Story by Matthew Thomerson

DARLINGTON, SC – The NASCAR Cup Series will take to the track, Too Tough To Tame on Sunday for the Goodyear 400, and the big question is who will tame the Lady in Black while running the new short track aerodynamic package.

The Cup race should be unique on its own, with the cars using a new package resulting in an increase in horsepower from year’s past, 670 HP to now 750 HP, which should add a new factor to the race. 

The main question will be who prevails on a different Darlington weekend than those past, and who will be the ones who struggle to adapt to the change.

Here are five NASCAR Cup Series drivers to watch on Sunday.

5. Chris Buescher

Chris Buescher has had a solid start to the season, scoring two top-10s in the first five races and now sits ninth in the points standings. Buescher has also been a factor at Darlington, scoring five top-10 finishes in his last six starts. He’s also coming off a solid top-10 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, finishing sixth. Look for the RFK Racing driver to be solid on Sunday. Buescher will start sixth.

4. Ty Gibbs 

Ty Gibbs is currently on a hot streak with top-fives in his last three straight races. The young Joe Gibbs Racing driver has also produced solid results at Darlington in his career. He finished second in this race two years ago and finished in the top-10 last spring. Look for the driver of the No. 54 Toyota to continue his streak of good runs. Gibbs will start 28th after hitting the wall in qualifying.

3. Tyler Reddick

Tyler Reddick couldn’t have produced a better start to the season, as he won the first three races. He has cooled off but still earned a top-10 at Phoenix Raceway and showed solid pace at Las Vegas. Reddick has also fared well at Darlington recently. Since the inception of the Next Gen car in 2022, Reddick has five top-five finishes in eight starts. He is still searching for that first Darlington trophy, but it very well could be this weekend. Reddick will start on the pole.

2. William Byron

Hendrick Motorsports has not been its dominant self to start the season, but if anyone can get them back to their winning ways, it is William Byron. He won the pole and led 243 laps while sweeping the stages one year ago. He also has a win here in 2023 and has always been a solid pick for a top-10. Look for the No. 24 Chevrolet to right the ship for Hendrick this weekend. Byron will start 13th.

1. Denny Hamlin

No surprise, but Denny Hamlin is in the one spot here for a multitude of reasons. He won this race a year ago and has a series-leading five Darlington victories in his career. He also has the series’ best average finish at 7.9. He also won the most recent NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Simply put, Hamlin is the betting favorite for this weekend’s Goodyear 400. Hamlin will start ninth.