NASCAR is at Darlington Raceway this weekend, with a field of 37 drivers competing in Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at the iconic track in South Carolina. Fans will want to take a particular interest in the Cup Series race, as Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe have both said the tire fall off could result in one of the best NASCAR races in 2026 with chaos in store.
Let’s dive into our NASCAR predictions for the Goodyear 400.
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Kyle Larson Wins the Pole and a Stage
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A year ago in the spring race at Darlington Raceway, Kyle Larson’s day ended early on Lap 4 when the No. 5 car’s left-side tires hit the apron, causing him to spin out and then slam into the wall. We expect redemption from Hendrick Motorsports on Sunday at a track where, largely thanks to William Byron, they’ve had success winning the pole. Larson boasts the third-best average starting position (9.2) in NASCAR this season, and given the pole winner at Darlington has won a stage in the spring race in each of the last two years, we think history repeats itself this weekend in the Goodyear 400.
Related: NASCAR Schedule This Week for Darlington, Qualifying Time and Race Info
Chase Briscoe Wins a Stage, Gets 35+ Points
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Coming into the weekend, Chase Briscoe’s success at Darlington Raceway has come during the second half of the season. He won races at this track in 2024 and ’25, with a dominant race last August when he qualified second, won both stages, and then went to victory lane. While the spring race hasn’t been quite as great for him, he did finish fifth here two years ago and the No. 19 has dominated here previously with Martin Truex Jr. With Briscoe and the No. 19 team needing to overcome three last-place finishes on the season, we think a stage win and a big points day is coming for them.
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Related: NASCAR Odds Darlington, 4 Picks for Goodyear 400
Ty Gibbs Records Fourth Consecutive Top-10 Finish
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We’re going to buy the hot streak for the No. 54 team and Ty Gibbs right now. He’s coming off a three-race stretch where he’s finished fifth or better each time and recorded 123 points during that span. This car has also qualified really well here in the spring in the last two races, starting 11th or better in the last two years, and Gibbs has turned those into stage points each time with a pair of 10th-place finishes. We’re predicting another great day from the No. 54 team, with Gibbs leaving Darlington with 38-plus points.
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Related: NASCAR Power Rankings Ahead of Darlington Raceway, including Ty Gibbs
Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin Finish Top 5
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With tire wear and management of the car expected to play such a critical role in the Goodyear 400, we anticipate two of the oldest and most experienced NASCAR drivers to shine. Denny Hamlin won’t make it back-to-back wins at his favorite track, but the No. 11 will finish top-five in both stages and at the finish on Sunday. As for Brad Keselowski, prior to last season, he had an average finishing position of 6.4 across five races at Darlington from Sept. 2022 to ’24, and he finished sixth or better in the stages five times. It’ll be a strong points day for both.
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Related: Denny Hamlin Shares How Many Career Wins He Thinks He’ll Finish With
William Byron Wins the Goodyear 400
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The excellence from William Byron and the No. 24 car in the spring at Darlington won’t stop this weekend. He’s been incredible at this track with Hendrick Motorsports, recording top-five finishes four times since 2021, and he finished second last year after winning the pole. Hendrick has been seeking its first Cup Series win of the year, and that’s coming in the Goodyear 400, with Byron and the team celebrating in victory lane.
Related: NASCAR Entry List Darlington
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