Saturday, May 10 Darlington Raceway Darlington, South Carolina

Kyle Busch salutes the fans after winning his first race at Darlington - and third on the '08 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

Kyle Busch Wins Dodge Challenger 500

DARLINGTON, SC (May 10, 2008) - Although he and "The Track Too Tough To Tame" exchanged blows, Kyle Busch and his No. 18 M&Ms Indiana Jones Toyota triumphed Saturday night, winning the Dodge Challenger 500 before a sellout crowd at historic Darlington Raceway.

Busch earned his third win and eighth top-10 finish of 2008. He also led seven times for a race-high 169 laps, capturing his first Darlington victory and his ninth in 125 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts. He remains the series' standings leader for the second consecutive week.

Carl Edwards finished second, followed by Jeff Gordon in third, Dale Earnhardt Jr., in fourth and David Ragan in fifth. Saturday's event was the first on Darlington's newly-paved surface, which yielded a new track-record average speed of 140.350 mph.

Busch, who led the final 64 laps, won in difficult fashion, earning multiple "Darlington stripes" along the right side of his car. The night's sixth-place starter, he also had to drive back through the field after his crew experienced early pit-road problems.

It didn't take long for the old Raceway to let the world's best drivers know who was in charge, even though a smooth, fresh coat of asphalt might be easier to navigate.


Tony Stewart (20) and Elliott Sadler got together to bring out the first caution of the race on lap two.

Elliott Sadler tried to drive underneath Tony Stewart and slid into Stewart's Chevy before two laps had been completed. Both cars suffered damage and Sadler's car was parked before the sun went down on NASCAR's second-oldest speedway.

While Earnhardt, Jr., took the early lead from pole winner Greg Biffle, former Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish, Jr., picked up a Darlington stripe on the 11th lap.

When the race resumed, Busch took the lead and headed off in the sunset. Young Busch - now the youngest Darlington winner at 23 years and eight days - threw caution to the wind as he drove away from the field. Biffle, however, hung with him and took the lead after 42 laps when Busch scraped the wall and backed off the gas.

Matt Kenseth grabbed the lead when Biffle, Busch and others pitted. Patrick Carpentier led a few laps before Busch and Biffle took over again.

The race settled into a regular Darlington rhythm at 100 laps with Busch leading the way, Biffle close behind. From this point on, it was a battle for survival, man and machine against a 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval that jumps up and bites when drivers least expect it.

Busch, at the 120-lap mark, was the bravest, leading the way, with Biffle, Earnhardt, Harvick, Gordon, Truex, Jr., Travis Kvapil and Jimmie Johnson the only others he could see in his rear view mirror.

Harvick's Chevy jumped out from under him and banged the fourth turn wall on lap 147, bringing out the fourth caution of the race.

When the race re-started, Earnhardt was back up front with Biffle close behind. Busch was shuffled back in the field after he had to make a second pit stop for a missing lug nut. He was back in 10th spot at the 170-lap mark and charging towards the front.

At lap 174, Earnhardt scraped the wall, allowing Gordon to move into third place behind race leader Biffle and second-place Truex.

At the halfway point (184 laps), it was Biffle, Truex, Gordon, Earnhardt, Hamlin, Johnson, Kvapil, Blaney, Busch and Kenseth in the top 10.


Biffle led 95 laps early in the race but ended up in the garage with engine problems.

Biffle, however, retired with engine problems after 234 laps. He finished 43rd despite leading seven times for 95 laps. Gordon led three times for 24 laps; Earnhardt four times for 35 laps.

Complete Race Results click here

Post-Race Driver Point Standings click here

NASCAR Newscast - Darlington Review click here

Post-Race News Conference Transcript click here


Jimmie Johnson heads for the garage after crashing his primary car during Friday practice; following that up with another brush with the wall in his backup car; following that up with a third-place qualifying lap...

Broadcast Times - AT*

Practice: Friday, May 9 (SPEED at 1 p.m.)

Final Practice: Friday, May 9 (SPEED at 3 p.m.)

Qualifying: Friday, May 9 (SPEED at 6 p.m.)

RaceDay: Saturday, May 10 (SPEED at 6 p.m.)

Pre-Race Show: Saturday, May 10 (FOX & TSN at 8 p.m.)

Race: Saturday, May 10 (FOX & TSN at 8:30 p.m.)

*AT is one hour ahead of ET, i.e. if it's 2 p.m./AT - it's 1 p.m./ET...

Fast Facts
The Race: Dodge Challenger 500
The Place: Darlington Raceway
The Track: 1.366-mile oval
The Distance: 501 miles/367 laps
TV: FOX & TSN, 8 p.m./AT
Radio: MRN, SIRIUS Satellite Radio
2007 Winner: Jeff Gordon
2007 Polesitter: Clint Bowyer
Pre-Race Schedule (local track time): Thursday—Practice, 4:30-5:30 p.m.; 7-8 p.m.; Friday—Practice, 12-1:30 p.m.; Final Practice, 2-3 p.m.; Qualifying, 5:15 p.m.

Year-To-Date Race Results & Driver Point Standings click here

Qualifying Results

Greg Biffle won the Coors Light Pole Award for the Dodge Challenger 500 with a lap of 27.405 seconds, 179.442 mph.

• Biffle broke Ward Burton’s track qualifying record of 28.295 seconds, 173.797 mph – set March 22, 1996, in the first qualifying session after the last re-paving of Darlington raceway. Burton’s was the longest standing qualifying record at an active, non-restrictor-plate track. The top-41 times bettered Burton’s speed.
• This is his fifth pole in 197 career NASCAR Sprint Cup races.
• This is his first pole and second top-10 start in 2008.
• This is Biffle’s first pole and sixth top-10 start in eight races at Darlington Raceway.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. (second) posted his sixth top-10 start of 2008 and his fourth in 14 Darlington races.
• Jimmie Johnson (third) posted his sixth top-10 start in 10 races at Darlington. This is his 11th top-10 start of the 2008 season.
• Dave Blaney (13th) was the fastest of the drivers required to make the field on time.
• Regan Smith (16th) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
• Drivers that did not qualify: Johnny Sauter and Jeff Green.

Starting Lineup for the Dodge Challenger 500 click here


AJ Allmendinger was fastest in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice Thursday, turning a lap at 178.679 mph, nearly five mph faster than the Darlington Raceway track record set by Ward Burton during qualifying for the 1996 spring race at the track.

Thursday First Practice Speed Chart click here Kyle Busch fastest at 175.522 mph

Thursday Second Practice Speed Chart click here AJ Allmedinger fastest at 178.679 mph

Qualifying Order click here Friday 6 p.m. on SPEED

Track Map



Related Stories

NASCAR Newscast - Darlington Preview click here

Darlington Storylines click here

Pre-Race Pit Stops

• RCR Heads Into Darlington With All Three Drivers In The Top Five...Richard Childress Racing’s trio of drivers dominate this week’s top five in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings. And, with RCR claiming eight wins at Darlington Raceway over the years, the outlook for that organization is looking up as the series travels to the track deemed “Too Tough to Tame” for the Dodge 500 this Saturday night (FOX, 7 p.m. ET). Clint Bowyer’s (No. 07 Jack Daniels Chevrolet) win at Richmond International Raceway last week moved him up from seventh to fourth in the standings. Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet), the points leader for the previous four weeks, moved down a spot to second, while Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) climbed a spot to fifth. Bowyer and Burton (Bristol) have each posted wins this year. The three have combined to tally 18 top-10 and eight top-five finishes. Team owner Richard Childress likes the chemistry the three teams are displaying. “I think it shows the consistency and teamwork we’re working with at RCR right now,” said Childress. “Everyone is trying to be the most competitive they can be and hopefully, have a run at The Chase and the championship. All three teams and all three drivers still have areas to improve on. We’re not resting on what we’ve accomplished at all but it is good knowing we have things headed in the right direction at this point in the season.”
• Kyle Busch New Points Leader; Boasts Series-Best Driver Rating...For the second time this season, Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s/Indiana Jones Toyota) sits atop the championship point standings. Busch’s second-place showing last Saturday at Richmond marked his sixth top-five finish of the season. Busch’s 109.4 Driver Rating is best among all series drivers, as is his Average Running Position of 9.0. The Driver Rating, a formula combining a number of Loop Data statistics, gives a clear description of how a driver’s season, or race, has played out. The 23-year-old has been described by many as a “throwback” driver, as his propensity to drive the wheels off of anything he can plus his competitive demeanor on the race track has propelled him to center stage at this point of the NASCAR racing season. He heads into this week end’s action with seven victories spread across all three of NASCAR’s major series —two in NASCAR Sprint Cup, three in NASCAR Nationwide Series, and two in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Following his on-track tangle with Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet) in the closing laps of Saturday’s race at Richmond, Busch matter-of-factly said “it was just, good hard racing.” "I mean, if I went out there on that final restart and just gave way to the No. 88 (Earnhardt Jr.), then that wouldn't be a true race car driver," Busch said. "So, you know, I had to do what I had to do to win for my team, to win for (my sponsors). You know, unfortunately circumstances happened."
• Darlington Raceway Features Repave And Other Improvements...Darlington Raceway, a.k.a. the track “Too Tough to Tame,” has undergone a $10 million facelift, the largest one-time investment in the storied 50-year history of the 1.366-mile raceway. Among the enhancements include: a new racing surface; addition of SAFER barrier walls to the interior frontstretch and backstretch concrete walls and extending the length of each pit box by one foot. The addition of a new infield access tunnel in Turn 3 also provided emergency and safety vehicles easy access in and out of the infield area of the race track. Three veteran NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers — Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford) and Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge) — participated in a pair of Goodyear tire tests in March at Darlington. Gordon is a seven-time winner at Darlington and Biffle has won twice there. All three drivers came away impressed with the new racing surface. “The basic transitions, the banking and walls haven’t changed,” said Gordon. “The bumps are gone, the grip level is high and it’s awesome; they did a great job.” Biffle, who won back to back races at Darlington from 2005-06, says “I’m happy with the new surface; there aren’t any bumps or dips that we noticed; I was pretty impressed with how smooth it was.” Newman, this year’s Daytona 500 winner, says Darlington “is the most challenging track that we have and that’s why I enjoy it the most. You always are having to adjust there.”
• Chevrolet Maintains Slight Lead In Manufacturers’ Standings...With the victory by Clint Bowyer last Saturday night at Richmond, Chevrolet was able to increase its lead —ever so slightly — in the Manufacturers’ Championship race. Chevrolet holds a four-point lead — 64-60 —over second-place Toyota. Ford is third with 55 points, with Dodge fourth at 41. Each of the top three manufacturers now has three victories on the season. Chevrolet’s are spread among three drivers — Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson and Bowyer — with one win apiece. Toyota is led by Kyle Busch with two and Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota) with one. Ford’s three victories have all come from Carl Edwards (No. 99 Claritin Ford). Dodge’s one win was certainly significant — as Ryan Newman won the season-opening Daytona 500. It’s all a reflection of this year ’s mix of winners and close competition. Chevrolet drivers have won 37 times at Darlington Raceway, including last year’s victory by Jeff Gordon. Ford drivers have visited Victory Lane 28 times at Darlington, including consecutive wins by Greg Biffle (2005-06), while Dodge has captured five wins there. Rick Hendrick’s Chevrolet teams have won 12 times at Darlington, the most of any car owner. Richard Childress Racing, likewise a Chevrolet team, is second among active owners, with eight victories at Darlington.
• NASCAR’s 60th Anniversary: Darlington Series’ Second-Oldest Track...This season marks NASCAR’s 60th anniversary and suffice to say, Darlington Raceway has had a big-time history-making role through the years. Darlington is the second-oldest track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule (behind only Martinsville Speedway). The track’s first race was in 1950; the second year of NASCAR’s premier series, then called Grand National. Darlington was unique in those days — 1.25 miles and paved. Also unique: the field for the track’s first race was 75 cars and qualifying extended over two weeks. Immediately, the track’s “toughness” legend emerged as teams struggled with tire problems on the extremely abrasive surface. Johnny Mantz won the first event in 1950, driving a Plymouth. South Carolina native David Pearson leads all drivers with 10 wins at Darlington, followed by Dale Earnhardt with nine. Jeff Gordon is third with seven victories. Pearson is the all-time pole winner with 12.
• The Top 35: The No. 22 Toyota Jumps Up Three Spots And Inches Towards Top 35...The No. 22 Caterpillar Toyota, driven by Dave Blaney and owned by Bill Davis, was the biggest mover and shaker last week in the battle for the top 25. Each week, the top 35 teams are guaranteed starting spots, with those outside the top 35 required to qualify on time. Thanks to an 18th-place finish at Richmond, the No. 22 Toyota climbed three spots to 36th in the owners’ point standings and is 71 points behind the 35th place car—the No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge — owned by Roger Penske and driven by Sam Hornish Jr. The No. 41 Target Dodge, owned by Chip Ganassi and driven by Reed Sorenson, moved up two spots from 32nd to 30th in the standings, as a result of a 12th place finish at Richmond. The No. 40 Dodge Challenger Dodge, with owner Felix Sabates, fell three spots from 36th to 39th. Regular driver Dario Franchitti has been sidelined with a fractured left ankle since Talladega. Veteran Sterling Marlin will attempt to qualify the car this weekend at Darlington. Just 48 points separate the 30th and 35th spots in the owner points standings. There is a six-point difference between 30th and 31st (No. 00 Toyota owned by Rob Kaufmann and driven by Michael McDowell) and a seven-point difference between 32nd (No. 44 UPS Toyota driven by David Reutimann and owned by Michael Waltrip) and 33rd (No. 55 NAPA Toyota driven and owned by Michael Waltrip). Just one point separates Waltrip’s No. 55 Toyota from the 34th place car — the No. 01 Principal Financial Group/DEI Chevrolet, owned by Teresa Earnhardt and driven by Regan Smith.
• Mother’s Day Weekend At Darlington...For the fourth straight year, NASCAR races at Darlington on Mother’s Day Weekend. As a special tribute, many of the drivers invite their mothers to the race, walk across stage with them during pre-race introductions and have their mothers say in unison, the most famous words in motorsports — ”Sons, start your engines.”

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