DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The best kind of Darlington (S.C.) Raceway throwback weekend for Jimmie Johnson would include a victory and his ticket to the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
Johnson’s three victories at the notoriously tough 1.366-mile track is most among active drivers who will compete in Sunday evening’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 (6 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) as are his nine top-five finishes.
But among the four drivers closest to earning the final two Playoff positions, the seven-time series champion has the highest mountain to climb – he sits farthest back in the standings. His No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet will be outfitted in a throwback version to his former off-road racing truck, however. And that won’t hurt the motivational mountain he must conquer.
With only two races left to set the 16-driver Playoff field – Darlington and next week’s regular-season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Johnson is ranked 18th in the standings, 28 points behind third-year Cup driver Daniel Suarez, who currently holds that all-important 16th position.
Veteran Ryan Newman is ranked 15th with a 12-point edge on 16th place Suarez. Clint Bowyer is 17th, two points behind Suarez and 26 points up on Johnson. Among these four, Johnson is the only to have won previously at Darlington.
The month of September has been particularly rewarding for Johnson who has earned 10 of his 83 career victories in the month – second only to October when he has 14 wins.
“Darlington just has its own persona,” Johnson said. “The Southern 500 has always been a spectacle to see. The track is so difficult and gritty to drive, it can tear you up pretty easy. It’s a long night and usually a hot one.
“The throwback theme is a great tribute to the personality and characteristics of Darlington, paying respect to the past. It’s always so much fun walking down pit road before the race. So many have just embraced the concept and go all-in.
“We know what we have to do and I am excited about the direction we have taken as a team.”
Johnson will be looking for his first top-10 since a third place in the Daytona International Speedway July race. His position in the standings is the lowest since mid-March, but Johnson has reason to feel confident at both Darlington and Indianapolis – two venues where he leads the field in victories. He’s never missed a Playoff berth in his 18-year fulltime career.
Suarez, who surpassed both his SHR teammate Clint Bowyer and Johnson last week in the standings, has an iffy track record at Darlington with finishes of 38th and 29th. Bowyer has only one top-10 finish in 13 starts – both he and Johnson retired early from last year’s race. Newman’s 10th place was best among this foursome in 2018.
Source: Holly Cain | NASCAR Wire Service
