Darlington 1 Preview

RACE INFO

DATE: Sunday, March 22, 2026

RACE: Goodyear 400

TRACK: Darlington Raceway (Darlington, SC)

TRACK LENGTH: 1.366 miles

TV: FOX Sports 1 (3 p.m. ET)

RADIO: MRN Radio / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (3 p.m. ET)

JOE GIBBS RACING

JGR AT DARLINGTON: Joe Gibbs Racing owns 12 NASCAR Cup Series victories at Darlington Raceway. In 140 combined starts at the Track Too Tough to Tame, the organization has tallied 42 top-five finishes, 78 top-10s, five pole awards, and 3,350 laps led. Chase Briscoe, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, and Martin Truex Jr. have all driven JGR entries to victory lane at Darlington.

DARLINGTON SWEEP: Joe Gibbs Racing won both Darlington races last season with Denny Hamlin winning in April and Chase Briscoe scoring a dominant victory in September. Hamlin and Briscoe also shared the front row after qualifying first and second for the Southern 500.

CHASE BRISCOE

No. 19 Free Bird Southern Spring Water Toyota Camry XSE

BRISCOE AT DARLINGTON: Chase Briscoe has won two of the last three NASCAR Cup Series races at Darlington Raceway, including his dominant performance in last fall's Southern 500. In September, Briscoe led 309 of 367 laps and won both stages on the way to his second Southern 500 victory in as many years. Overall, Briscoe has 10 Cup Series starts at the Lady in Black with three top-five finishes and 338 laps led. He also owns a NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series victory at the track.

LAS VEGAS RECAP: Briscoe started 18th last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Briscoe spent much of the race a lap down after speeding on pit road early in the day. The No. 19 team eventually received the free pass on lap 212 to get back on the lead lap and Briscoe recovered to finish eighth for his second top-10 result of 2026.

JAMES SMALL: 2026 is James Small’s seventh season leading the No. 19 team and his second year with Briscoe behind the wheel. The first five years of his tenure as crew chief were spent with Martin Truex Jr. In 222 races atop the pit box, Small has led his drivers to 11 wins, 61 top-five finishes, 108 top-10s, 13 pole awards, and 4,735 laps led.

FREE BIRD: Sunday's race at Darlington Raceway marks the on-track debut of the No. 19 Free Bird Southern Spring Water Toyota Camry XSE. Free Bird Southern Spring Water is about living freely and staying true to your roots. Whether you’re enjoying a backyard barbecue, heading to a job site, or taking a moment to recharge, Free Bird water is there to refresh and remind you of the things that matter most. To learn more, visit www.drinkfreebird.com.