NASCAR: Kyle Larson gets 1st career win at Darlington

NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and no risk-free, 30-day trial that makes the initial trip into the season-ending 10-race stretch any more soothing.

The 16 drivers who met the press during Playoffs Media Day just a few days before Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 came in with typical pre-postseason “I think we have a good shot at it” optimism, all the while acknowledging the punishing task that greeted them on the very first weekend. Old, rugged Darlington Raceway — a track that’s been around for all but a couple of NASCAR’s 75 years — lived up to that billing Sunday, remaining undefeated.

Kyle Larson emerged as the track’s only true tamer late Sunday evening, earning safe passage to the playoffs’ next round with his first Darlington victory. Several of his competitors for the Cup Series title found out the meaning behind the egg-shaped track’s “Too Tough to Tame” nickname. Some pushed through the adversity to score respectable finishes and minimize the harm, while others did not.

NASCAR All-Star Race in May.

"We kept our heads in the game," Larson said. "That was really important. This race is all about keeping your head in it."

He's right. The sheer length of Darlington's 500-mile event, taking over four hours to complete, takes its toll on both man and machine. It began with a 115-lap, green-flag run to the end of Stage 1 and finished up with three cautions and four DNFs in the final 100 miles.

NASCAR halted the race for seven minutes at Darlington Raceway when some lights in turn three and four would not come on as the event moved from day to night. A caution came out when teams noticed the lights off and NASCAR tried to fix the problem under caution. Fans at the sold-out venue cheered when the lights came on and cars were soon rolling again. The problem came from a transfer switch that was not getting enough voltage to fire. The issue did not present itself during the track’s lighting test before race weekend.

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Sarah H

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