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Darlington rewind | The Elevator and Observations

DAVID POOLE / The Charlotte Observer

Sunday, May. 13, 2007

Looking at Dalrlington Raceway in the read-view mirror, riding The Elevator and making some Observations:

UP – NASCAR fans

After splashing out of here Saturday night, a huge crowd came back on Mother’s Day. Race fans are indomitable.

UP – Dale Earnhardt Inc.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished eighth and Martin Truex Jr. was 11th after a tumultuous week for this company.

UP – Roger Penske

Helio Castroneves wins the Indianapolis 500 pole on Saturday, then Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch both finish in the top 12 at Darlington.

DOWN – Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

After Texas, this team had two cars in the top 13 in points. Today, it has none in the top 20.

OBSERVATIONS

Jeff Gordon was looking forward to having his mother, Carol Bickford, join him for a Mother’s Day celebration in victory lane after his win. But with Gordon’s engine overheating and the prospects for it lasting to the checkered flag grim, Carol and her husband, John, left early along with other family members – presumably to beat postrace traffic. “They bailed on me,” Gordon said after winning. “I can’t wait to call them and chew them out.”

It’s going to be very interesting to see how the car of tomorrow works here next May when Darlington has new pavement. Sunday’s race wasn’t sensational, but it wasn’t the wreck-fest some expected it might be, either.

The highest-finishing Toyota was driven by Dave Blaney. He finished 32nd. And people were worried about Toyota coming in and “dominating” the sport?

Don’t get carried away in saying that the longtime taboo of racing on Mother’s Day should be forgotten. About 85 to 90 percent of the sold-out grandstands were filled with fans Sunday. But those tickets were sold for a Saturday night race and most everybody who planned to come then came back. That’s very, very different from trying to sell tickets for a Mother’s Day race.

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DARLINGTON RACEWAY

TRACK FACTS
Date Opened: 1950
First NWCS Race: Southern 500, September 4, 1950
Qualifying Record: Ward Burton, 173.797 mph, (28.295 sec.), 3/22/96
Race Record: David Pearson, 132.699 mph, 5/11/68
Owner: ISC
President/GM: Chris Browning
Phone: (843) 395-8499
Tickets: (843) 395-8499
Shipping Address:
1301 Harry Byrd Hwy
Darlington, SC 29532
Mailing Address:
PO Box 500
Darlington, SC 29540-0500

TRACK CONFIGURATION
Distance: 1.366 Mile Oval
Banking in Turns 1-2: 25º
Banking in Turns 3-4: 23º
Banking in Straights: 2º
Length of Frontstretch: 1,229 ft.
Length of Backstretch: 1,229 ft.
Grandstand Seating: 65,000
Miles/Laps: 501.3 mi. = 367 laps
Miles/Laps: 400.2 mi. = 293 laps

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Darlington rewind | The Elevator and Observations

DAVID POOLE / The Charlotte Observer

Sunday, May. 13, 2007