The Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway, NASCAR’s “throwback” weekend, is approaching. In addition to honoring the sport’s history, the race is expected to be among the most thrilling in the calendar. Drama and intense racing are always present when NASCAR takes on “The Lady in Black.”
Quick Facts: 400 Goodyear at Darlington
Date: April 6, 2025 Track: Darlington Raceway, located near Darlington, SC Time: 3:00 PM ET TV: FS1 Phases: 90, 185, and 293 Winner in Recurring: Brad Keselowski
NASCAR’s Throwback Weekend is held at Darlington Raceway during the spring race. Numerous vehicles on the field will have liveries inspired by vintage sport machinery. Everyone has a distinct notion about how to make this weekend memorable, whether it’s commemorating family members, honoring Hall of Famers, or bringing attention to a particular cause or relationship. Fans frequently dress up for the event if they’re going to the Darlington race this weekend because they appreciate seeing the designs they grew up watching on track again. Everyone participates, including Goodyear, the tire maker and race sponsor.
Darlington Produces Outstanding Finishes
Drivers must compete on the edge of their control at Darlington, one of NASCAR’s most difficult courses. In recent years, it has also resulted in some spectacular finishes. Ross Chastain and Kyle Larson fought for the victory in the 2023 Goodyear 400, but they clashed on a late restart. William Byron was able to win because of that incident. Brad Keselowski, Tyler Reddick, and Chris Buescher all fought hard in the race that Keselowski won last year. Be prepared for drivers who are willing to go above and beyond to add their names to the list of Darlington Raceway victors, regardless of how Sunday’s race turns out. Darlington has been on the NASCAR schedule since its earliest years, and winning a race there is a testament to a driver’s ability just like Martinsville was a week ago.
Too Hard to Tame
Why is Darlington Raceway so difficult? Its age and distinctive shape are just two of the many contributing elements. The oval is 1.366 miles long and has two different sets of corners. Compared to turns three and four, which are banked at 22 degrees, turns one and two have a greater radius and 25 degrees of banking. The 400-mile race at Darlington, however, frequently pits competitors against one another and tests their skill. The track is still one of the roughest and most difficult tracks on the calendar, even though it has undergone multiple repavings since it opened in 1950, the most recent being in 2008. Drivers will be battling for control while racing over extended periods of time within inches of the wall on green-flag runs, which increases the level of challengse.
