CONCORD, N.C. - When you tune into the NASCAR Cup Series main event this Sunday, be prepared to take a look back in time as the competitors dawn historic paint schemes from years past for the annual throwback race at Darlington Raceway.
The No. 17 HendrickCars.com team in the NASCAR Xfinity Series will be on track this weekend at the venue "Too Tough to Tame." William Byron will be behind the wheel with Brandon McSwain atop the pit box for the second of four races this season. In March, the No. 17 entry won its last start at Circuit of The Americas.
RELATED: No. 17 team returns with Byron at Darlington
There is no other track quite like Darlington. The track has held Cup Series racing since 1950. At 1.366 miles in length, the track's unique design provides two completely different sets of corners. The longer sweeping turns one and two provide a completely different entry than the much sharper and narrower turns three and four. Combine that with an abrasive racing surface that wears out tires quickly and you're left with a track that challenges drivers at every moment.
Rick Hendrick's team has a series-best 16 Cup Series wins at Darlington. Tim Richmond earned the first win at the track for the squad in 1986 and is joined by Ricky Rudd, Terry Labonte, Mark Martin, Byron and Kyle Larson as drivers to have one win at Darlington for Hendrick Motorsports. Jimmie Johnson is one of two drivers in team history to win more than once at the facility, earning three victories there in his career. Vice chairman Jeff Gordon leads the team with seven triumphs.
RELATED: See the paint schemes for throwback weekend
In last season's throwback race, Byron and the No. 24 team broke throw to win after taking the lead on a late-race restart. The victory was the 100th Cup Series win for the iconic No. 24 Chevrolet. While the Charlotte, North Carolina, native only led seven laps on the day, finishes of second and fourth in the first two stages added to an incredible points day for the group. Chase Elliott was able to take advantage of a rash of late-race incidents to finish third. Larson came home 20th after late-race contact with Ross Chastain knocked the No. 5 entry down the running order. Josh Berry, filling in for the injured Alex Bowman, suffered right-side damage early after hitting the wall. The driver of the No. 48 entry would ultimately finish 30th.
For the first time since 2004, Hendrick Motorsports went on to sweep the Darlington races in 2023, with Larson emerging triumphant in the playoff event. This also marked the 500th national series win for the Hendrick Motorsports engine department.
KEY NUMBERS TO KNOW FOR DARLINGTON
Data provided by Racing Insights
Larson, No. 5 team
Larson, the most recent winner at Darlington, has to have this weekend circled on his calendar. With six stage wins and 634 laps led in 2024, the No. 5's run of performance has put the group at the top of the regular season standings. Across 12 starts at Darlington, Larson's average finish of 9.42 is the third-best all-time (and second among active drivers) who've made at least two starts.
Elliott, No. 9 team
Elliott and the No. 9 team are sitting third in the regular season points standings. With a 9.70 average finish, the group has found their 2022 form once again and can be seen contending for wins every week. This season, Elliott has run 959 laps inside the top five, the fourth-most of any driver in the Cup Series.
Byron, No. 24 team
As the defending champion of the spring race at Darlington, Byron should have plenty of confidence entering the weekend. With three victories already on the season, the No. 24 team has been excellent, highlighted by a 13.00 average finish (fourth-best in the Cup Series) and seven top-10 finishes (tied for the most in the series).
Bowman, No. 48 team
Bowman's track-best result of second came in the sport's return to racing in 2020 following a nearly two-month break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The No. 48 Ally Racing team has been strong this season, with three straight top-10 finishes and the fifth-best average finish at 13.08.
Hendrick Motorsports
In the last eight races, at least one Hendrick Motorsports driver has finished inside the top five. This is the longest active streak by any team in the Cup Series. Additionally, in seven of those eight races, at least two of its drivers have finished in the top five.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Hendrick Motorsports' 200th Cup Series win as an organization came at Darlington in 2012 with Johnson behind the wheel.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AND TV COVERAGE
Saturday, May 11
10:35 a.m. ET: Practice - FS1 (Cup)
11:20 a.m. ET: Qualifying - FS1 (Cup)
Byron and Bowman will be in Group A, while Elliott and Larson will be in Group B.
1:30 p.m. ET: Xfinity Series race - FS1
Sunday, May 12
3 p.m. ET: Cup Series race - FS1
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STAGE LENGTHS
Xfinity Series race
Stage 1: Lap 45
Stage 2: Lap 90
End of Race: Lap 147
Cup Series race
Stage 1: Lap 90
Stage 2: Lap 185
End of Race: Lap 293
WILL THE RACE BE ON THE RADIO?
Yes, listeners can find both events on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
WHERE CAN I STREAM THE BROADCAST?
Fans can watch all the action with the FOX Sports Live app. For live updates and additional content during the race, head over to X and follow @TeamHendrick for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
HOW CAN I FIND FS1?
The channel number may vary depending on the location. Use this link to enter your zip code and select your television provider for assistance in finding what channel number FS1 is on your provider.