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click for more images  2008 Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway Logo Courtesy of NASCAR New posts to the NASCAR Racing forums:2008 Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway2008 Dodge Challenger 500:This Saturday night the Sprint Cup series will visit Darlington for the 2008 Dodge Challenger 500. Darlington is one of the most challenging tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule.This year The Lady in Black is freshly repaved. This has sent speeds through the roof during testing. Straight line speeds at the end of the straights are approaching 200 MPH. This will bring all new challenges to an already challenging race track. Tickets:Speedway ticket office (843) 395-8499Buy online from TicketsNow (direct link) The Track:Darlington is a tricky 1.366 mile egg shaped oval. The racing surface is very narrow and the groove is up against the wall. Slip just a little and you'll get a "Darlington Stripe" on the side of your car.Race Distance:367 laps = 501 milesThe Big Picture:Kyle Busch took over the point lead with yet another strong finish. Jeff Burton fell to second, 21 points behind the leader.Juan Pablo Montoya fell out of the top twelve making room for Kasey Kahne to claim one of those all-important Chase qualifying spots. The top twelve are now:
Storylines:Darlington Raceway often takes center stage. The tricky egg-shaped oval demands respect. Since we were here last year the entire track has been repaved.The new surface is smoother and had a ton of grip. Drivers saw record setting speeds during tire testing. The high speeds will add an entirely new factor to an already unpredictable race. Media Coverage:TV: FOX Saturday, May 10th, 7:00PM Eastern.Radio: MRN and SIRIUS Satellite Actual Race: 7:20PM Eastern Recent Events:2007 Winner: Jeff Gordon 2007 Polesitter: Clint Bowyer Last Year:Pit strategy played a big role in the the 2007 event. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon dominated most of the race. A late race caution saw Jimmie Johnson pit for fresh tires while Gordon stayed out.Gordon got free on the restart and held of the drivers with fresh tires to claim the win. Predictions:Chevrolet has only won three of these first ten races in 2008. Compare this to 2007 when Chevrolet drivers claimed all but one of the first 14 races of the year.Darlington saw Chevy drivers dominate last year as Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson had the field covered. Jimmie Johnson has one win in 2008 and all of the tools to find his way back to Victory Lane. Last year's second place driver has been on a roll lately. Denny Hamlin came on strong at the end of this race in 2007 but came up just short. He also had a strong run last week in Richmond as he dominated the race before a late race tire problem ended his bid for the win. Denny Hamlin could take his frustration out on the rest of the Sprint Cup field and run away with the Darlington win. New posts to the NASCAR Racing forums: |
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