Darlington Raceway beckoned for Mother's Day weekend with Denny Hamlin opening things up with a win in the BGN 200 and Kasey Kahne winning the Southern 500 pole, and thus leading off pit selections. Fan interest has surged the last few years and it is an interesting comment on NASCAR miscalculation about its markets. The now-famous meeting on New York Speedway went so poorly that it hurt the track's already-tenuous chances, and combined with the apparant quiet tabling of the proposed Seattle-area speedway, NASCAR faces something it may not have counted on - actual opposition to continued expansion and schedule realignment.
With the closure of the Rockingham track after February 2004, area fans finally came to grips with the reality that NASCAR was hell-bent on abandoning the Southland, and when Darlington was cut back to one date with some cynical railbirds suspecting NASCAR wanted fans to take the hint and not show up, something that took some by surprise happened - the fans not only have renewed their passion for Darlington, they have done so to a level that returning two dates to the track suddenly isn't farfetched anymore.
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As for favorites in the revamped Southern 500, the three drivers holding down competitive control of the season right now are the obvious favorites. Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, and Kevin Harvick have won a combined six races entering this Darlington race, and for Harvick it's a huge change from some previous seasons. Even when he won twice in his breakout 2001 season he never showed quite the level of consistent strength to be considered a week-after-week favorite; now, though, he can be called that.
Their varied teammates presetly are bringing up the rear, though Jeff Gordon is also considered a good bet based on five Southern 500 wins and the '96 Rebel 400 for good measure. Kyle Busch's frustrating season may not get a turnaround at the notoriously fickle Darlington track, but the Hendrick teammate in the hottest water may be Brian Vickers, not only still winless in his third season in Hendrick's #25 but trapped in a cycle of not getting better. He can run well but not only doesn't finish well with any consistency, he has shown an annoying propensity for failing to finish.
For Tony Stewart, two rookie temamates offer a contrast. Denny Hamlin shook off some recent bad luck by posting a strong second at Richmond. In contrast, J.J. Yeley continues to get lost in the comparative shuffle as he goes through what used to be considered typical rookie growing pains.
Then there are the RCR teammates of Harvick. Clint Bowyer hasn't been spectacular, but he's been steady; it is though premature to expect a win here. It is Jeff Burton, a two-time Darlington winner, who may be able to break through at The Lady In Black.
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There is of course the matter of the race winner. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has three Richmond wins, and with the improvement his program has shown this year he has begun creeping back into contention as far as the points lead goes. Darlington, though, will be a test because the DEI program has improved but it hasn't quite shown enough improvement to yet be considered a week-to-week favorite.
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Dodge's program continues to struggle with a decidedly bad night at Richmond, low-lighted by Bobby Labonte's dismal finish after a spectacular charge into the top five, a finish brought about by the most inexplicable mistake in years - the tire carrier on a late pitstop got rear tires mixed up, to where the wrong tires got put on the car. The conversation between Todd Parrott and his tire carrier must have been animated afterward. Kyle Petty meanwhile didn't acquit himself that well, limping home 26th after starting in the top-15.
The other Dodges had a more mixed time of it. Ray Evernham's fleet had a disasterous night while Penske Racing showed some short track muscle. Kahne's pole is a good shot in the arm for the Evernham effort, looking for its first Darlington win.
Ford likewise didn't have a whole lot to cheer about. Greg Biffle's top five finish was like a win for him, and that it was considered such says a lot about how much struggle Roush Racing is going through even though they are still among the very strongest cars in the garage.
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Of course the rumor mill continues operating at full speed, and increasingly this has taken more attention than the actual racing. It may get even dicier as the season goes on, but certainly no dicier than trying to manhandle the slippery tire-eating surface of The Lady In Black.
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