UNB! NETWORK STAFF REPORT
Below is a few drivers and some of their Darlington & career information in NASCAR and information on some of their sponsors, along with quotes from the drivers and some crew chiefs.
Matt Kenseth
JOE GIBBS RACING AT DARLINGTON: Joe Gibbs Racing has 68 Sprint Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway and has earned four wins, 17 top-five, and 39 top-ten finishes. The organization also has led for a total of 1,158 laps, has an average start of 15.5 and an average finish of 11.9 at the 1.37-mile historic track.
KENSETH BY THE NUMBERS: In 21 Sprint Cup Series starts at Darlington, Kenseth has completed 6,990 of 7,215 laps (96.9 percent) and has led for a total of 183 laps. Kenseth has earned one win, three top-five finishes, 10 top-ten finishes and one pole award at the South Carolina historic track. Kenseth earned his first victory at Darlington in the Sprint Cup Series in 2013.
THIS WEEK ON THE NO. 20 DOLLAR GENERAL TOYOTA: Dollar General vendor partners Listerine, Glad, TruMoo, Armour, Bounty, Pringles, First Quality, Hanes, Coca-Cola and Reese’s will be featured on Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota Camry this weekend at Darlington Raceway.
From the Cockpit:
Below is a few drivers and some of their Darlington & career information in NASCAR and information on some of their sponsors, along with quotes from the drivers and some crew chiefs.
Matt Kenseth
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| Matt Kenseth celebrates a victory in the 2013 Southern 500, his only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory at the famous Darlington Raceway so far in his career. |
KENSETH BY THE NUMBERS: In 21 Sprint Cup Series starts at Darlington, Kenseth has completed 6,990 of 7,215 laps (96.9 percent) and has led for a total of 183 laps. Kenseth has earned one win, three top-five finishes, 10 top-ten finishes and one pole award at the South Carolina historic track. Kenseth earned his first victory at Darlington in the Sprint Cup Series in 2013.
THIS WEEK ON THE NO. 20 DOLLAR GENERAL TOYOTA: Dollar General vendor partners Listerine, Glad, TruMoo, Armour, Bounty, Pringles, First Quality, Hanes, Coca-Cola and Reese’s will be featured on Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota Camry this weekend at Darlington Raceway.
From the Cockpit:
Matt Kenseth: “Darlington has changed a lot over the years, we only race there once a year, and it’s a different aero package this time as well, so I’m not sure that anyone really knows what to expect this weekend. The track itself at Darlington seems to age quicker than it does at most of the others racetracks we race at. Darlington is just a really unique place that has changed a lot, especially after the repave. We used to be right up along the fence, but even that has changed with the addition of safer barriers so you never know what Darlington is going to be like until we get on track. I think that it’s great that we’re back to running Darlington over Labor day weekend because it was one of those races that I’m glad we’re back to that date. It’s one of the few truly special races that holds so much tradition with a date on the calendar.”
From the Pit Box:
Jason Ratcliff: “Things are going to be different this weekend because we haven’t run at Darlington at this time of the year in a while and I think that it will definitely be a lot warmer than it’s been in years past. The track itself has also been losing some grip over the years. Our team was able to test at Darlington at the end of June, and I thought that it was one of the better tests that we’ve had. Darlington is such a unique place anyways, but I think that based off this new aero package and tire combination, it’s going to provide for a really good race. I think that the tire combination for this weekend will allow everyone to get a better handle on this new aero package.”
About Dollar General:
Dollar General Corporation has been delivering value to shoppers for over 75 years. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time. Save money. Every day!® by offering products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, house wares and seasonal items at low everyday prices in convenient neighborhood locations. With more than 12,199 stores in 43 states, Dollar General is America’s largest small-box multi-price point discount retailer. In addition to high quality private brands, Dollar General sells products from America’s most-trusted manufacturers such as Clorox, Energizer, Procter & Gamble, Hanes, Coca-Cola, Mars, Unilever, Nestle, Kimberly-Clark, Kellogg’s, General Mills, and PepsiCo. For more information on Dollar General, please visit www.dollargeneral.com.
DG at the Track:
Dollar General has more retail locations than any retailer in America, with more than 12,199 stores in 43 states. There are 16 Dollar General locations in the Darlington, S.C. area.
From the Pit Box:
Jason Ratcliff: “Things are going to be different this weekend because we haven’t run at Darlington at this time of the year in a while and I think that it will definitely be a lot warmer than it’s been in years past. The track itself has also been losing some grip over the years. Our team was able to test at Darlington at the end of June, and I thought that it was one of the better tests that we’ve had. Darlington is such a unique place anyways, but I think that based off this new aero package and tire combination, it’s going to provide for a really good race. I think that the tire combination for this weekend will allow everyone to get a better handle on this new aero package.”
Dollar General Corporation has been delivering value to shoppers for over 75 years. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time. Save money. Every day!® by offering products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, house wares and seasonal items at low everyday prices in convenient neighborhood locations. With more than 12,199 stores in 43 states, Dollar General is America’s largest small-box multi-price point discount retailer. In addition to high quality private brands, Dollar General sells products from America’s most-trusted manufacturers such as Clorox, Energizer, Procter & Gamble, Hanes, Coca-Cola, Mars, Unilever, Nestle, Kimberly-Clark, Kellogg’s, General Mills, and PepsiCo. For more information on Dollar General, please visit www.dollargeneral.com.
DG at the Track:
Dollar General has more retail locations than any retailer in America, with more than 12,199 stores in 43 states. There are 16 Dollar General locations in the Darlington, S.C. area.
Denny Hamlin
HAMLIN AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY: Denny Hamlin will make his 10th-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Darlington Raceway for this weekend’s Bojangles’ Southern 500. In his previous nine starts at the ‘Lady in Black,’ Hamlin has one win from 2010 with four top-five finishes, seven top-10 finishes, an average start of 10.1 and an average finish of 6.9. Hamlin has led 357 laps at the 1.366-mile track, completing 100 percent of attempted laps (3,314 of 3,314 laps).
DOUBLE DUTY: This weekend, Hamlin will pull double duty competing in Saturday’s Sport Clips VFW Help a Hero 200 behind the wheel of the No. 20 Sport Clips Camry and Sunday night he will pilot the No. 11 Sport Clips Camry for the Bojangles’ Southern 500.
THROWBACK SCHEME: As part of Darlington’s throwback weekend to celebrate the 1970’s, the No. 11 Sport Clips Camry in the Cup Series will run a retro scheme inspired by Cale Yarborough and the No. 20 Sport Clips Camry in the XFINITY Series will run a special scheme during the Sport Clips sponsored race. This will not be the first time Hamlin has driven a Camry inspired by Yarborough at Darlington. For the 2012 Bojangles’ Southern 500, Hamlin donned a retro firesuit and a retro paint scheme to honor Yarborough’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Of all drivers who have won in the No. 11 car, Yarborough leads the list with 55 total wins.
SPORT CLIPS VFW HELP A HERO 200: This weekend, Sport Clips will continue their partnership with Darlington Raceway to raise awareness and funds for their ‘Help A Hero’ program. In its fourth year to partner with Darlington Raceway, the national haircut franchise will use the race to increase awareness and support for the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” program which provides scholarships to active-duty military and veterans who are pursuing a college degree or vocational certification. New to this year’s partnership, active duty and retired military, and veterans can purchase special 50 percent off tickets to the NASCAR XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200. Darlington Raceway will also donate $2 for every ticket sold to support The VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” program. To purchase, visit www.DarlingtonRaceway.com/HelpAHero. To date, Sport Clips and the VFW have granted more than $1.2 Million in scholarships since beginning the program in 2013.
JGR AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has 68 total starts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Darlington Raceway. In those 68 starts, the team has four wins, one pole, 17 top-five finishes, 39 top-10 finishes, an average start of 15.5, an average finish of 11.9, led 1,158 laps and completed 22,659 of 23,125 laps (98.0%). Bobby Labonte recorded the team’s lone pole in 1997 and Labonte (2000), Kyle Busch (2008), Denny Hamlin (2010) and Matt Kenseth (2013) each have a win at “The Lady in Black.”
RACE INFO: The Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway is scheduled for Sunday, September 6 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Watch and listen live on NBC, Sirius XM Channel 90 and MRN Radio beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET
DARLINGTON THROWBACK EXPLAINED: Jimmie Johnson and longtime partner Lowe's will race a throwback car for this weekend. The No. 48 Chevrolet will feature the 1940s and 1950s Lowe's Home Improvement logo that was prominently used beginning with the company’s founding in 1946 through the time period in which Darlington Raceway first opened in 1950. To see the paint scheme, click here.
WIN NO. 200: On May 12, 2012, Johnson led 134 laps around the "Lady in Black" and took the checkered flag at Darlington for not only his 56th career win, but the 200th for Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson’s other wins at Darlington came when the track had two race dates in a single season and he swept the 2004 events. In the past two races at Darlington, Johnson has finished fourth and third, respectively.
DOUBLE DUTY: This weekend, Hamlin will pull double duty competing in Saturday’s Sport Clips VFW Help a Hero 200 behind the wheel of the No. 20 Sport Clips Camry and Sunday night he will pilot the No. 11 Sport Clips Camry for the Bojangles’ Southern 500.
THROWBACK SCHEME: As part of Darlington’s throwback weekend to celebrate the 1970’s, the No. 11 Sport Clips Camry in the Cup Series will run a retro scheme inspired by Cale Yarborough and the No. 20 Sport Clips Camry in the XFINITY Series will run a special scheme during the Sport Clips sponsored race. This will not be the first time Hamlin has driven a Camry inspired by Yarborough at Darlington. For the 2012 Bojangles’ Southern 500, Hamlin donned a retro firesuit and a retro paint scheme to honor Yarborough’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Of all drivers who have won in the No. 11 car, Yarborough leads the list with 55 total wins.
SPORT CLIPS VFW HELP A HERO 200: This weekend, Sport Clips will continue their partnership with Darlington Raceway to raise awareness and funds for their ‘Help A Hero’ program. In its fourth year to partner with Darlington Raceway, the national haircut franchise will use the race to increase awareness and support for the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” program which provides scholarships to active-duty military and veterans who are pursuing a college degree or vocational certification. New to this year’s partnership, active duty and retired military, and veterans can purchase special 50 percent off tickets to the NASCAR XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200. Darlington Raceway will also donate $2 for every ticket sold to support The VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” program. To purchase, visit www.DarlingtonRaceway.com/HelpAHero. To date, Sport Clips and the VFW have granted more than $1.2 Million in scholarships since beginning the program in 2013.
JGR AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has 68 total starts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Darlington Raceway. In those 68 starts, the team has four wins, one pole, 17 top-five finishes, 39 top-10 finishes, an average start of 15.5, an average finish of 11.9, led 1,158 laps and completed 22,659 of 23,125 laps (98.0%). Bobby Labonte recorded the team’s lone pole in 1997 and Labonte (2000), Kyle Busch (2008), Denny Hamlin (2010) and Matt Kenseth (2013) each have a win at “The Lady in Black.”
RACE INFO: The Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway is scheduled for Sunday, September 6 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Watch and listen live on NBC, Sirius XM Channel 90 and MRN Radio beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET
About Sport Clips Haircuts
Sport Clips Haircuts is headquartered in Georgetown, Texas. It was established in 1993 by founder and CEO Gordon Logan and started franchising in 1995. The sports-themed haircutting franchise, which specializes in haircuts for men and boys, is ranked by Entrepreneur as one of the Top 10 “Fastest-Growing Franchises” and ranks 36th in the “Franchise 500.” It is also ranked by FORBES as a “Top Ten Best Franchise” to buy for its investment category. With more than1,400 Sport Clips stores, new locations open each month in the U.S. and Canada. Sport Clips is the “Official Haircutter” of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), offers veterans preferential pricing on haircuts and franchises, and was named as one of the “2014 Best for Vets: Franchises” by Military Times. Our “Help A Hero” program has raised more than $3 million to help deployed and hospitalized U.S. service members call home through the VFW’s Operation
Sport Clips Haircuts is headquartered in Georgetown, Texas. It was established in 1993 by founder and CEO Gordon Logan and started franchising in 1995. The sports-themed haircutting franchise, which specializes in haircuts for men and boys, is ranked by Entrepreneur as one of the Top 10 “Fastest-Growing Franchises” and ranks 36th in the “Franchise 500.” It is also ranked by FORBES as a “Top Ten Best Franchise” to buy for its investment category. With more than1,400 Sport Clips stores, new locations open each month in the U.S. and Canada. Sport Clips is the “Official Haircutter” of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), offers veterans preferential pricing on haircuts and franchises, and was named as one of the “2014 Best for Vets: Franchises” by Military Times. Our “Help A Hero” program has raised more than $3 million to help deployed and hospitalized U.S. service members call home through the VFW’s Operation
Uplink™ and to provide scholarships for veterans transitioning to a civilian career. Sport Clips is a proud sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards, and partners with numerous NCAA and professional sports teams. To learn more about Sport Clips, visit sportclips.com.
Jimmie Johnson
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| Jimmie Johnson celebrates in victory lane after winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington in 2012. This race marked the 200th victory for Hendrick Motorsports. |
WIN NO. 200: On May 12, 2012, Johnson led 134 laps around the "Lady in Black" and took the checkered flag at Darlington for not only his 56th career win, but the 200th for Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson’s other wins at Darlington came when the track had two race dates in a single season and he swept the 2004 events. In the past two races at Darlington, Johnson has finished fourth and third, respectively.
DARLINGTON DRIVER RATING: According to NASCAR's loop data statistics, Johnson has the third-best driver rating at Darlington with a score of 106.8 during the past 10 years at the track. The driver rating is a formula that combines wins, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The driver rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator.
Jimmie Johnson on racing at Darlington
“I really like Darlington. One of my favorite memories was winning the 200th for Hendrick Motorsports there. Everyone came to victory lane and we did this huge group photo. It was a special night – we had been chasing that number for a while – and it was just a big celebration.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
VALVOLINE THROWBACK: Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive a throwback No. 88 Valvoline Chevrolet SS this weekend at Darlington Raceway. The paint scheme pays homage to the brand’s storied history in motorsports with an early-1980s look inspired by Valvoline cars driven by some of the era’s racing icons, including Cale Yarborough, Ron Bouchard, Neil Bonnett and Buddy Baker. The one-race sponsorship of Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevrolet SS marks an elevated partnership between Hendrick Motorsports and Valvoline, which in September 2013 announced a four-year agreement that kicked off last season. The new sponsorship at Darlington represents Valvoline’s first primary paint scheme since that time.
DARLINGTON BEST: Earnhardt scored his best Darlington finish last April, when he crossed the finish line second. Previously, Earnhardt matched his best Darlington finish in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in 2008 after scoring a fourth-place result. He also finished fourth there in March 2002.
LOOP DATA: According to NASCAR's loop data statistics, Earnhardt ranks sixth among drivers in laps run in the top 15 at Darlington. During the last 10 races there, the Kannapolis, North Carolina, native has spent 71.9 percent of the events running in the top 15. Earnhardt also ranks seventh in the average running position category with an 11.4 average spot.
DRIVER RATING: According to NASCAR's loop data statistics, Earnhardt ranks eighth in the driver rating category at Darlington with a score of 94.3 during the past 10 races. The driver rating is a formula that combines the following categories: wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum points a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The driver rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Sunday's race at Darlington
“I’m really looking forward to seeing all of the throwback paint schemes. There’s going to be a lot of things the fans are going to enjoy. Not only being here at the racetrack and being able to see everything, but the racetrack itself is sort of rebranding itself with all of the old signage and bringing back the ‘Too Tough to Tame’ slogan they used for years. Even the broadcast is going to have some throwback ad space during the commercials, which I think the fans are really going to love that are tuning in at home.”
Jeff Gordon
POINTS UPDATE: Two races remain – Darlington Raceway and Richmond International Raceway – before the 16-driver Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field is set with Jeff Gordon currently ranked 13th, 52 points ahead of the cutoff position. Along with seven wins at Darlington, the four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has two victories at Richmond.
NEARING 25K: Gordon, driver of the No. 24 3M Chevrolet SS, is 169 shy of 25,000 career laps led. He has led more than 169 laps at the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval twice – in 1996 and 2005.
TOPS AMONG ACTIVE DRIVERS AT DARLINGTON: The 44-year old driver ranks first among active drivers in the following statistical categories at the South Carolina track: wins, top-five finishes, top-10s, laps led and average start (6.8).
MILLION DOLLAR PAYDAY: In the final year of its existence, Gordon won three of the four “Winston Million” races in 1997 to capture the $1 million payday from the series sponsor. Gordon held off a hard-charging Jeff Burton during the closing laps at Darlington to become only the second driver to claim the prize. Bill Elliott, the first $1 million victor, won in 1985.
ANOTHER MILLION DOLLAR VICTORY: On Sept. 6, 1998, Gordon again won $1 million from the series sponsor as part of its “No Bull 5” program – his fourth consecutive victory in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
NEW 3M TAGLINE: 3M’s new corporate tagline “Science. Applied to Life.” will appear on the No. 24 Chevrolet SS again at Darlington Raceway. This weekend marks the seventh time 3M has been the primary sponsor of the No. 24 Chevrolet SS. It previously appeared on Gordon’s car at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Dover International Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and will be the primary for a total of 11 races in 2015.
Jeff Gordon on racing at Darlington
“When I first started racing at Darlington, I loved it right away. There was a patience needed there – you had to hold back, not abuse the tires and stay out of the fence. You had to ‘race the racetrack,’ but you don’t hear that quite as much anymore.
“Darlington has changed a lot over the years since it was repaved. Now you’re racing track position, how far you can push the tires and how hard you can push the car.”
Chase Elliott
Eye On The Prize: The final Sprint Cup Series race of Chase Elliott’s 2015 season arrives this weekend. Elliott's 2015 Sprint Cup season all began with Elliott’s Cup debut at Martinsville, which saw him finish 38th after damage forced his car to the garage for approximately 70 laps. Since then, he has put together three consecutive top-18 finishes. At the beginning of the season, Elliott said his first goal was to qualify for all of the races. So far, he’s four-for-four. His next was to run as many laps as possible and gain valuable experience before he joins the Sprint Cup Series full-time in 2016. At Richmond, Charlotte and Indianapolis, Elliott completed 963 of a possible 964 laps, putting a check mark beside the second goal. The rookie said he has appreciated the six races – including the Sprint Showdown prior to the All-Star Race – that were chosen for him in 2015.
Chase Elliott: “I finally got the chance to sit down with (No. 24 Sprint Cup team crew chief) Alan (Gustafson) a little bit and he was joking a bit and I think he had a pretty big say-so in what races he wanted me to run this year. He picked some good ones, I think. I think it’s a good choice to get to go and run some of the bigger shows, so far at least. The Southern 500 is one of the biggest and to me is just a very historic race in NASCAR’s history, and having the throwback weekend I think is going to be really cool. We have a really cool paint scheme for that and I am looking forward to first hopefully getting into the show. That’s our first goal.”
“I really like Darlington. One of my favorite memories was winning the 200th for Hendrick Motorsports there. Everyone came to victory lane and we did this huge group photo. It was a special night – we had been chasing that number for a while – and it was just a big celebration.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
VALVOLINE THROWBACK: Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive a throwback No. 88 Valvoline Chevrolet SS this weekend at Darlington Raceway. The paint scheme pays homage to the brand’s storied history in motorsports with an early-1980s look inspired by Valvoline cars driven by some of the era’s racing icons, including Cale Yarborough, Ron Bouchard, Neil Bonnett and Buddy Baker. The one-race sponsorship of Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevrolet SS marks an elevated partnership between Hendrick Motorsports and Valvoline, which in September 2013 announced a four-year agreement that kicked off last season. The new sponsorship at Darlington represents Valvoline’s first primary paint scheme since that time.
DARLINGTON BEST: Earnhardt scored his best Darlington finish last April, when he crossed the finish line second. Previously, Earnhardt matched his best Darlington finish in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in 2008 after scoring a fourth-place result. He also finished fourth there in March 2002.
LOOP DATA: According to NASCAR's loop data statistics, Earnhardt ranks sixth among drivers in laps run in the top 15 at Darlington. During the last 10 races there, the Kannapolis, North Carolina, native has spent 71.9 percent of the events running in the top 15. Earnhardt also ranks seventh in the average running position category with an 11.4 average spot.
DRIVER RATING: According to NASCAR's loop data statistics, Earnhardt ranks eighth in the driver rating category at Darlington with a score of 94.3 during the past 10 races. The driver rating is a formula that combines the following categories: wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum points a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The driver rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Sunday's race at Darlington
“I’m really looking forward to seeing all of the throwback paint schemes. There’s going to be a lot of things the fans are going to enjoy. Not only being here at the racetrack and being able to see everything, but the racetrack itself is sort of rebranding itself with all of the old signage and bringing back the ‘Too Tough to Tame’ slogan they used for years. Even the broadcast is going to have some throwback ad space during the commercials, which I think the fans are really going to love that are tuning in at home.”
Jeff Gordon
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| Jeff Gordon passes Jamie McMurray for the lead early in the 2010 Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. (PHOTO: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR) |
NEARING 25K: Gordon, driver of the No. 24 3M Chevrolet SS, is 169 shy of 25,000 career laps led. He has led more than 169 laps at the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval twice – in 1996 and 2005.
TOPS AMONG ACTIVE DRIVERS AT DARLINGTON: The 44-year old driver ranks first among active drivers in the following statistical categories at the South Carolina track: wins, top-five finishes, top-10s, laps led and average start (6.8).
MILLION DOLLAR PAYDAY: In the final year of its existence, Gordon won three of the four “Winston Million” races in 1997 to capture the $1 million payday from the series sponsor. Gordon held off a hard-charging Jeff Burton during the closing laps at Darlington to become only the second driver to claim the prize. Bill Elliott, the first $1 million victor, won in 1985.
ANOTHER MILLION DOLLAR VICTORY: On Sept. 6, 1998, Gordon again won $1 million from the series sponsor as part of its “No Bull 5” program – his fourth consecutive victory in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
NEW 3M TAGLINE: 3M’s new corporate tagline “Science. Applied to Life.” will appear on the No. 24 Chevrolet SS again at Darlington Raceway. This weekend marks the seventh time 3M has been the primary sponsor of the No. 24 Chevrolet SS. It previously appeared on Gordon’s car at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Dover International Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and will be the primary for a total of 11 races in 2015.
Jeff Gordon on racing at Darlington
“When I first started racing at Darlington, I loved it right away. There was a patience needed there – you had to hold back, not abuse the tires and stay out of the fence. You had to ‘race the racetrack,’ but you don’t hear that quite as much anymore.
“Darlington has changed a lot over the years since it was repaved. Now you’re racing track position, how far you can push the tires and how hard you can push the car.”
Chase Elliott
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| Chase Elliott celebrates a NASCAR Nationwide (Now XFINITY) Series victory at Darlington Raceway in 2014. |
Chase Elliott: “I finally got the chance to sit down with (No. 24 Sprint Cup team crew chief) Alan (Gustafson) a little bit and he was joking a bit and I think he had a pretty big say-so in what races he wanted me to run this year. He picked some good ones, I think. I think it’s a good choice to get to go and run some of the bigger shows, so far at least. The Southern 500 is one of the biggest and to me is just a very historic race in NASCAR’s history, and having the throwback weekend I think is going to be really cool. We have a really cool paint scheme for that and I am looking forward to first hopefully getting into the show. That’s our first goal.”
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