#SrigleyStats Weekend Recap: Darlington
Taking a look back at this weekend's NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series stats from Darlington Raceway!
Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re in the homestretch of the 2023 NASCAR season!
Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway marked the first event of the NASCAR Cup Series’ 10-race post-season, and as usual, the 1.366-mile facility didn't disappoint with an exciting race.
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, we haven’t quite made it to the post-season, yet, but we’re getting closer and closer, as the penultimate event of the regular season left the gap at the bubble at just a single point.
For those looking for the #SrigleyStats Sheet, don’t worry, that will be released to paid subscribers later this week! If you’re interested in gaining access to the #SrigleyStats Sheet, you can subscribe for $5/month or $50/year, down below:
NASCAR Cup Series - Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington - Top-10:
#5 - Kyle Larson - Hendrick Motorsports
#45 - Tyler Reddick - 23XI Racing
#17 - Chris Buescher - RFK Racing
#24 - William Byron - Hendrick Motorsports
#1 - Ross Chastain - Trackhouse Racing
#6 - Brad Keselowski - RFK Racing
#23 - Bubba Wallace - 23XI Racing
#9 - Chase Elliott - Hendrick Motorsports
#12 - Ryan Blaney - Team Penske
#43 - Erik Jones - LEGACY MOTOR CLUB
NASCAR Xfinity Series - Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 at Darlington - Top-10:
#19 - Denny Hamlin - Joe Gibbs Racing
#21 - Austin Hill - Richard Childress Racing
#20 - John Hunter Nemechek - Joe Gibbs Racing
#00 - Cole Custer - Stewart-Haas Racing
#8 - Josh Berry - JR Motorsports
#98 - Riley Herbst - Stewart-Haas Racing
#7 - Justin Allgaier - JR Motorsports
#2 - Sheldon Creed - Richard Childress Racing
#10 - Kyle Busch - Kaulig Racing
#11 - Daniel Hemric - Kaulig Racing
#SrigleyStats Spotlight Driver - Darlington - Carson Hocevar:
There isn’t much explanation needed here. A 17th-place finish, at Darlington Raceway, in your second-ever start in the NASCAR Cup Series, is impressive, no matter who you are, or what car you’re driving.
For Carson Hocevar, a regular in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Sunday marked his second career start at NASCAR’s top level, and after a strong run in his debut - which was derailed by a brake rotor exploding - many had some high hopes for the 20-year-old driver.
And, he delivered. Qualifying 15th, the fifth top-20 start for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB this season, the driver of the No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts Chevrolet Camaro stayed inside the top-20 all afternoon, running around the likes of Ty Gibbs, and others.
Hocevar continued to gain experience throughout the event, and will admit the being conservative on pit road - which cost him a couple of positions on the multiple green-flag pit stops throughout the event.
But, a strategy call late in the race by Luke Lambert allowed Hocevar to slice through the pack and make passes on some of the drivers inside the top-20, finishing the race in 17th.
It was the second-best finish on the season for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s No. 42. Hocevar will return to the entry for the next two races at Kansas and Bristol.