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2024 NASCAR Cup Series Race Twenty-Six Darlington

Cars in field: 37
Pole: Bubba Wallace (23)
Outside Pole: Carson Hocevar (77)
Stages: 115-115-137
Weather: Sunny, 92°F, Feels like (sun) 95°, Feels like (shade) 93°, Wind SW 6 mph, Wind Gusts 12 mph!–more–>

MRN reports Daniel Suarez (99) has crew members working around his car instead of participating in the pace/warm-up laps. Alex Hayden initially said the car wouldn’t start, then changed it to the car being surrounded by crew members.

Darrell ‘Bubba’ Wallace (23) gets the early lead.

On lap 2 of 367 television is bored already and using the idiot shots.

Caution on lap 2 of 367 for a crash involving Martin ‘MTJ’ Truex Jr (19) and Ryan Blaney (12). Truex got loose racing beside William ‘WilliB’ Byron (24) and made contact with WilliB then turned toward the wall trying to gather the car up, collecting Ryan Blaney who was running along the wall.

Blaney’s (12) car is on the hook.

Truex’s (19) car is sitting on the jack on pit road on lap 4 of 367. One of the crew members punched the side of the car in frustration. James Small instructed MTJ to shut off the car. They have massive rear end damage including brake damage. MRN calls it terminal damage. They say at this moment, with Bubba leading, MTJ is out of the playoffs. That could change as the event goes on.

Restarting on lap 9 of 367 with Bubba Wallace (23) and Kyle Larson (5) up front.

Bubba gets the early lead.

Bubba’s teammate Tyler ‘TyRed’ Reddick (45) takes second from Larson.

Blaney said he thought MTJ was going to spin to the bottom, but his rear tires hooked up and sent him up into Blaney. MRN said MTJ walked by and apologized to Blaney during the radio interview.

Martin said he knows this is one of the longest races of the year and it was a dumb move on [his] part. He said, “The car just slid more than I expected. Usually with new tires it hooks up more. It just slid on me and I got into the back of the 24. It’s inexcusable for lap one. I know better. This is miserable. I feel terrible for them, they deserve better. It’s just a mistake”.

Green flag pit stops underway on lap 34 of 367.

TV is showing someone tagging the wall and depositing debris. Of course with the camera shot being awful and the next shot from the windscreen I have no idea which driver. Now we’re getting a shot of the track surface and the wheels and door of the 38 car.

MRN reports we’re going to see the cars on pit road 8 – 12 times and Cliff Daniels and the 5 team got Kyle Larson from third to the lead on pit road with a really fast pitstop.

MRN’s Dave ‘Godfather’ Moody said he saw more people lined up at the entrance gate near him than he thinks he’s ever seen at Darlington. He also said when the sun goes behind the clouds it’s not that hot there.

Larson is more than two seconds ahead of second place Bubba Wallace on lap 54 of 367.

MRN reports at 1844 eastern that the track lights have come on though they’re not needed yet.

On lap 60 of 367 Larson is 4.204 seconds ahead of second place Bubba Wallace.

The television broadcast is pretty much unwatchable and nothing much seems to be happening with Larson leading by more than three seconds on lap 108 of 367 so I’m checking what else is on television.

Kyle Larson (5) cruises to the stage one win 1.98 seconds ahead of Bubba Wallace (23).

MRN’s Steve ‘Postman/Postie’ Post says Tyler ‘TyRed’ Reddick (45) is having stomach issues and has asked the team to give him some crackers or white bread or something. Reddick is racing for the regular season championship.

Restarting on lap 122 of 367 with Larson and Bubba on the front row.

NASCAR digital reports the team handed Reddick medicine, but he says he dropped the pills and didn’t take any of them.

Green flag pit stops are underway on lap 149 of 367.

The crew gave Reddick (45) more medicine on his stop.

Green flag pit stops are underway on lap 184 of 367.

Kyle Larson wins stage two by 1.058 after leading, at times, by more than seven seconds.

Restarting on lap 237 of 367 with Kyle Larson (5) and Chase Briscoe (14) on the front row. Second place ‘Desperate’ Denny Hamlin lines up behind leader Briscoe.

Larson gets the early lead.

Green flag pit stops underway on lap 268 of lap 367.

Caution on lap 313 of 367 for a spin by Carson Hocevar (77).

Restarting on lap 319 of 367 with Kyle Larson (5) ‘Desperate’ Denny Hamlin (11), Chase Briscoe (14), Josh Berry (4), and Ty ‘MyGrandfatherIsTeamOwnerJoeGibbs’ Gibbs (54) up front.

Larson gets the early lead.

Caution on lap 321 of 367 for a spin by Todd Gilliland (38). He was trying to pass Chris Buescher (17) on the inside and had to chase the car up the track, sending Buescher against the wall, and turned himself (Gilliland) off Buescher’s front bumper.

Restarting on lap 327 of 367 with Kyle Larson (5), ‘Desperate’ Denny Hamlin (11), Chase Briscoe (14), Ty Gibbs (54), Josh Berry (4), William Byron (24), Bubba Wallace (23), Tyler Reddick (45), Christopher ‘CBell’ Bell (20) and Kyle ‘KyBu’ Busch (8) up front.

Caution on lap 333 of 367 for Carson Hocevar (77) hitting the wall.

Restarting on lap 341 of 367 with Ross Chastain (1) who stayed out, followed by Kyle Larson (5), Chase Briscoe (41), Denny Hamlin (11), Ty Gibbs (54), Christopher Bell (20), Kyle Busch (8), Josh Berry (4), Austin Dillon (3), Ryan Preece (41), William Byron (24) up front.

Ross ‘WatermelonBoy’ Chastain (1) gets the early lead.

Chase Briscoe (14) takes over the lead just before the start-finish line.

Caution on lap 342 of 367 for multi-car crash including Josh Berry, Bubba Wallace, Noah Gragson (10), Austin Dillon (3), Ty Gibbs (54), Corey LaJoie (7), William Byron (24), and Daniel Suarez (99) when they went three-wide in turn one and middle car Josh Berry turned in front of the field.

Restarting on lap 350 of 367 with Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson (5), Christopher Bell (20), Ryan Preece (41), Chris Buescher (17), Brad ‘It’ Keselowski (6), Chase Elliott (9), Joey Logano (22), who stayed out, Kyle Busch (8) is the first car to pit, Ross Chastain (1), Corey LaJoie (7), Tyler Reddick (45), ‘Desperate’ Denny Hamlin (11), Austin Cindric (2), Todd Gilliland (38) up front.

Chase Briscoe gets the early lead.

Kyle ‘KyBu’ Busch (8) has moved up to second in one lap after restarting in ninth.

Unfortunately we’re no longer able to see the race. We’re stuck watching the wall, fence, and track surface and a split-screen of a driver in black at night driving a car. I hate NBC’s coverage. Finally on lap 355 of 367 they get outside the cars for about 15 seconds before going to that idiot split-screen again.

KyBu (8) continues to chase down leader Chase Briscoe (14) for the lead.

Chase Briscoe takes the white flag.

Chase Briscoe (14) holds off Kyle Busch (8) to win. This is his second Cup career win.

Tyler Reddick (45) wins the Regular Season Championship by one point over Kyle Larson (5).

Kyle Larson led 255 of 367 laps. He says they did win the Owner’s Championship, even though they didn’t win the Regular Season Championship.

MRN says they won’t get an interview with Tyler Reddick because he’s ‘under the weather’. We just finished watching his television post-race interview.

The 2024 Play-Off Drivers are:

      • Kyle Larson (5)
      • Christopher Bell (20)
      • Tyler Reddick (45)
      • William Byron (24)
      • Ryan Blaney (12)
      • Denny Hamlin (11)
      • Chase Elliott (9)
      • Brad Keselowski (6)
      • Joey Logano (22)
      • Austin Cindric (2)
      • Daniel Suárez (99)
      • Alex Bowman (48)
      • Chase Briscoe (14)
      • Harrison Burton (21)
      • Ty Gibbs (54)
      • Martin Truex Jr. (19)

At least I had something to cheer for at the end. I am disappointed with the finish. I am disappointed with the regular season championship results. It was a crap race overall. Only the last restart was worth watching. So of the 367 laps fifteen worth watching and unfortunately with the horrid NBC coverage of those laps only about five of them were watchable.

Get caught up on the latest racing news.

Motorsport News:

      1. Verstappen: Red Bull turned car into a ‘monster’.
      2. Max Verstappen demands upgrades to ‘undrivable’ Red Bull.
      3. Harrison Burton says he will be racing next season.
      4. After 8-year drought, Conor Daly’s back on an IndyCar podium in star run at Milwaukee Mile.
      5. Burton’s future clearing up: ‘I think I’ll be a race car driver next year’.
      6. Busch: Retzlaff “didn’t owe me nothing” in Daytona finish.
      7. Christopher Bell holds on to Xfinity Series victory at Darlington.
      8. Christopher Bell survives NASCAR Overtime to win Xfinity Series race at Darlington.
      9. O’Ward chides IndyCar for lack of Mexico push.
      10. Pato O’Ward says IndyCar ignored his help to land Mexico City race: ‘All my efforts have been shut down’.
      11. Pato O’Ward responds to assertions he, IndyCar aren’t popular enough to successfully hold Mexico City race.
      12. Sheldon Creed adds to top-five total, leaves Darlington ‘bummed because today was our day’.
      13. The team deserve better than what I’m delivering, says furious Lewis Hamilton.
      14. Under intense pressure to make the Playoffs, Bubba Wallace captures pole for regular season finale.
      15. Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden Sweep Poles at Milwaukee for Team Penske.
      16. O’Ward makes statement in Milwaukee Mile win.
      17. IndyCar Series at Milwaukee for Race 1 recap: Pato O’Ward picks up third win of season.
      18. Frustrations Follow Graham Rahal in Milwaukee Qualifying.
      19. Patrick Emerling scores another convincing Modified Tour victory, takes checkered as Oswego.
      20. Prock, Force, Anderson & Hall Lead The Way At Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals.
      21. Ashley, Todd, Glenn & Hall Win Final Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Of Season In Indy.
      22. Mixed Results for Silver Hare Racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
      23. Shane van Gisbergen: ‘Experience Keeps Growing’ After Darlington Top-10.
      24. IndyCar Leaders Circle and driver points heading into Milwaukee 2.
      25. ‘A gamble worth taking’: How IndyCar’s return to the Milwaukee Mile was a great first start.
      26. Ferrari Secure Front Row Lockout In Texas.
      27. DAMS Lucas Oil Score Points In Both Races At Monza.
      28. Williams boss sorry for Mick Schumacher remark.
      29. Drivers welcome additions of Mexico City, Rockingham, Lime Rock to 2025 schedule.
      30. Patrick Woods-Toth Clinches FR Americas Championship with Win in Race 2 at CTMP.
      31. Daniel Quimby Sweeps Races 1 and 2 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
      32. Podium finish for ABEL Motorsports at Milwaukee.
      33. Marquez ends three-year winless run as Bagnaia crashes out.
      34. What are ‘papaya rules’? McLaren’s team orders for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on the track.
      35. Richard Childress comments on loss of final appeal on Austin Dillon’s penalty.
      36. Magnussen due one-race ban after points penalty.
      37. Kyle Busch Addresses Parker Retzlaff Criticism After Controversy at Daytona.
      38. Mexico, Off Weeks & More: Cup Drivers React to the 2025 Schedule.
      39. Quimby completes F4 US weekend sweep at CTMP.
      40. ‘Both championships are not realistic’ anymore – Verstappen.
      41. McLaren to consider ditching ‘papaya rules’ to help Lando Norris in title fight with Max Verstappen.
      42. Palou suffers power failure to start IndyCar race.
      43. Palou’s car has no power when critical IndyCar race begins at Milwaukee.
      44. Newgarden crashes from pole in waved off start; disaster for Palou.
      45. Leclerc: Ferrari Monza win just as good 2nd time.
      46. Norris: Piastri was ‘too close for comfort’.
      47. IndyCar title flips as Alex Palou stalls before start of Sunday Milwaukee race.
      48. McLaren consider team orders to aid Norris title bid.
      49. The Milwaukee Mile will have a third year to build on an unexpectedly strong return of IndyCar.

Next Race: Atlanta

GO Hendrick 48 & 9!!!!