NASCAR is at Darlington Raceway this weekend, with 37 drivers competing in Sunday's Goodyear 400 at South Carolina's iconic track. Fans will be especially interested in the Cup Series race, as Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe have both said that a tire blowout could result in chaos for one of the best NASCAR races in 2026.
Let's take a look at our NASCAR predictions for the Goodyear 400.
Kyle Larson wins pole and stage
A year earlier in the spring race at Darlington Raceway, Kyle Larson's day ended early on Lap 4 when the No. 5 car's left side tire hit the apron, causing him to spin out and then hit the wall. We expect redemption from Hendrick Motorsports on Sunday at a track where, thanks in large part to William Byron, they have had success winning the pole. Larson has claimed the third-best average starting position (9.2) in NASCAR this season, and the pole winner at Darlington has won a stage in the spring race in each of the last two years, we think history repeats itself in the Goodyear 400 this weekend.
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Chase Briscoe wins a stage, scores 35+ points
Over the weekend, Chase Briscoe's success at Darlington Raceway came during the second half of the season. He won races at this track in 2024 and '25, with a major finish last August when he finished second, won both stages, and then went to victory lane. While the spring race didn't go as well for him, he finished fifth here two years ago and the No. 19 has dominated here previously with Martin Truex Jr. With Briscoe and the No. 19 team needing to recover from three last-place finishes in the season, we think a stage win and a big points day is coming for them.
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Ty Gibbs records fourth consecutive top-10 finish
We're going to buy the number 54 team right now and the hot streak for Ty Gibbs. He has been participating in three races, where he has finished fifth or better each time and has recorded 123 points during that period. This car has qualified really well in the last two races here in the spring, starting from 11th or better the last two years, and Gibbs has turned them into stage points with a couple of 10th-place finishes each time. We're predicting another great day for the number 54 side, with Gibbs leaving Darlington with more than 38 points.
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Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin finish in top 5
With tire wear and car handling expected to play such an important role in the Goodyear 400, we expect two of NASCAR's oldest and most experienced drivers to shine. Denny Hamlin won't be able to score back-to-back wins at his favorite track, but the No. 11 will finish in the top five in both stages and the finish on Sunday. As for Brad Keselowski, before last season, his average finishing position in five races at Darlington from September 2022 to '24 was 6.4, and he finished sixth or better in stages five times. This will be a day with a strong point for both.
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William Byron wins the Goodyear 400
The excellence of William Byron and the No. 24 car in the spring at Darlington will not stop this weekend. He has been incredible at this track with Hendrick Motorsports, finishing in the top five four times since 2021 and finishing second after winning the pole last year. Hendrick is looking for his first Cup Series win of the year, and it's coming in the Goodyear 400, with Byron and the team celebrating the victory.
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