This coming weekend will see NASCAR pay tribute to drivers and cars of yore. Throwback Weekend is set to descend on Darlington Raceway. All three national series will be in action, including the NASCAR Cup Series which will run the Goodyear 400 on Sunday afternoon. This article contains all kinds of vital information necessary to get you ready for race No. 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series season. Read on for the Goodyear 400 starting lineup, start time, fast facts and NASCAR stats.
NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway
51st Goodyear 400
Date: Sunday, May 9, 2021
Start Time: 3:30 p.m. EST
Track: Darlington Raceway — Darlington, SC
Coverage: FS1
Pole Sitter: Brad Keselowski
Defending Champions: Kevin Harvick (Race I) and Denny Hamlin (Race II)
Goodyear 400 Race Details
Distance: 400.238 miles
Laps: 293
Lap Length: 1.366 miles
Stages: Three (Laps 1-90; Laps 91-185; Laps 186-293)
Surface: Asphalt
Turns: 4
Goodyear 400 Starting Grid
See below for a breakdown of qualifying.
| Starting Position | Driver | Car Number | Team | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cole Custer | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 2 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 3 | Tyler Reddick | 8 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 5 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Justin Haley | 31 | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 7 | Ty Dillon | 42 | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 8 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 11 | Kyle Busch | 18 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 12 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 13 | Kurt Busch | 45 | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 14 | Erik Jones | 43 | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 15 | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing | Ford |
| 16 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 18 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing | Ford |
| 19 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 20 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 21 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 22 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 23 | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 24 | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 25 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 26 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 27 | Justin Allgaier | 77 | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 28 | Noah Gragson | 16 | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 29 | J.J. Yeley | 15 | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 30 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 31 | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 32 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 33 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 34 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 35 | Cody Ware | 51 | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 36 | Josh Williams | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford |
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying Overview
Following the virus-caused interruption to racing last season, NASCAR did away with practice and qualifying runs at the majority of races. A combination of grouped draws and a performance-metrics formula were used to determine starting grids. That same formula remains in place for the majority of races on the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, including this weekend’s Goodyear 400 starting lineup.
So, what exactly is involved in the performance-metrics formula? Well, it draws on a number of factors including individual race performances and seaosn-long results. The following breakdown illustrates the weighted grades associated with each component of NASCAR’s metrics formula:
NASCAR Cup Series Metrics Formula Breakdown
- 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
- 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
- 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
- 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race
Goodyear 400 Stats and NASCAR Betting Facts
- The very first edition of the race was held back in 1952, although the name of this running is unknown. Dick Rathmann emerged victorious in a race that was only 80 total laps. The spring race at Darlington Raceway would not be run again until 1957 in what was a 219-lap event.
- From 1957-62, the Goodyear 400 was a race specifically for convertibles. Now THAT is a fun fact!
- A common nickname for the spring Darlington race is the Rebel 400, which traces its roots back quite a way. The race was officially named “Rebel” from 1957-78.
- This race also had a more recent pause spanning from 2005-2019. NASCAR returned to Darlington with a pair of spring races last year as part of their on-the-fly scheduling adjustments.
- David Pearson tops the all-time driver list with seven career Goodyear 400 victories. He sits just one ahead of Dale Earnhardt.
- Thanks to the recent hiatus, the only active NASCAR Cup Series drivers to win the spring race at Darlington were last year’s respective doubleheader winners: Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin.
- The now-defunct Holman-Moody Racing’s seven wins are the most all-time in this race.
- Among active race teams, Richard Childress Racing leads the way with five Goodyear 400 victories. However, the most recent came all the way back in 1994.
- Ford has the most wins all-time in this race among manufacturers with 18. Chevrolet is a close second at 15.
