How to watch NASCAR’s The Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway
William Byron is excited for NASCAR’s return at Darlington
The Hendrick Motorsports driver tells Fox News Autos he hopes things go well at the first race of the restarted NASCAR season.
The NASCAR Cup race at Darlington will take place on Sunday, May 17. This is the 116th Cup race hosted by Darlington Raceway and will be the first event held since the NASCAR season was suspended March 8 due to the coronvairus pandemic.
(Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
Here’s what you need to know about this year’s competition:
WHAT TIME IS THE NASCAR CUP SERIES RACE AT DARLINGTON?
Viewers can tune in on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX to catch the action. There will be radio coverage from MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio as well.
HOW MANY LAPS ARE THERE?
Darlington Raceway is 1.366 miles long and the 400-mile race covers 292 laps. The banked oval’s motto is «The Track Too Tough to Tame.»
WHO IS THE POLE-SITTER?
There is no pole-sitter yet. Positions 1-12 will be determined by a random draw among charter teams in those positions based on team owner points earned through the first four races that were held before the season was suspended in March.
The same process will be used for positions 13-24 and 25-36, separately, while the final four spots will be filled with non-chartered teams based on points, with no draw.
WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT RACE DAY?
The race is being held without spectators and there will be no practice or qualifying to help limit the time teams and employees need to spen at the facility, where coronavirus prevention protocols will be in effect.
Darius Rucker, a three-time Grammy Award-winning country music artist, will perform the national anthem before Sunday’s race.
There will be multiple grand marshals for this event. FOX Sports and its local affiliates have selected 36 health care workers from various markets across the country to serve as special grand marshals for Sunday’s return race at Darlington. They will give the «start your engines» command to the drivers.
