Went to the Southern 500

[kingofnerf]

We got to the track about 4:45.  There was a large amount of folks at a wing-ding outside of Turn 1.

The Turn 1 tunnel entrance. (below)

The truck race was over and they were pushing the Cup cars onto pit road as we were getting into the Wallace Grandstand. (below)

They did away with traditional qualifying due to Covid last year and Ryan Blaney in the Penske #12 was on the pole according to the formula they are now using to determine qualifying order.

The rest of the cars after they were pushed out to pit road before the start of the race. (below)

L-R:  #20 Christopher Bell, #18 Kyle Busch, #22 Joey Logano, #19 Martin Truex Jr., #10 Aric Almirola, #3 Austin Dillon.  The #4 car of Kevin Harvick was brought out a little bit later to fit in between the cars Truex and Almirola.

A crowd starts to form around the Start/Finish line area where driver introductions were held. (below)

I haven't been to Darlington since the late 1980s, but it appears several of the lower "chicken bone" rows have been removed in the interest of spectator safety.  You can see the same blackened fence across the track along the backstretch grandstand as well.

 

[kingofnerf]

The Southern 500 is the beginning of the play-offs, so the driver introductions only included the 16 play-off drivers. (below)

The smoke is from the fireworks that went off after each driver was introduced.  Rick Henry, WIS-TV's longtime sports director, was selected to introduce the drivers and he did an outstanding job.  Rick has always been pretty laid back on the newscasts, but he was really into the introduction gig.  I was thinking to myself, "Where has THIS guy been all these years?"  LOL

The cars on pit road shortly after the "Drivers, start your engines!" command has been given. (below)

Things were pretty boring until they fired those mothers up and then you realize "this is why I came."  It's just a different sound and feeling than what you get on TV.

Looking towards the front of the field as the engines are fired up. (below)

It sounds just like a squadron of P-51s at idle about to take off for a mission.

The #24 crew works on William Byron's car after he got into trouble to bring out the first caution. (below)

The sweeper is going out to clean up the debris the #24 car left on the track.  The #24 crew would work on the car throughout the race, but it never was in contention again after the mishap.

 

[kingofnerf]

Action on pit road during a caution. (below)

L-R:  #3 Austin Dillon, #14 Chase Briscoe, #1 Kurt Busch, #24 William Byron.

Cars make their way out of the pits during the same caution. (below)

The field goes into Turns 1 and 2 under caution. (below)

The Turn 1 and frontstretch grandstands were essentially full for this race and the Turn 4 and backstretch grandstands were about halfway there.

Kevin Harvick was the first out of pit road after the caution and leads the field under caution down the frontstretch. (below)

I thought Harvick had the best-looking hot rod out there Sunday because it had that old-school look to it.  He was running 4th or 5th until #34 Michael McDowell got loose and hit the inside wall on the backstretch to bring out the caution.  He had a good pit stop and beat his teammate Kurt Busch in the #1, who was running in 2nd place, out for the lead.  It was Harvick/Busch #1/2 for a while after that.

 

[kingofnerf]

The view looking toward Turns 3 and 4 at sunset after the lights have come on. (below)

This is from the Turn 1 end of the Wallace Grandstand.  It was very hot and humid during the afternoon sun, but got very nice once the sun set to the west behind the top of the grandstand.  I think Darlington at twilight is one of the best views out there.

#3 Austin Dillon and #14 Chase Briscoe pit during a caution under the lights. (below)

The view toward Turns 3 and 4 under the lights. (below)

Darlington is just as good-looking under the lights as Daytona in my book.  Had to get a clean shot of that DARLINGTON, S.C on the inside wall, too.

#18 Kyle Busch and #4 Kevin Harvick pit during another late-race caution. (below)

This was the one after Austin Dillon got into Kyle Busch and caused him to hit the wall, taking him out of the race.  Busch drove it into the garage area not long after I took the picture and there were some cheers in the stands.  LOL

The race winner, #18 Denny Hamlin, gets out his car to get the checkered flag after doing some killer burn-outs for the race fans. (below)

#5 Kyle Larson was the class of the field until the last pit stop, but Hamlin came out first and stayed there despite Larson's last lap charge.

It was a great race.  Glad I went.