NASCAR's Chief Racing Development Officer on the sport's return to the track
NASCAR EVP and Chief Racing Development Officer, Steve O'Donnell talks to Fox News Autos editor Gary Gastelu about the challenges of restarting the NASCAR season at Darlington Raceway amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up here.
The second NASCAR Cup Series race since the season restarted on May 17 after a 10-week suspension caused by the coronavirus pandemic will take place at South Carolina's Darlington Raceway on Wednesday, May 20. It will be the 117th Cup Series race hosted by "The Track Too Tough to Tame."
(Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Here's what you need to know about this unusual mid-week race:
WHAT TIME IS THE NASCAR CUP SERIES RACE AT DARLINGTON?
Viewers can tune in to FS1 at 6:00 pm EDT to catch the action. There also will be radio coverage from MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
HOW MANY LAPS ARE THERE?
Darlington Raceway is 1.366 miles long and the 228-lap race covers 310.6 miles, or 500 kilometers.
WHO IS THE POLE-SITTER?
Ryan Preece will start on the pole, but not because he has the fastest car. In an effort to simplify the situation for everyone involved given the challenges posed by the pandemic, there is no practice or qualifying for the race, so the first 20 spots on the starting lineup were chosen by inverting the top 20 finishers from The Real Heroes 400 at Darlington on Sunday, May 17. Preece came in 20th in that race, while winner Kevin Harvick will start the Toyota 500 in 20th position. The rest of the field will start the Toyota 500 in the same order they finished in Sunday's race.
WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT RACE DAY?
The race is being held without spectators and coronavirus prevention protocols will be in effect for teams, staff and media.
Recording star Jewel will sing the national anthem and celebrity chef Guy Fieri will give the "start your engines" command as grand marshal in videos recorded at their homes.