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Cup Series Notebook... watch for updates all week long
Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC (1.366-mile tri-oval)

  • Final Practice: Friday, May 12 (Speed at 7:30 p.m. AT, 6:30 p.m. ET)
  • Bud Pole Qualifying: Friday, May 12 (Speed at 4:30 p.m. AT, 3:30 p.m. ET)
  • Race: Saturday, May 13 (FOX at 7:30 p.m. AT, 6:30 p.m. ET)

    Event #: 11 of 36
    Race Distance: 367 laps, 501.322 miles
    Length of Front Stretch: 1,229 Feet
    Length of Back Stretch: 1,229 Feet
    Degree of Banking in Corners: 1-2 = 25°/ 3-4 = 23°
    Degree of Banking on Straights: 2°
    Last year’s event pole winner: Kasey Kahne 170.024 mph 5-6-05 28.923 seconds
    Last year’s event winner: Greg Biffle 123.031 mph 5-7-05 4 hrs, 06 min, 29 sec
    Track qualifying record: Ward Burton 173.797 mph 3-22-96 28.295 seconds
    Track record (500-mile): Dale Earnhardt 139.958 mph 3-28-93 3 hrs, 34 min, 55 sec

  • Darlington Nuggets here
  • Leaderboard, Manufacturer & Rookie Standings Through 9 of 36 Races here
  • Practice Results - click here
  • Qualifying Order - click here
  • Qualifying Results - click here
  • Starting Lineup - click here
  • Race Results (unofficial) here
  • Point Standings (post-race, unofficial) here Biffle Makes It Two in a Row at Darlington

    DARLINGTON, S. C. (2006 May 13)-- Greg Biffle shook the 2006 "monkey" off his back Saturday night at NASCAR's toughest old race track.

    The Jack Roush driver held off a hard-charging Jeff Gordon to win the Dodge Charger 500 in a Ford.

    After suffering an unbelievable string of bad luck in a majority of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season's races prior to Darlington, Biffle stayed up on the wheel throughout the gruelling, 367-lap event to move his National Guard team back in contention for the championship. Click here for the rest of the story.

    Visit Victory Lane - click here

    Post-Race Notes
    • Greg Biffle won the 2006 Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway, scoring his 10th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in his 125th career start. Biffle’s last victory came at Homestead in November 2005, 11 races ago.
    • All 10 of Biffle’s victories have come on a superspeedway, including two at Darlington.
    • Biffle’s first superspeedway victory came at Daytona in July 2003.
    • Biffle became the eighth different race winner in 2006.
    • Two races ago Biffle was 232 points behind 10th. With his victory, Biffle climbed from 20th to 14th in points gaining six positions and is just 106 behind 10th-place Jeff Burton. After 11 races in 2005, he ranked second in the point standings.
    • Biffle won this race one year ago. This was the 17th time by 13 different drivers that back-to-back victories have been scored at Darlington.
    • Biffle scored his fourth top-10 finish in 11 races this season.
    • Biffle moved to 50th on NASCAR’s all-time winners list tied with Donnie Allison and Sterling Marlin.
    • Biffle led seven times for 170 laps including the final 49 laps.
    • This is the fourth time in 2006 and the 10th time in his career that Biffle led the most laps in a race. He won the first five races in which he led the most laps. Biffle led the most laps at California, Atlanta and Phoenix this year and finished 15th or worse in all three races.
    • Biffle has won a race each season 2003-2006, four consecutive years.
    • This was team owner Jack Roush’s 91st NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory. Roush has scored five NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victories at Darlington Raceway.
    • Jack Roush Racing has won at least one race each season 1997-2006, 10 consecutive years.
    • Jeff Gordon (second) scored his fifth top-10 finish in 2006. It was his 17th top-10 finish in 26 races at Darlington Raceway. Gordon climbed from ninth to sixth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings.
    • Matt Kenseth (third) scored his seventh top-10 finish in 2006. It was his best finish and fourth top-10 finish in 12 races at Darlington. Kenseth remained third in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings, just one point behind second-place Tony Stewart.
    • Jimmie Johnson (fourth) scored his eighth top-10 finish in 2006. It was his in seventh top-10 finish in eight races at Darlington Raceway. He remained first in the point standings. One year ago he ranked first after 11 races.
    • Dale Earnhardt Jr. (fifth) scored his fifth top-10 finish in 2006. It was his fifth top-10 in 12 races at Darlington Raceway. He climbed from sixth to fifth in the point standings. One year ago he ranked 11th after 11 races.
    • Three 2006 Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contenders finished in the top-10 (Hamlin-10th, Sorensen-11th and Truex-14th). This marked the third time this season that three rookies have finished in the top 10.
    • At least one of the Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contenders has scored a top-15 finish in all 11 races this season.
    • Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year contender Denny Hamlin (10th) posted his fourth top-10 finish in 2006.
    Qualifying Notes
    • Kasey Kahne won the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Bud Pole for the Dodge Charger 500, lapping Darlington Raceway in 29.096 seconds at 169.013 mph. Ward Burton holds the track-qualifying record of 28.295 seconds, 173.797 mph - set March 22, 1996.
    • Kahne is now three-for-three in qualifying at Darlington, winning the Bud Pole in all three of his qualifying session here. He started 13th in 2004 when qualifying was canceled.
    • This is Kahne’s ninth career Bud Pole in 83 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races.
    • This is his third Bud Pole and seventh top-10 start in 2006.
    • Ryan Newman posted the second-quickest qualifying lap of 29.238 seconds, 168.192 mph – and will join Kahne on the front row for the Dodge Charger 500. This is Newman’s fourth top-10 start in 2006 and ties Atlanta for his season-best. This is his seventh top-10 start in eight Darlington races. It is his third second-place start here. He also has one Bud Pole and one third-place start in those eight races.
    • This is the fourth Bud Pole for Dodge in 2006. Chevrolet and Ford each have three. Qualifying was canceled at Bristol.
    • The last all-Dodge front-row was Atlanta this past March, was also Kahne (first) and Newman (second).
    • Clint Bowyer (third) posted his career-best start and is competing in his career-first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Darlington. This is his second top-10 start this season – both in the past four races.
    • David Stremme (fourth) also posted his career-first top-10 start. It is his first start better than 17th in his 15 career races.
    • Denny Hamlin (fifth) became the third rookie candidate to post a top-10 start. It is his sixth top-10 start this season and comes in his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Darlington.
    • This is the second time this season that three rookies qualified in the top-10. Texas had J.J. Yeley (second), Hamlin (eighth) and Martin Truex Jr. (ninth).
    • Terry Labonte (43rd) used a past champion’s provisional to make the race for the third time this season.
    • Four drivers failed to qualify for the Dodge Charger 500: Chad Chaffin, Kenny Wallace, Carl Long and Chad Blount.
    Who's Hot Heading to Darlington
    • Jimmie Johnson has won three races in 2006, more than any other driver.
    • Tony Stewart is the only driver to score six top-five finishes in 10 races this season.
    • Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson are the only drivers to score seven top-10 finishes in the first 10 races in 2006.
    • Tony Stewart is the only driver to score top-10 finishes in the last five races. All of his finishes in those races were sixth or better.
    • Kevin Harvick has scored all five of his 2006 top-10 finishes in the last six races.
    • Carl Edwards has scored three straight top-10 finishes.
    • Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson have each scored top-15 finishes in nine of the 10 races in 2006.
    • Tony Stewart is the only driver to lead at least one lap in nine of the 10 races this season.
    • Matt Kenseth ranks third in the point standings at Richmond. After 10 races one year ago, he ranked 24th.
    • Tony Stewart has moved from 22nd to second in the point standings since Race No. 2 at California.
    • Kevin Harvick has moved from 23rd to fifth in the point standings in the last six races.
    • Jeff Burton has climbed from 21st to 12th in the point standings since Martinsville and is just 11 points behind 10th-place Casey Mears.
    Pre-Race Notes & Quotes

    Jeff Green, No. 66 Best Buy Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet In 10 Nextel Cup Series starts at Darlington, Jeff Green’s best starting spot came in March, 2002, when he qualified ninth in a Richard Childress Racing entry. Green’s best finish came later that year, when he finished 12th in the Labor Day weekend race on Sept. 1, 2002, also in a Childress entry.

    Kyle Busch, No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet Saturday evening's NEXTEL Cup event at Darlington will mark the first appearance of the 2006 CARQUEST Auto Parts paint scheme on the No. 5 Chevrolet of driver Kyle Busch. The CARQUEST design will also make appearances at both Pocono Raceway events, Chicagoland Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. One year ago, then-rookie Kyle Busch and his Kellogg's Racing team ranked 27th in the NEXTEL Cup championship standings after 10 of 36 events. Going into the 11th race of the 2006 season, the sophomore team, led by second-year crew chief Alan Gustafson, is a solid eighth in points with Saturday's event at Darlington looming. Busch has held a top-10 position since Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the third race of the season.

    Tony Stewart, No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet "I could probably run backward and run about the same as I do going forward (at Darlington). That's how close I feel like I am to figuring out Darlington. We've run decent at Darlington. I mean, I've run in the top-five there before, but every time I think I have something figured out, I normally whack the wall and go, 'Oh boy, I really did figure it out, didn't I?' I don't know that I'll ever feel like I've got Darlington totally figured out. It's a driver's track. As a race team we've kind of struggled there. I don't really believe we've had a race there where I felt like we had the car to beat or that we were a top-three car. Typically, we're a 10th place car there. It's a place where we need to be better. It's one of those tracks where if you're not having a good day, it makes you miserable. But that's what makes Darlington fun if you do get around there well. It's hard to be good there, and the guys who are good - it's a fun day for them. Hopefully we can get ourselves in a position where we can get our balance a little better there and keep working toward being a top-five car instead of just a top-10 car. But at the same time, there are a lot of teams that aren't at the level that we are at Darlington. It's just one of those deals where the only way you're going to find a way to make yourself better is to go there and just do your homework. It takes a lot to get around that place consistently and fast all day. It's just a tough place to get around well, and there's a group of guys that get around there well every time we go there. It's like we're right on the verge of being one of those guys. We just need to find a little something that can help us get into that elite group." Stewart's best finish at Darlington is fourth (twice - Spring 2000 and Fall 2001). Stewart has two top-fives and seven top-10s in his 13 career starts at Darlington, with the most recent one being a 10th place effort in last year's race. Stewart had never led a lap at Darlington until the 2002 spring race, where he led a total of seven laps before a spinning Buckshot Jones collected Stewart coming off turn two on lap 226. Stewart was then T-boned by the Dodge of Jimmy Spencer, a hit that sent Stewart to the hospital for overnight observation. The 2002 spring race was the only Darlington race where Stewart posted a DNF (Did Not Finish).

    Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet The key, according to six-time Darlington Raceway winner Jeff Gordon, to running well at the tight, egg-shaped track? “Run close to – but not into – the wall.” Along with those six wins, Gordon has three poles, 13 top-fives, 16 top-10's and has led 1,553 laps in 25 starts at the track “Too Tough To Tame.” He is the active leader in wins – twice as many as his nearest competitor – and laps led, but the four-time NASCAR Cup champion knows past success does not guarantee “The Lady in Black” will go easy on him in this Saturday night’s Dodge Charger 500. “The second you let your guard down here, this place will bite you,” said Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet. “I always look forward to Darlington races. It’s one of my favorite tracks, and probably always will be. “Racing here is very mentally draining. Unless it's hot, it's not a real physical race track. You can't run fast enough and hard enough to really push yourself and your body. “The tires wear out quick, so it requires a lot more finesse and patience than we use at most tracks we go to. You just have to be careful not to push too hard because the car is slipping and sliding at all times. We run so close to the wall every single lap that one slip could ruin your night. “It’s all about staying out of the wall.” The addition of lights in 2004 at Darlington may have changed the track conditions and the chassis setups, but the layout remains treacherous. "Racing at night has changed it some,” said Gordon. “The track is so slick during the day. The conditions at night definitely suit it better. “At night, it's a little bit faster with a little bit more grip. The only thing that's really changed at Darlington is our setups and the amount of downforce we’re able to generate. We have the cars working a lot better. “Other than that, it's just the same old Darlington." Gordon, who currently sits ninth in the point standings, finished second in this race one year ago to move up to second in the points standings. Only 16 races later, he was 11th in the standings and on the outside looking in as the “Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup” began. “Sure, I’d like to be closer to the lead right now, but last year showed that doesn’t guarantee you a spot in the Chase,” Gordon said. “Last year, I think Tony (Stewart) proved that you need to peak at the right time. I think it was summer before that team really hit their stride, and they carried that to the championship. “We made a lot of changes during the offseason, and I think we’re constantly learning and improving. Every weekend, we’re gradually getting better and getting closer. “We’ll have some hiccups along the way, like we did last week at Richmond when we suffered electrical problems. But we need to limit those during the upcoming stretch to safely position ourselves in the top 10. “We’re fully aware that the championship isn’t won over the summer months, but it can be lost.”

    Dave Blaney, No. 22 Caterpillar Dodge Blaney has made nine starts on the 1.366-mile South Carolina track, starting as high as 10th (2003) and finishing as high as third (2003). The veteran driver also has four Darlington NASCAR Busch Series starts under his belt. One of his two top-10 finishes in the Busch Series there was a runner-up effort in 1999.

    Kevin Harvick, No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Kevin Harvick has nine Cup starts at Darlington Raceway. Of those nine starts, he has compiled a record of two top-five and four top-10 finishes, one DNF, and winnings totaling $912,098. Laps Led/Laps Complete...Kevin Harvick has completed 2813 of 3010 laps (93.5 %) in nine Cup starts at Darlington Raceway. Of those 2813 laps complete, he has led 14 laps. Avg. Start/ Avg. Finish...Kevin Harvick’s average starting position at Darlington Raceway is 17.0 with his best qualifying effort coming in 2001 when he started in the third position. Harvick’s average finishing position is 17.4 with his best finish coming in 2003 when he finished second.

    Michael Waltrip, No. 55 NAPA Dodge NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip will attempt to make his 41st start at Darlington Raceway. That places him fourth among full-time active drivers with starts at the “Track too tough to Tame”. Kyle Petty leads all full-time active drivers with 48 starts. Waltrip has one NASCAR Busch Series victory at Darlington Raceway. He got it back on September 5, 1992, driving the No. 30 Pennzoil Pontiac for Chuck Rider, and won a little under $18,000. The NAPA team will run chassis number 96 under the lights at Darlington on Saturday night. This car was run in Las Vegas, NV, and Bristol, Tenn., earlier in the year, and finished 35th and 32nd, respectively. Waltrip will throw out the first pitch at a Major League Baseball game on Wednesday, May 10, 2006, before the Florida Marlins take on the Atlanta Braves at Dolphin Stadium. Live coverage of the game starts at 7:05 PM EDT on FSN. The last time Waltrip missed a NASCAR Cup race was in 1998 at Phoenix International Raceway? He has missed only that one race in his last 571 starts.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet
    Can you put Saturday night’s career win No. 17 in perspective? “Anytime you win it’s special, and each win has its own special significance, at least it does to me. Like, last year the Chicago win was more of a statement that even in bad times we could be competitive and win a race. But Saturday night kind of proved we’re regaining our old form. This was my first win since having (crew chief and cousin) Tony Eury Jr. back, so that was pretty cool. It was a lot of fun celebrating in Victory Lane with the team. Tony Jr. has done a great job putting together a team that will get us back in the Chase. I’ve felt all along that we’re heading in the right direction, and I’ve been saying it all year. But to be taken seriously, we needed to win, and we did that Saturday night.”
    How much do you concern yourself with the points race each week? “I look at it every week. We’re right in the middle of the pack in terms of teams eligible for the chase right now (Dale Jr. is sixth in points; 12 drivers are within the 400-point eligibility window). It’s still way too early to get comfortable. You have to keep your eye on some of these guys behind you, because they are very capable of being in the top-10 and in fact probably should be in the top-10. You know guys like Greg Biffle and Elliott Sadler are going to make serious runs before this thing winds down. But I’m confident we’ll keep up what we’ve been doing. If we start to slip through the standings I got confidence in Tony Jr. to make the right decisions within the walls of the shop, within the components of that race car to do what it takes to put us in position to win to get to where we need to be.”
    What are your thoughts on Saturday night races instead of Sundays? "I really enjoy running on Saturday nights. Aside from the cooler temperatures and extra grip, you also have Sunday off and are able to plan something with your family and friends. You don't have that many chances throughout the season to do that. So we always try to make Sunday a big day back home. But I like the shorter weekend. It's easier on the teams and on the guys traveling -- especially through the stretches of the races we're running. The guys will have a chance to be around their families on Sundays. Mr. (Mike) Helton said he likes the mix that we have and there is sort of a tradition of racing on Sundays, which I agree. It's nice to go on prime time on Saturday nights on television for the audience. I can imagine there is a different feeling when you're watching a race on Saturday night at home than there is on Sunday. Sunday is sort of a lazy day for everybody. Saturday night is sort of wound up. Everybody is having a good time in the middle of the weekend. That's the way the feeling is on the race track too."
    Do you look forward to Darlington? “It’s difficult to look forward to it. It’s been a tough track for me, and it’s really hard to race on due to the way it wears the tires out. It’s a good thing they started running it at night. That’s a little bit easier on the tires, and it does add a little more grip to the surface, because that’s what everybody is always looking for. But I haven’t had a lot of success there. It’d be great to get us a win there, because any time you win at Darlington, you’ve really put in a good hard day’s work. We’ve had some pretty good cars there, not really any great, great finishes, but we’ve had some pretty decent runs there. Every time I go back, I feel like I’m a little bit closer to that opportunity to win there.”
  • Dale Jr. moved to 38th on NASCAR’s all-time winner’s list, tied with Jeff Burton, Marvin Panch and Curtis Turner. He is tied for 22nd in NASCAR’s “modern era” wins list.
  • Dale Jr. has won at least one race in each of his seven seasons as a NASCAR Nextel Cup driver (2000-06).
  • Four of Dale Jr.’s 17 career victories have come on short tracks (three at Richmond, one at Bristol).
  • Saturday’s win marked the fifth time Dale Jr. has won at night and first time since the Aug. 28, 2004, Sharpie 500 at Bristol.

    Jamie McMurray, No. 26 Crown Royal Ford “Racing at Darlington is always fun and intense. You always run close to the wall and hope you don’t take that extra inch and run too close to it. I’ve had some good finishes there so I always look forward to going back. The track is abrasive and fast – you’ll need good pit stops, speed and a good-handling race car to prevail at Darlington.” In his five Cup starts at the Darlington Raceway, Jamie McMurray has two top-five’s and three top-ten finishes. McMurray will be racing chassis number RK-227 this weekend, which was tested in Las Vegas earlier this year. McMurray has led laps in three out of his five Cup starts at the Darlington Raceway.

    IMPORTANT: All information, schedules and/or scheduled events is/are subject to change without notice. Please check with the source to confirm.

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