Weather Forecast for Darlington NASCAR Weekend

What’s Happening?

This week, the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series return to Darlington, South Carolina. There is one more race until the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, and the Lady in Black stands in the way of the dreams of those at the cut line. Will the weather also come into play?

  • The NASCAR Cup Series traditionally raced at Darlington twice a year from 1952 to 2004. The tradition returned in 2021 with a three-race schedule due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020.
  • The NASCAR Xfinity Series also returns to Darlington for the second time this season. The series has raced at Darlington twice yearly since 2020. However, the Xfinity Series has raced at Darlington since 1982.

Weekend Weather Forecast Via The National Weather Service

***Forecast will become available and fluctuate during race week and will be updated frequently

Saturday, August 31st: Xfinity Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 (3:30 PM ET/Local)
  • Forecast: Mostly Sunny
  • Temperature: High of 91°F by the start of the race
  • Heat Index: High of 99°F by the start of the race
  • Rain: A high of 13% starting at 2 p.m., dropping as the night goes on
  • Wind: High of 11 mph around 11 a.m.

Sunday, September 1st: Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 (6:00 PM ET/Local)
  • Forecast: Mostly Sunny, chance of rain
  • Temperature: High of 92°F around 3 p.m., 88°F by the start of the race, dropping into the night
  • Heat Index: High of 99°F around 4 p.m., 95°F by the start of the race, dropping into the night
  • Rain: A high of 26% around 2 p.m., rising to 32% around 8 p.m.
  • Wind: High of 7 mph around 2 p.m., dropping as the night goes on

Darlington Weather History

The fall 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington saw a significant weather delay. However, the races are generally rain-free for the NASCAR Cup Series. The 2020 Toyota 500, the second race at Darlington in 2020, ended with rain, and Denny Hamlin won. However, the Cup Series has avoided significant delays since.

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This is What Fans Think of NASCAR’s TV Coverage in 2026 (So Far)

What’s Happening?

As the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season gets underway, The Daily Downforce is once again tracking how fans feel about race broadcasts throughout the year, just as we did last year. This ratings tracker exists to capture fan feedback in a clear, consistent way across the entire season for each TV partner.

How the Tracker Works

After each Cup Series race weekend, we will post a fan poll asking one simple question: “How would you rate this weekend’s Cup Series broadcast?” And fans can vote and comment based on their overall viewing experience. This article will be updated weekly with the most recent race’s numbers added to the tracker.

Where and How to Vote

  • The poll is posted on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after each race.
  • Fans can vote directly in the poll with just one tap.
  • Replies and quote posts are also monitored to gather more detailed feedback for a separate article after the season is concluded

Participation is quick and open to everyone.

Tracker

WeekNetworkRaceVotesGood | Average | BadSource
1FOXBowman Gray Clash36816% | 43% | 42%Check the Poll HERE
2FOXDaytona 50098942% | 46% | 12%Check the Poll HERE
3FOXAtlanta77143% | 43% | 14%Check the Poll HERE
4FOXCOTA91825% | 53% | 23%Check the Poll HERE

Latest Poll Results

Remember to follow The Daily Downforce on X to catch each weekly poll, share your thoughts, and be part of the conversation.

NASCAR Suspends Multiple Cup Series Crew Members After COTA

What’s Happening?

Two NASCAR Cup Series crew members for Ross Chastain’s No. 1 team were suspended following the race at Circuit of the Americas

  • The crew members suspended were rear-tire changer Josh Appleby and jackman Kenneth Pozega.
  • They will be sidelined for two weeks, missing the races at Phoenix Raceway on March 8th and Las Vegas on March 15th.
  • The penalty comes after Ross Chastain had a loose wheel at Circuit of the Americas while running 13th. On lap 75, his wheel detached from the car, bringing out a caution. Right after the incident, Chastain was also held for 2 laps as part of the penalty, as specified in the rulebook.
  • Chastain ended up finishing 35th after winning stage 1 and grabbing the fastest lap of the race. The result dropped him 9 spots on the point standings. He sits 20th with 64 points, 4 behind Ryan Preece, who holds the final Chase spot for now.
  • It’s the first time in the 2026 NASCAR season that crew members have been penalized for a loose wheel outside of pit road.

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on InstagramFacebook, and YouTube.

NASCAR Reveals Full Details on The Crew Motorfest Content Update

What’s Happening?

On February 17, Ubisoft released a trailer that confirmed that NASCAR would be included in The Crew Motorfest’s next season update. Details were limited at the time, but in a press release issued today, Ubisoft revealed the full details of the update ahead of its March 4 launch.

What NASCAR Content will be Included?

  • 16 officially licensed NASCAR cars will be available at launch on March 4.
  • The 3 Next Gen Cup cars include the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, 2025 Chevrolet ZL1, and 2025 Toyota Camry XSE.
  • A 10-event NASCAR Motorfest Tour Playlist will run from qualifying rounds through finals, with players competing for the NASCAR Motorfest Tour Champion title.
  • NASCAR cars will be drivable across the full open world, not limited to playlist events.
  • NASCAR content launches March 4 as part of Season 9, which includes 31 total new vehicles across the broader season.

What Else is Included in the Update?

  • Season 9 features 31 total vehicle additions. Of those, 16 are NASCAR-related, but most are cosmetic team liveries rather than separate cars. In total, the season introduces 18 new drivable vehicles, with the remainder made up of cosmetic variations.
  • The 2019 Porsche 935 Racing Car arrives on April 1 as part of the Year Pass 3.
  • Trackforge debuts as a new user-generated track creator, offering two build templates: Motorsports and Coaster. It will have publishing and sharing functionality.
  • Custom circuits can be deployed across Moloka’i and Lanai, expanding playable layouts beyond developer-created events.
  • The RC Frenzy Playlist launches May 6, introducing two RC vehicles: Phazr General Rally Raid (2026) and Phazr Trickshot Street Tier 1 (2026). Both will be usable in dedicated events and the open world.
  • A new Island Playground, Summit Contest events, and weekly Main Stage activities round out the Season 9 content slate.

What Else has been Revealed?

Pit Stop Management
Crash Physics
Drafting System

Ubisoft says drafting will affect car speed and help save fuel, implying that drafting will be a huge factor in the game, at least with these cars. You can check out this and much more on Ubisoft’s official post linked below

Full Lineup and Prices

NASCAR Full Pack – 168,000 CC
  • HMS’s No. 9 Chevrolet (Chase Elliott)
  • HMS’s No. 24 Chevrolet (William Byron)
  • RCR’s No. 8 Chevrolet (Kyle Busch)
  • Trackhouse’s No. 1 Chevrolet (Ross Chastain)
  • Trackhouse’s No. 88 Chevrolet (Shane van Gisbergen)
  • Penske’s No. 12 Ford (Ryan Blaney)
  • Penske’s No. 22 Ford (Joey Logano)
  • RFK’s No. 6 Ford (Brad Keselowski)
  • 23XI’s No. 23 Toyota (Bubba Wallace)
  • 23XI’s No. 45 Toyota (Tyler Reddick)
  • JGR’s No. 19 Toyota (Chase Briscoe)
  • JGR’s No. 20 Toyota (Christopher Bell)
  • NASCAR Hoodie
NASCAR Chevrolet Pack – 122,500 CC
  • HMS’s No. 9 Chevrolet (Chase Elliott)
  • HMS’s No. 24 Chevrolet (William Byron)
  • RCR’s No. 8 Chevrolet (Kyle Busch)
  • Trackhouse’s No. 1 Chevrolet (Ross Chastain)
  • Trackhouse’s No. 88 Chevrolet (Shane van Gisbergen)
  • NASCAR Hoodie
NASCAR Ford Pack – 73,500 CC
  • Penske’s No. 12 Ford (Ryan Blaney)
  • Penske’s No. 22 Ford (Joey Logano)
  • RFK’s No. 6 Ford (Brad Keselowski)
  • NASCAR Hoodie
NASCAR Toyota Pack – 98,000 CC
  • 23XI’s No. 23 Toyota (Bubba Wallace)
  • 23XI’s No. 45 Toyota (Tyler Reddick)
  • JGR’s No. 19 Toyota (Chase Briscoe)
  • JGR’s No. 20 Toyota (Christopher Bell)
  • NASCAR Hoodie

Earlier this Tuesday, the official The Crew Motorfest account clarified confusion around the NASCAR bundles. The Crew Credit (CC) bundles only include cosmetic team liveries, not additional cars. The 3 base Next Gen cars (Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Toyota Camry XSE, and Chevrolet ZL1) are part of the free Season 9 update and can be purchased separately.

Mitch Rasmussen, NASCAR’s Senior Director of Interactive, said in the press release:

We’re excited to bring our iconic brand to life in The Crew Motorfest. This collaboration represents another important step in our strategy to bring NASCAR into the digital spaces and places where next generation fans spend their time, giving players new ways to interact with the culture and communities they love.

The content arrives as part of Year 3 Season 9 and is officially licensed by NASCAR. You can watch the first trailer and learn more in the article linked below

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on InstagramFacebook, and YouTube.