
September 1, 1991 – Harry Gant becomes the oldest race winner at the track at 51 years, 7 months, 22 days.
May 10, 2008 – Kyle Busch becomes the youngest race winner at 23 years, 29 days.
The Picks:
As always, before we get to the picks for this week, let’s go back and see how we did last week. No one correctly picked Joey Logano to win, but Kevin Abraham takes the honors from last week for the best finish with his choice of Kyle Larson. Here are out point standings:
(If you’re unfamiliar with our Ghost Players, Mr. Winner always takes the defending Champion of the race, Mr. Pole is the driver who wins the pole position, and Mr. Seven always takes the driver who finishes in seventh place.)
Player |
Selection |
Race Pts |
Previous Pts |
Total Pts |
Behind |
Wins |
DNFs |
Mr. Winner |
18 |
42 |
280 |
322 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Mr. Pole |
14 |
35 |
278 |
313 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
Mr. Seven |
20 |
37 |
262 |
299 |
23 |
0 |
0 |
PattyKay Lilley |
48 |
19 |
264 |
283 |
39 |
1 |
0 |
Vivian |
88 |
1 |
273 |
274 |
48 |
2 |
2 |
Barbara |
16 |
38 |
230 |
268 |
54 |
1 |
1 |
Jim Fitzgerald |
20 |
37 |
230 |
267 |
55 |
0 |
0 |
Brian Marchetti |
20 |
37 |
226 |
263 |
59 |
0 |
0 |
Alabama Fitz |
48 |
19 |
232 |
251 |
71 |
1 |
0 |
Robyn Vandenberg |
14 |
35 |
214 |
249 |
73 |
1 |
0 |
Nate |
99 |
30 |
216 |
246 |
76 |
0 |
1 |
Kevin Abraham |
42 |
39 |
181 |
220 |
102 |
0 |
1 |
Darrell |
20 |
37 |
181 |
218 |
104 |
0 |
2 |
That was Texas, and now we’re on to Darlington!
ROBYN VANDENBERG: Might as well get this one out of the way. My pick for Darlington is Kyle Busch. Can you feel my excitement?
KEVIN ABRAHAM: I’m excited about my pick of Kyle Larson from last week, but I should have stuck with my original choice, Joey Logano. Robyn, good luck with Kyle Busch, he knows this track and has a teammates that have figured out the setup to this track. However, he has meltdowns at this track, not as bad as his brother Kurt, but still. And I think it’s a bit ironic that Kurt now drives for the team that he tried to run over on pit road in this race in 2012
PATTYKAY LILLEY: Robyn snuck up on us and had several folks picking winners on her Bump 'n Run radio show Monday night, so she already knows where I'm going. As far as recent stats go, this kid is Mr. Darlington, and he seems to tame that Lady in Black more effectively than anyone else. He hasn't won in a while, but if he's going to do it anywhere, it will be here. Mama's money this week is on Denny Hamlin and I'll be riding shotgun in the #11.
JIM FITZGERALD: I’d call that a solid pick, but it’s not where I’m going.
KEVIN ABRAHAM: I spent time actually looking at the numbers for this track instead of going with my gut feeling...my gut feeling says Logano will win two in a row, but I decided to go by numbers this week. The three drivers that keep popping up in my number search were Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, and Matt Kenseth. If I went Mama's route of 'Mo I would be taking my gut pick of Joey Logano, but the numbers do not back up my gut feeling this week. I may be kicking myself again this week after the race, but I need more of a sure thing than a gut feeling. I do not look for a rookie to tame Darlington, so that rules out Larson and Dillon. I also look for SHR to send at least one engine to the track that will detonate, so that rules out Stewart, Harvick, and Busch.
ALABAMA FITZ: What about Patrick?
KEVIN ABRAHAM: Danica is ruled out due to this not being a restrictor plate track. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. lost the 'Mo after destroying the front end of his car at Texas. I am going with the same pick I had at this track last year that earned me a second place finish. I am jumping on the Denny Hamlin wagon this week, and picking Hamlin to punch his ticket to the Chase this weekend. In the last four years he has a win, two seconds and a sixth. Those are numbers that will help pull me back into Chase contention. What do you have, Fitz?
ALABAMA FITZ: Well, here is ol' Kiss of Death again. Sorry Mama. Jeff Gordon ruled this track for several years and he is running well this year. I should pick him. But then again, Jimmie Johnson has good numbers here and might come through this week. I should pick him. However, Matt Kenseth won here last year and finished 6th the year before. I should pick him. Kyle Busch has 5 Top 10s in only nine races at Darlington. I should pick him. So, ok I will...I’m taking Kyle Busch to win! Anybody hear that noise? It sounded like Robyn groaning.
BRIAN MARCHETTI: Hey, Kevin, some weeks I go with the statistics, some weeks I go with my gut. Either way, I can't seem to get on top. This week, I've decided to scratch all the research, and just think about what I know, and what I've seen this year. Hamlin owns this track. Gordon, as I believe Alabama Fitz said earlier, use to own this track. So where do I go? The Busch brothers are both hot, but Darlington to me, is about finesse more than about speed and aggressive driving. Jeff Gordon is the master, and he ran great last week. In fact, Gordon, if in the right equipment, will always run great. It's rare that you see him make a mistake. My opinion, Jeff Gordon takes the flag this week.....now I have to go buy a case of Pepsi, and paint something with DuPont paint. I’m not saying that's how I roll, but my waistline can't afford me picking Shrub anymore this season.
ALABAMA FITZ: Brian, you KNOW you wanted to pick the Shrub this week and the only reason you didn't is because the Ol' Kiss of Death did. The waistline has nothing to do with it. Look what happened to MamaK last week when she decided to run with the 48 even after I did. She sucked it up and stood by her man. You ain't skeert of the Ol' Kiss of Death are ya???
JIM FITZGERALD: And we’ve just regressed forty years…
KEVIN ABRAHAM: The dividend check was smaller than it used to be, so he got stock in Pepsi as well, and it paid more this week.
PATTYKAY LILLEY: Notice that Mama isn't dragged into these sessions of recrimination. I made my pick early. Denny's my guy because he loves this track and the Lady seems to love him back. I've told you before, I'm far more interested in what someone has done lately than what he did 10 years ago. Too many variables. Denny has been constant. His average finish in TEN races is FIVE. Um... no, I'm not betting against him! Oh, and when you're all done talking it over, check the scores. No one really counts in this game that doesn't require oxygen to survive, and that lady you see on top would be me
JIM FITZGERALD: Well, kids, I've been thinking about this since Sunday...we only come to Darlington once per year now, which is a crime, so we only have one chance to get it right. My pick this week was ALMOST Kyle Busch. The finish last week at Texas showed me he's not satisfied with one win. I can't pick Mo' Joey Logano yet, but I have a feeling he's going to show me more than I'm giving him credit for now. I picked Johnson before, only to be thwarted, so, not this time as I still think there are a few ways remaining for him to lose a race. Kenseth may have fired most of the bullets in his gun last year trying to beat Johnson, because he just looks a bit off, so I can't pick the defending Champion. Earnhardt, Jr. might be a good pick, but I'm thinking we're going to go eight races with eight winners, and for that reason, I'm taking the most seasoned driver out there. I'm riding with Big Daddy Jeff Gordon this week, and we're both looking for his eighth Darlington win.
KEVIN ABRAHAM: It is a shame that Darlington does not have two dates anymore....makes me madder than a hornet’s nest being poked by a bear mad. Some of the best races I ever watched were at this track.
ROBYN VANDENBERG: I don’t believe I’ve ever seen anyone madder than bear poking a hornet’s nest mad.
JIM FITZGERALD: Speaking of Hornet’s nests, let’s get out fan’s involved here, one of which I know is “stinging” from her pick of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. last week. Vivian, get us started!
Vivian: Well, Darlington is a track that has had drivers win more than once in what they call this Modern Era. This week, I am taking a racer who has been running well this year, but has not won yet. I think Denny Hamlin will take that checkered flag first!
Darrell: Well my throw at the dartboard didn't seem to work out last week. So this time I will get tricky with it. It will be a behind the back shot. Well folks, it landed on Greg Biffle, so there you have it again... that's my pick.
Nate: With finishes in the top five in eight of the last ten races, Jeff Gordon is my pick for Darlington.
Barbara: This year it’s getting hard to even HOPE for a winner, let alone play a long shot! It is Darlington on Saturday evening, which should ring Matt Kenseth. Well, I want it too, but don’t feel that’s the best choice. It’s getting super anxious for the usual winners and produces some strange finishes. Watching them all react this season, think I’ll go with one that doesn’t know any better and that would be my choice of our #42 Rookie, Kyle Larson.
That’s going to wrap it up for us this week. For Darlington, we have three picks for Jeff Gordon, three for Denny Hamlin, two for Kyle Busch, one for Greg Biffle and one for Kyle Larson, and of course Mr. Winner will be taking Matt Kenseth. We wish you good luck with your picks, and we’ll see how all this works out on Saturday night at Darlington. Until then, best wishes, and keep the shiny side up!
“Returning to South Carolina meant getting a normal job in a normal town with normal people and marrying a normal person. I wanted the glamour and opportunity of the world”. ~ Donna Rice
Our Picks For This Week!
Kevin Abraham |
Brian Marchetti |
Alabama Fitz |
Darrell |
Nate |
Who is YOUR pick to win this week?
Correctly choose the winner before the green flag drops on Saturday, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win some racing stuff!