Will Darlington’s Spring Race Bring the Change Teams and Drivers Have Been Waiting For?

What’s Happening?

This weekend, NASCAR prepares for its sixth stop, and fifth points weekend, of the 2026season at Darlington Raceway next Sunday. With quite a few big changes introduced this past offseason that affect this race, several storylines take center stage as teams head into the weekend.

NASCAR Cup Series

Short-Track Package Chaos

Darlington, a 1.366-mile oval, has seen its share of masters. Among active drivers, Denny Hamlin holds the edge with an average finish of 7.9 at the track. As for teams, Hendrick Motorsports has filled its trophy cabinet more than any other team at the venue, with wins by Kyle Larson and William Byron marking the latest triumphs in 2023.

But last November, NASCAR announced a rules shift that moved several tracks away from the intermediate setup. Under the change, non-traditional short tracks like Nashville Superspeedway, World Wide Technology Raceway, and Darlington, all less than 1.5 miles, will now run a new short-track and road-course package.

The changes include a simplified diffuser, aimed at cutting underbody aero, and increased horsepower, from the mid 600s to around 750. With less downforce and slightly more speed under the hood, teams may find themselves walking a tightrope through the corners as they search for speed without losing control.

Much of the downforce in the Next Gen cars comes from beneath the chassis, so having a simplified diffuser could change how cars slice through traffic and handle through the turns. Besides, Darlington already has a reputation for gnawing up tires lap after lap, and drivers have learned that tire wear is now the name of the game.

Hamlin will head into the weekend carrying his momentum after winning his first race of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. As the defending winner of Darlington’s spring race, he will aim to keep the momentum going. Should he pull it off, Toyota could check another mark in the win column this season when the field takes on one of the sport’s toughest proving grounds.

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series

Toyota and Ford Teams Will Push for a Win at Darlington Raceway

While Chevrolet has stolen the show through the opening stretch of the season, teams backed by Toyota and Ford head to Darlington Raceway hoping to turn the tide in their favor when the field lines up for the green flag this weekend.

Through the races so far, Chevrolet has left its mark across every type of track on the calendar.

This includes wins at a superspeedway (Daytona), a road course (COTA), the hybrid layout at EchoPark, a short track in Phoenix Raceway, and even an intermediate oval (Las Vegas). Drivers from Richard Childress Racing, Haas Factory Team, Trackhouse Racing, and JR Motorsports have all played their part in keeping the bowtie brand in the winner’s circle.

Still, stats show that Joe Gibbs Racing knows its way around Darlington. The organization has reached victory lane at the track nine times over the years, a mark that keeps it firmly in the conversation whenever the series goes to Darlington.

Among the drivers in this weekend’s field, Brandon Jones will arrive as the defending OAP Series winner at Darlington, a track he has shown a knack for throughout his career. When the green flag waves at Darlington, Toyota and Ford teams will look to seize the moment and break Chevrolet’s grip.

Will Alex Bowman Still Race at Darlington Raceway in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series?

Alex Bowman has been on the sidelines in the NASCAR Cup Series for the past two weekends after a vertigo diagnosis forced him to step away.

The trouble first surfaced during the Circuit of the Americas race, where Bowman climbed out after 71 laps, and Myatt Snider stepped in to take over the car.

Since then, Anthony Alfredo and Justin Allgaier have filled the seat of Bowman’s No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports at Phoenix Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Whether Bowman will return when the series heads to Darlington Raceway remains up in the air.

Away from the Cup Series, Bowman was penciled in to run JR Motorsports No. 88 in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series this weekend as part of a schedule that includes Darlington and another outing at Nashville Superspeedway in May.

If Bowman is still on the mend, the team may have to decide who will take the wheel of that ride this week.

One driver who could slide into the seat is Kyle Larson. The Cup driver brought home a trophy for JR Motorsports at Las Vegas on Saturday and has history on his side after winning at Darlington in the series back in 2023. That run could make Larson a fine option to return to the No. 88 Chevrolet for another weekend.

Other names, like the No. 88’s usual driver, William Byron, and Chase Elliott, remain options if the team decides to tap another driver from the Hendrick Motorsports stable.

For now, the seat is occupied by Bowman, and until the Cup Series driver gets the green light to climb back into the car, the team may have to shuffle the lineup and decide who carries the No. 88 Chevy.

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