Real Heroes 400 preview: Who will win, how to watch, Darlington Raceway info
There is no easy way to predict which NASCAR driver will win the Real Heroes 400 this Sunday, but even before the checkered flag waves, those on the track will have already secured a victory.
That’s because NASCAR will be one of the first few sports to resume its official season amid the global coronavirus pandemic. There will be no fans to cheer on the eventual winner as he heads to an empty Victory Lane, but drivers said they are just excited to return to their cars and that they’re ready to treat the race like they would any competitive event; They want to win.
“I think it’ll be business as usual for me,” No. 88 driver Alex Bowman said.
“Some of that (media) stuff might be cut down or have to be in a different format,” Bowman continued. “But we’re all still the same people that we are — Clint Bowyer is still going to be hilarious. Kyle (Busch) is still going to have people mad at him. The personalities are still going to be there.”
If the consistency of driver personalities translates to on-track performance despite the altered format of the event (i.e., no practice laps and qualifying before the race), that could mean a few things in terms of who has an advantage.
Last year’s race at Darlington was won by Erik Jones, who led 79 laps of the 367-lap event. He was followed by Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski in the top five. This Darlington race will be a shorter 293-lap event and will not offer any opportunity for on-track preparation.
That could mean starting position plays a bigger role in who leads at the finish since drivers will be more cautious as they ease back into their equipment and get a feel for the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval.
“It’ll be a little bit tricky adjusting on your car at the beginning of the race,” Harvick said. “Just because of the lack of rubber on the racetrack.”
“It’s a racetrack that really evolves as the rubber gets on (it),” Harvick continued. “And last year it was tough to drive on top of the rubber, so you really had to find different spots on the racetrack to move around.”
For that reason, among others, The Observer is predicting one of two big names to take the title for NASCAR’s return event: Brad Keselowski or Kyle Busch.
NO. 2 BRAD KESELOWSKI
Keselowki is a consistent competitor who is ready for a win. Although the No. 2 driver has only finished as high as fifth place during the first four races completed this season (at Daytona, Las Vegas, Fontana and Phoenix), Keselowski drew the pole position by random selection on Thursday. He will start at the front of the grid and could maintain that edge throughout the race. Keselowski also had a solid showing last year at Darlington, leading 19 laps and finishing fifth after a second-place start. Even if the Team Penske driver doesn’t take the checkered flag, he’ll likely edge out at least one stage win.
NO. 18 KYLE BUSCH
Busch will be the guy to watch on Sunday. The reigning Cup Champion thrives under pressure and has been putting in time on his simulator rig during NASCAR’s hiatus. He also had one of his most impressive performances at Darlington last year, starting 33rd and finishing third in the race after leading the most laps (118). Busch will start fourth on the grid this year and has a +550 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. (Alex Bowman has +1500 and Ryan Blaney has +2200, according to DraftKings.)
The No. 18 driver will be kicking off an intense racing campaign, as he said he will run all seven NASCAR races, including Xfinity and Truck, over 11 days.
“I’m running all of those; every one that’s scheduled I’m in,” Busch told SiriusXM Radio. “It’s going to be getting thrown to the wolves, that’s for sure.”
THIS WEEK’S NASCAR RACE AT DARLINGTON: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Race: Real Heroes 400
Distance: 293 laps, or 400.2 miles (stage breaks on Laps 90, 185, 293)
Where: Darlington Raceway
When: Sunday at 3:30 p.m. EST
TV: FOX (coverage begins at 3:25 EST with a watch party though Stage 1 featuring the FOX: NASCAR crew and guests)
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Last year’s winner: Erik Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)
Also this week: Xfinity Series (Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST on FS1), Cup Series (Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. EST on FS1)
Worth mentioning: Healthcare workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic will be honored by name on each driver’s car as part of the The Real Heroes Project. They will also serve as the grand marshals for Sunday’s event via an on-air mosaic to simultaneously give the command for drivers to start engines.
More weekend NASCAR coverage:
NASCAR drivers will be racing for the first time since March 8: ‘It’s going to be odd’
Sports fan new to NASCAR? Here’s what you need to know about the sport for Sunday.
Ryan Newman feels like he attended his own funeral. What if he won Darlington?
How NASCAR is planning to pull off a live race in 16 days while keeping everyone safe
Why NASCAR’s return to racing is a proud moment for Darlington, state of SC
This story was originally published May 16, 2020 at 2:16 PM with the headline "Real Heroes 400 preview: Who will win, how to watch, Darlington Raceway info."
