| | By Ron Buck
ESPN.com
| FAST FACTS |
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Event |
Southern 500 |
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When |
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN) |
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Where |
Darlington Raceway (egg-shaped oval, 1.366 miles, 25 degrees banking in turns 1-2, 23 degrees in turns 3-4).
Darlington, S.C.
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Distance |
500 miles (367 laps) |
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Defending champion |
Jeff Burton |
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1999 Pole Sitter |
Kenny Irwin Jr., 170.970 mph
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Qualifying |
Friday, first round, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2); Saturday, second round, 11:30 a.m. ET.
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Track Records |
Qualifying record: Ward Burton, 173.797 mph (March 1996)
Race record: John Andretti, 167.379 mph (1995)
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On the Track
Ah, Labor Day weekend. Time for BBQs, fun under the sun, and for NASCAR fans, a visit to the Lady In Black's annual summer affair at Darlington Raceway.
The Southern 500 turns 50 this weekend. For those of you who weren't around back in 1950, things were a little different back when Johnny Mantz won the first Southern 500. But how much has Darlington really changed? Not much if you ask most of today's drivers who've heard stories about the good old days.
Darlington is still tough, both on driver and car. It takes experienced driver to weave his way around the tricky 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval. A driver must know how to conserve his tires, while an engine has to be both powerful and reliable. The speedway has a reputation for having one of the coarsest surfaces on the circuit, and the sand that is prevalent in the region has a way of working its way into radiators and other parts.
If you decide to spend three hours in front of your TV on Sunday, or are lucky enough to own a ticket for the race, expect plenty of excitement. Darlington produces fabulous finishes, remember Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton trading paint all the way to the checkered flag in 1998? It also leaves its mark on drivers who lose the line, just ask anyone who's see a paint scheme ruined by a "Darlington Stripe."
But most of all, Darlington is about tradition -- a rich tradition that comes to the surface each Labor Day with the Southern 500.
David Pearson leads all drivers with 10 victories at Darlington. Dale Earnhardt is second with nine, followed by Bobby Allison, Bill Elliott, Gordon, Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough with five apiece. Dale Jarrett is seeking to become the latest member in the club of winners of the sport's four so-called crown jewels: the Daytona 500, the Coca-Cola 600, the Winston 500 and the Pepsi Southern 500. The club's current membership: Allison, Buddy Baker, Earnhardt, Gordon, David Pearson and Waltrip.
Recently, the Lady in Black has been partial to the Burton boys -- Jeff and Ward, who have combined to win the last four races at Darlington. Jeff swept last year's races, including a rain-shortened win in the Southern 500. Ward ended his four-plus year victory drought this season by winning the mall.com 400.
Mmmmm, I can smell the ribs cooking. Enjoy!
Drivers to Watch
Jeff Burton: Has owned Darlington recently, winning a rainy Southern 500 last year ahead of older brother Ward to complete his sweep at Darlington. Finished fifth in March to Ward in the mall.com 400. If the clouds move in, look for Jeff to be near the front.
Ward Burton: Darlington comes at good time for CART team, which needs a few top-five finishes to solidify its place in the top 10. Always brings a strong car to this track, as evident by his pole-winning record speed in 1996 and win in March. Finished second to his brother in Southern 500 a year ago in the rain.
Bobby Labonte: Anything better than 15th will be a bonus for the 18 gang. Labonte isn't exactly enamored with the Lady in Black, where he's left battered, bruised or broken over the years. His best finish is sixth, but he's only finished on the lead lap twice in the Southern 500. His 91-point lead could shrink a little more Sunday.
Dale Jarrett: Has won the spring race at Darlington twice, but never the Southern 500. He has two straight third-place runs on Labor Day weekend heading into Sunday. And as for tradition, his father, Ned, won this race by the largest margin ever 35 years ago, beating Buck Baker by 14 laps.
Jeff Gordon: Yes, we keep saying to watch Gordon and he keeps having problems. But this is still the driver who won the Southern 500 four times before last year's 13th-place run. Finished eighth in the mall.com 400 in March. Again, he's had poor results in the last four races with finishes of 23rd or lower. We still expect a top-10 finish Sunday if the breaks fall his way.
Dale Earnhardt: He's won the Southern 500 three times and reached Victory Lane a total of nine times in his career at Darlington. A win Sunday would equal David Pearson's record of 10. Finished third in the mall.com 400 in March.
Rusty Wallace: Can Rusty make it three in a row? The numbers say not likely, as he is 0-for-31 at Darlington in his career. But the No. 2 has been dominating, so take notice of where Rusty qualifies. He was, however, 16th at Darlington in the spring and eighth a year ago in the rain at Darlington.
Jeremy Mayfield: Could keep the Team Penkse streak going if Rusty's bad luck at Darlington continues. Mayfield had a streak of four straight top-five finishes at Darlington snapped in the mall.com 400 when he stumbled to 34th place. Finished second to Jeff Burton last spring and third behind the Burton brothers a year ago in the Southern 500.
Tony Stewart: Already has shown he can handle the Lady in Black with two top-10 finishes in two spring appearances. He was 12th in his first Southern 500.
Mark Martin: Has posted one victory at Darlington in 26 starts, winning the '93 Southern 500. He was ninth in March at the track and fourth in last year's Southern 500. Still, he's having a subpar season for the veteran and one of the most popular drivers on the circuit. His lone win came at Martinsville in April. Stands eighth in points, 426 behind Labonte.
Ron Buck is ESPN.com's auto racing editor.
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ALSO SEE
Furr: Darlington no longer super, but still a special speedway
Weber: A letter to the Lady in Black
Southern 500 still holds its own after 50 years
Waltrip gets special provisional spot in final Southern 500
Burton boys take control at Darlington Raceway
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