Parks Pit Report: Bojangles’ Southern 500

For those of you that have read this column since its debut back in 2009, I have said time and time again the one track that I look forward to every year.  The first year of this weekly piece, I was actually at the track.

I make no bones about it, my favorite track on the entire circuit is Darlington.  But after seeing the events on Sunday night, and all through the weekend, I am absolutely in love with this place.

For the first time since 2003, NASCAR gave Darlington back its traditional race weekend, which is the Labor Day weekend.

In honor of the return to tradition, NASCAR decided to go retro the entire weekend.  It started with Goodyear honoring its past, with the old white-lettered tires for use for all races and practices.  Then the teams got involved by revealing a lot of classic and retro paint schemes, honoring sponsors, drivers, and teams.  Drivers like Brad Keselowski ran a classic scheme to honor NASCAR legend Bobby Allison, who ran a Miller-sponsored car in 1983 that he ran to victory at Darlington.  Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 had a number and design much like that of another famous driver of the No. 11, Cale Yarborough.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. honored a major friend to his family, specifically his father, Neil Bonnett, who passed away in 1994.  His No. 88 Chevy was sponsored by Valvoline, but carried a scheme that brought back memories of when Bonnett drove the car.

Kasey Kahne’s No. 5 had the original look of the first car that Rick Hendrick owned in NASCAR, and then there was the famed No. 43 of Aric Almirola.  His car carried the STP sponsorship, honoring his team owner and NASCAR icon “The King” Richard Petty, while also utilizing the original STP paint scheme from back in 1992.

NBC even did their part with classic video themes, logo, and the announcers got in the theme by wearing some rather fashionable attire, although it seemed that many couches were sacrificed to make the outfits.

But, to add some icing to the top of the cake, NBC brought in former driver and analyst, Ned Jarrett, along with his son, 1999 Cup champion Dale, and iconic NASCAR announcer Ken Squier, who’s famous line “And there’s a fight” at the 1979 Daytona 500 set the course for media in the sport still are heard loud and proud, to call part of the action.  The three of them would stay in the booth for over an hour, bringing back the classic sounds of the sport to the fans that never go the opportunity to hear them call races back in the heyday of the sport.

In every aspect for NASCAR, from the retro theme to the race package used, it was everything that it was expected to be, if not more.  Many didn’t even want the weekend to end, because it was a shot in the arm for a sport that needed something special this season.

You could not wipe the smile off my face the entire time I watched this race; everything was just so right.  NASCAR, and specifically Darlington, well done.

RESULTS:  1-Edwards  2-Keselowski  3-Hamlin  4-Logano  5-Harvick  6-Kurt Busch  7-Kyle Busch  8-Earnhardt Jr.  9-Truex Jr.  10-Larson

NOTABLE FINISHES:  16-Gordon  19-Johnson  21-Kenseth

CAUTIONS:  18 for 89 laps.  8-13 (#25, 34 And 35 Accident-BS); 46-50 (#31 Accident-T4); 62-65 (Debris-FS); 110-114 (#46 Accident-T2); 121-124 (#33 Accident-T4); 126-132 (#26, 33 And 46 Accident-BS); 134-138 (#22 And 48 Accident-T4); 166-169 (#6 Accident-BS); 190-194 (#10 Accident-T4); 199-202 (#17 Accident-T4); 208-211 (#16 Accident-T2); 229-237 (#25 Accident-T1); 247-251 (#6 Accident-T3); 266-269 (#55 Accident-T4); 279-282 (#55 And 27 Accident-FS); 301-305 (Debris-FS); 308-312 (#41 And #78 Accident-T4); 356-359 (#23 Spin-T1).

LEAD CHANGES:  24 among 11 drivers.  Keselowski 1-62, Edwards 63-65, Kahne 66-67, Hamlin 68-109, Harvick 110, Hamlin 111-117, Keselowski 118-137, Harvick 138-139, Keselowski 140-193, Ku. Busch 194, Keselowski 195-202, Ku. Busch 203-208, Larson 209-211, Stewart 212-221, Hamlin 222-229, Harvick 230-247, Logano 248-266, Ky. Busch 267-269, Logano 270-279, Harvick 280-302, Gilliland 303, Keselowski 304-344, Edwards 345, Keselowski 346-356, Edwards 357-367.

TIME OF RACE:  4 hrs, 28 mins, 35 secs.

AVERAGE SPEED:  111.993 MPH

MARGIN OF VICTORY:  0.902 Seconds

CHASE GRID:  1. Johnson-817 (points), 4 (wins); 2. Kyle Busch-471, 4; 3. Logano-906, 3; 4. Kenseth-776, 3; 5. Harvick-948, 2; 6. Earnhardt Jr-855, 2; 7. Kurt Busch-752, 2; 8. Edwards-713, 2; 9. Keselowski-837, 1; 10. Truex Jr-806-1; 11. Hamlin-754, 1; 12. McMurray, -222 (from 1st); 13. Newman, -234; 14. Gordon, -248; 15. Menard, -256; 16. Bowyer, -266.