Right here’s what’s taking place on the planet of NASCAR with within the rearview and (Solar., 3 p.m. ET, FS1) up subsequent.
THE LINEUP
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1. Is Brad Keselowski the following driver to attain on Father Time?
The RFK Racing driver/co-owner is having fun with watching the success of his fellow teammates however has lagged to date to start out 2025, with the 2012 champ presently sitting thirtieth within the standings after seven races. Is a turnaround coming for the 41-year-old?
After witnessing 44-year-old Denny Hamlin flip again the clock and switch in a classic masterpiece at Martinsville Speedway, might there be one other driver set to climb victory mountain — or is he simply over the hill?
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Brad Keselowski‘s 2025 season has so far been one among frustration and unmet expectations, seeing each of his teammates — and, as their crew co-owner, staff — look robust early on whereas he‘s barely holding onto a top-30 place within the Cup Sequence standings. With the collection heading to Darlington Raceway for Sunday‘s Goodyear 400, nevertheless, the veteran driver could discover himself getting ready to a breakthrough.
In an period so targeted on youthful expertise rising sooner and sooner (hey, Connor Zilisch), Hamlin reminded the racing world on Sunday that age and expertise can nonetheless triumph in a sport more and more dominated by wunderkinder.
Keselowski‘s struggles this season have been well-documented. By way of seven races, the 2012 Cup champion has but to report a top-10 end or lead a single lap, each unprecedented lows for the perennial contender. His common end of 25.1 is on observe to be simply the worst of his profession. The No. 6 crew‘s lack of pace has been obvious, with Keselowski‘s common beginning place of 25.0 rating among the many lowest within the discipline, and he‘s precisely twenty fifth in pace for the season per NASCAR Insights.
But, Darlington gives Keselowski a primary alternative to show his season round.
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RFK has confirmed formidable on the “Girl in Black” of late and No. 6 enters, consider it or not, because the defending winner of the race, having snapped a chilly streak of 111 winless races final spring. Keselowski‘s 11.05 common end at Darlington, one among NASCAR‘s most notoriously tough tracks, is the sixth-best … ever. Naturally, he enters Sunday amid one more drought, with that victory standing as his lone win since 2021.
This isn’t to say that I‘m calling Kes‘ shot for him and predicting {that a} driver who hasn‘t sniffed a strong run will, out-of-nowhere, win one of many sport‘s hardest races (although I certain wouldn‘t rule it out), however extra in order that it feels just like the spot the place he‘ll flip the nook and begin placing the items collectively, with extra robust tracks forward for him.
After Darlington, the collection heads to Bristol Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, the place Keselowski‘s win rely between the 2 is sort of in double-digits at 9 whole. This stretch mirrors the a part of final season when he hit his stride, with a P3 at Bristol and runner-up at Talladega (and Texas! after which Charlotte!) hopping on alongside his Darlington win.
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Historical past means that veteran drivers usually discover methods to shine at this level within the schedule; 9 drivers have snapped winless streaks of fifty or extra races at Darlington alone, and his isn‘t fairly that lengthy this time round. Hamlin‘s win at Martinsville ended a 31-race drought of his personal and proved that even of their 40s, NASCAR‘s elder statesmen can nonetheless ship when it issues most. The query now could be whether or not he can comply with Hamlin‘s lead.
Everybody is aware of that Father Time is undefeated in the long term — however that doesn‘t imply he can‘t be scored upon, and we simply noticed Hamlin put factors on the board.
They every know he‘ll come for them finally, however Keselowski could also be poised to remind everybody that generally, simply generally, Father Time could be made to attend just a bit longer.
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As NASCAR‘s oldest superspeedway gears up for Throwback Weekend, chaos, redemption and unpredictable finishes await on the “Girl in Black,” the place 9 totally different winners in 9 races have confirmed no driver can absolutely corral the observe “Too Robust to Tame.”
Few tracks embody the spirit of NASCAR fairly like Darlington Raceway.
This historic venue has been the stage for a few of NASCAR‘s most memorable moments, spanning many years of racing down in South Carolina at what was as soon as thought-about a behemoth by track-size requirements.
Because the Cup Sequence heads to Darlington for the eighth race of the 2025 season, the Goodyear 400 looks like a slam dunk to ship one more dramatic chapter within the observe‘s storied legacy after a roaring begin to the 12 months and the observe‘s twice-annual diploma of unpredictability set to ratchet up the stakes even additional into the spring.
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The numbers behind Darlington‘s chaos are staggering. In 4 of the final 5 races, the motive force who led essentially the most laps completed twenty fifth or worse, a pattern that illustrates how rapidly fortunes can change at this egg-shaped oval. Even stage winners have struggled to transform their dominance into victories; eight of the 12 stage winners within the Subsequent Gen period have additionally completed exterior the highest 25. Final 12 months‘s Southern 500 featured 26 lead modifications, essentially the most at Darlington since 2008, and it‘s not too tough to see that pattern persevering with.
Including to Darlington‘s mystique is its knack for snapping winless streaks. 9 drivers have damaged droughts of fifty or extra races at this observe, together with each winners final 12 months — Keselowski as talked about above, but in addition regular-season finale winner Chase Briscoe. Darlington gives an opportunity for any driver who stumbled out of the gate however is prepared to get their elbows soiled to reset their season and capitalize on a historical past of delivering redemption. Kyle Busch, enduring his career-long winless streak of 64 races, clearly, involves thoughts instantly right here.
All that mentioned, the observe does nonetheless appear to favor the game‘s superstars, and it‘ll be arduous to prime, for starters, Martinsville winner Hamlin, the motive force to beat at Darlington. No. 11 has ridden to 4 Victory Lane dances with “The Girl,” compiling an all-time finest 8.2 common end there.
As NASCAR celebrates its historical past with retro paint schemes this weekend, it looks like a weekend forward the place extra historical past can be made. Whether or not it‘s one other first-time winner or a veteran snapping a protracted drought, drama will certainly be delivered.
vehicles sit in darlington storage
3. Throwback: Brad Keselowski on ‘freakin’ superior’ Darlington skid-snapper
Brad Keselowski shares his pleasure after successful the Goodyear 400 and talks concerning the battle between Tyler Reddick and Chris Buescher.
4. Denny doesn’t make his crew chiefs wait lengthy
The honeymoon stage is usually a fruitful one for Denny Hamlin and his crew chiefs, at any time when a brand new one has been put in. He’s by no means not received in his first season with a brand new shot caller, and, most of the time, wins virtually instantly. (Credit score: Racing Insights)
CrewChief
Begins
Wins
Race No. of first win
Chris Gabehart
209
22
2
Mike Ford
223
17
21
Darian Grubb
97
7
2
Mike Wheeler
112
5
7
Dave Rogers
36
2
6
Sam McAulay
8
2
5
Chris Gayle
7
1
7
5. Catch the pack — information and notes from across the storage
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vehicles race at darlington
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media
