Flag Dop is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Track: Darlington Raceway – Darlington, South Carolina (1301 Harry Byrd Highway)
Venue & Track Details
Darlington Raceway, nicknamed “The Lady in Black” and “Too Tough to Tame,” is one of NASCAR’s most iconic and challenging venues. Located in Darlington, South Carolina, the track opened in 1950 as the first superspeedway built specifically for stock-car racing. It features a unique egg-shaped oval design (asymmetrical layout) measuring exactly 1.366 miles (2.198 km) of asphalt.
- Turns: 4 turns with differential banking — Turns 1 & 2 at 25°, Turns 3 & 4 at 23°. The first two turns have a wider radius, while the final two are tighter, forcing drivers to compromise setup between ends of the track.
- Straights: Frontstretch and backstretch both carry approximately 6° of banking. The backstretch measures roughly 1,290 feet; the frontstretch is slightly shorter at about 1,229 feet.
- Width: 40 feet, with a highly abrasive surface that creates rapid tire wear — one of the highest-wear tracks on the schedule.
- Caution speed: ~45-50 mph.
The layout rewards precise handling, tire management, and track position more than raw power. Races here frequently go to overtime (green-white-checker) due to late cautions, and the preferred groove is often right against the wall. Practice is scheduled for Friday at 3:30 PM ET, with qualifying at 4:35 PM ET.
Race Format & Distance
- Scheduled distance: 147 laps / 200.8 miles.
- Stages: Stage 1 – 45 laps; Stage 2 – 45 laps (Stage 2 ends at lap 90); Final stage – 57 laps.
- Purse: Approximately $839,700.
Weather Conditions
Forecast for race night (7:00–10:00 PM ET) calls for clear skies, temperatures dropping to a high of 67°F around green flag time, winds of just 2 mph, and only a 2% chance of precipitation. Earlier in the afternoon (practice/qualifying window) highs reach the low 70s with negligible wind. Ideal dry, mild conditions with no weather-related interruptions expected — perfect for full tire wear and strategy battles.
Race History at Darlington (Truck Series)
The Truck Series has made sporadic visits to Darlington, with 13 races total since 2001 (no events 2005–2009 or 2012–2019). Recent return in 2020 has produced thrilling, overtime-filled finishes. Past Winners (selected recent & notable):
- 2025 (Aug 30 – Sober or Slammer 200): Corey Heim (Tricon Garage, Toyota)
- 2024 (May 10 – Buckle Up South Carolina 200): Ross Chastain (Niece Motorsports, Chevrolet) – OT
- 2023 (May 12 – Buckle Up South Carolina 200): Christian Eckes (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, Chevrolet) – OT (158 laps)
- 2022 (May 6 – Dead On Tools 200): John Hunter Nemechek (Kyle Busch Motorsports, Toyota) – OT
- 2021 (twice): Sheldon Creed (both wins for GMS Racing, Chevrolet)
- 2020: Ben Rhodes (ThorSport Racing, Ford)
Most wins: Bobby Hamilton & Kasey Kahne (2 each, early 2000s); Sheldon Creed (2 in 2021).
Manufacturer wins (since return): Chevrolet (4), Toyota (4), Ford (1).
Key trend: Since 2020, 7 of 8 winners started inside the top 6. Races often extend beyond 147 laps due to late cautions and GWC attempts. High tire wear and the unique egg shape make clean air and track position critical.
2026 Season Standings & Recent Driver Forms (after 3 races)
The season opened with Daytona (Feb 13), EchoPark Speedway (Feb 21), and St. Petersburg (Feb 28). Current top drivers heading into Darlington:
- Chandler Smith (#38 Front Row Motorsports) – 152 pts, 1 win, 2 top-5s, 3 top-10s, led 15 laps. Dominant early, strong all-around.
- Ben Rhodes (#99 ThorSport Racing) – 118 pts, 2 top-5s, led a race-high 93 laps. Consistent veteran.
- Ty Majeski (#88 ThorSport Racing) – 102 pts, 2 top-5s, 1 pole.
- Giovanni Ruggiero (#17) – 98 pts, 2 top-5s.
- Layne Riggs (#34) – 96 pts, 1 win. Hot streak with recent victory.
Other notables in form: Kaden Honeycutt, Andres Perez de Lara, Stewart Friesen, Christian Eckes (past Darlington winner), Daniel Hemric. Part-time/ringers like Corey Heim (2025 Darlington winner and defending series champ) and Cup Series invaders (Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain, Carson Hocevar) will shake up the field.
Driver Matchups & Key Contenders
This is a driver’s track where experience at Darlington and tire management separate the field. Favorites & Matchups to Watch:
- Corey Heim (No. 5, TRICON Garage / Frontline) – Dominant favorite. Won here in 2025; historically excellent on high-wear ovals. Expect him to contend for poles and stage wins.
- Layne Riggs (No. 34) – Momentum from recent win; strong recent form makes him a live underdog.
- Christian Eckes – 2023 winner; knows the groove and tire fall-off.
- Chandler Smith vs. Ty Majeski / Ben Rhodes – Points leader Smith brings speed; ThorSport duo (Majeski & Rhodes) has depth and past Darlington success (Rhodes 2020 winner).
- Cup ringers: Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain (2024 winner), Carson Hocevar – Bring Cup-level setups but limited Truck practice time. Bell especially dangerous on intermediates.
- Dark horses: Giovanni Ruggiero, Kaden Honeycutt, Daniel Hemric (strong qualifier potential).
The battle for clean air will be intense — expect early pitting strategy and late-race restarts to decide the outcome.
Betting Trends
Trends to note:
- Top-6 starters have won 7 of the last 8 Truck races here.
- Chevrolet has won 4 of the last 6 Darlington Truck events.
- High tire wear favors drivers/teams strong in long-run simulations (Homestead/Darlington data).
- Overtime finishes common — value on drivers who can close races.
- Stage betting will be popular; look for consistent stage performers like Smith, Majeski, and Heim.
Expect heavy money on Heim early, with value possibly on Riggs or Eckes if practice shows strong speed.
DRIVER ODDS
Corey Heim + 260
Layne Riggs + 450
Christopher Bell + 600
Carson Hocevar + 750
Ross Chastain + 800
Kaden Honeycutt + 800
Christian Eckes + 900
Ty Majeski + 1400
Chandler Smith + 2000
Justin Haley + 2500
Daniel Hemric + 3000
Ben Rhodes + 3000
Tyler Ankrum + 3500
Grant Enfinger + 3500
AJ Allmendinger + 4000
Stewart Friesen + 5000
Giovanni Ruggiero + 5000
Tanner Gray + 6000
Jake Garcia + 7000
Connor Mosack + 7000
William Sawalich + 10000
Brenden Queen + 10000
Kris Wright + 25000
Andres Perez de Lara Gonzalez + 25000
Mini Tyrrell + 30000
Dawson Sutton + 30000
Conner Jones + 30000
Cole Butcher + 50000
Clayton Green + 50000
Caleb Costner + 50000
Timmy Hill + 70000
Spencer Boyd + 100000
Justin Carroll + 100000
Josh Reaume + 100000
Frankie Muniz + 100000
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, March 19, 2026
