NASCAR Schedule: Darlington Sets Stage for Kyle Larson & Denny Hamlin’s Southern 500 Showdown Get full details on the Southern 500 at Darlington: NASCAR schedule, driver odds, qualifying updates, and

The stage is set at NASCAR’s toughest oval as the Southern 500 returns to Darlington, promising history and high stakes. Opened in 1950 as NASCAR’s first true superspeedway, it quickly became known for its unconventional, egg-shaped oval, crafted to preserve a neighbor’s minnow pond, and earned nicknames like “The Lady in Black” and “The Track Too Tough to Tame.” It’s banking, ranging from 23 to 25 degrees in the turns, and its unforgiving asphalt surface has challenged drivers for decades, solidifying its reputation as one of the toughest tracks on the calendar. This rich history bleeds directly into a long lineage of iconic races. And when it comes to champions, Darlington’s legacy only grows richer.

The Southern 500 at Darlington has produced a gallery of legendary winners, and it