Benson On Darlington
ChangesSunday’s race marks
the final Labor Day race weekend at Darlington Raceway. Next
year’s race will be in November while the California
Speedway hosts the Labor Day weekend race. The changes at
historic Darlington might symbolize the shifting direction
of the sport with an emphasis on bigger markets. That has
created mixed feelings among drivers, teams and fans.
#10 Valvoline Pontiac driver Johnny
Benson grew up in Grand Rapids, Mich. watching the
Darlington races on television. Like most he has mixed
feelings about the changes. Benson has top 14 finishes in
the last three oval races and would love to be the last
driver to own a Labor Day weekend trophy from Darlington.
Johnny Benson - On Final
Labor Day Weekend Race:
“Yeah it’s disappointing. I
mean racing at Darlington on Labor Day was a tradition in
our sport that I knew about even before I came down here to
race. I hate it when we change tradition, but I understand
the need for getting us out to California twice. I’m glad we
are exposing our sport to new and more fans. But I also hope
we always remember the people that got us to where we are
today.”
What Would Winning The Final Labor
Day Weekend Race Mean?
“Winning any race in this
series is big these days. So, I’m not going to be picky. We
will take a win any place and any time. But yeah, winning
this weekend would put you in the history books. There are a
lot of great drivers who have won this race over the years
and to be the last guy to win the Labor Day race would be
pretty cool.”
Will Darlington Be Any Different
Next Year In November?
“The obvious answer I guess is
the cooler weather. The cooler weather will help the track.
That should be better for the drivers as far as grip on the
race track. We might be a bit faster with the added grip.
Look, they could run it on Christmas Day and Darlington will
be the same old tough Darlington it’s always been.”
The audio segment
below is #10 Valvoline driver,
Johnny Benson discussing Darlington Motor Speedway
Click Play to Listen
Benson Darlington Record
Race Year S F
Spring 2003 22 25
Fall 2002 24 33
Spring 2002 27 34
Fall 2001 17 14
Spring 2001 4 7
Fall 2000 2 38
Spring 2000 29 24
Fall 1999 20 32
Spring 1999 2 18
Fall 1998 11 21
Spring 1998 21 8
Fall 1997 18 19
Spring 1997 36 10
Fall 1996 27 11
Spring 1996 38 24
Benson 2003 Record
S F
Daytona 40 19
Rockingham 2 13
Las Vegas 16 12
Atlanta 23 11
Darlington 22 25
Bristol 20 19
Texas 13 32
Talladega 17 41
Martinsville 28 32
California 32 36
Richmond 13 15
Charlotte 10 24
Dover 30 5
Pocono 25 24
Michigan 26 25
Infineon 25 30
Daytona 22 27
Chicago 36 18
Loudon 26 26
Pocono 29 20
Indianapolis 40 13
Watkins Glen 27 27
Michigan 35 10
Bristol 32 14
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THE RACE: Mountain Dew Southern 500
Winston Cup Race #25 of 36 for the
2003 Winston Cup season
Race: Sunday, August 31, 2003 in
Darlington, SC
TV: NBC - 1:00pm/et
Pre-Race Show: NBC - 12:30pm/et -
hosted by Bill Weber
Scheduled Race Re-Air: a one-hour
recap] of the race will air on Wednesday,
September 3rd at 7:00pm/et and again
on September 4th at 1:00am/et; a full
three-hour race show will re-air at
12:00pm/et on Thursday, September 4th
Announcers: Allen Bestwick, Benny
Parsons, Wally Dallenbach
Pit Reporters: Bill Weber, Matt Yocum,
Marty Snider, Dave Burns
War Wagon: Bill Weber and many guests
Purse/Race Awards: was $4,074,660 in
2002
2002 Race Winner: Jeff Gordon,
118.617mph, started 3rd
Track Race Record: Dale Earnhardt, Mar
1993, 139.958mph
Event Race Record: Jeff Gordon, Sept
1998, 139.031mph
Slowest Race Record: Fonty Flock, Sept
1952, 74.512mph
Oldest Winner: Harry Gant, 51 years, 7
months, 22 days, Sept 1991
Youngest Winner: Terry Labonte, 23
years, 9 months, 16 days, Sept 1980
Most Laps Led: Johnny Mantz, Sept
1950, 351 laps
Most Cautions: 15, March 1995
Most Caution Laps: 101, Sept 1974
Race Won from the Top 10: 88 of 100
[88%]
Race Won from the Top 15: 95 of 100
[95%]
Other Winning Starting Spots [5]: 23rd
- 1; 31st -1; 37th - 2; 43rd - 1
Worst Starting Spot to Win: Johnny
Mantz, Sept 1950, started 43rd [75 started,
3 abreast]
Track/Race Length: 1.366 egg-shaped
oval, 367 laps, 501.3 miles
Pit Road Speed: 45mph
Practice
Practice: Friday, August 29th, 11:20am
- 1:20pm/et; and Saturday, 10:30 - 11:15am/et
Happy Hour Practice: Saturday, August 30th, 12:10 -
12:55pm/et on TV-Speed
Qualifying
Qualifying Draw: Friday, August 29th,
10:20am/et
First Round Qualifying: 2 laps for
positions 1-36, Friday, August 29th at
3:05pm/et, TV-Speed Channel live,
re-air on Friday, August 29th at 9:30pm/et
and Saturday, August 30th at
2:30am/et.
Race/Event Qualifying Record: Kenny
Irwin Jr, September 1999, 170.970mph
Track Qualifying Record: Ward Burton,
Mar 1996, 173.797mph
Last Year's Pole Sitter: none - rained
out.
Track Specs:
Banking: Turns 1/2 - 25 degrees, width
79 ft; Turns 3/4 - 23 degrees, width 62
ft; Front - 3 degrees, Back - 2
degrees.
Frontstretch 1,229 ft long, 90 ft
wide;
Backstretch - 1,229 ft long, 90 ft
wide
Pit Road: Length: 2,025 feet, Width:
46 feet
Track Repaved in late 1995
Grandstand Seating: 65,000
10 Valvoline Pontiac Team Television
Information
Pit Contact: James Ince or Drew Brown
Owners: Valvoline (Jim Rocco)/MB2
Motorsports (Tom Beard, Nelson Bowers, Read
Morton)
Crew Chief/Car Chief: James Ince
Engine Builder: Hendrick Motorsports
Spotter (Race Day) Jay Guy
Spotter (Practice Only) Russell
Hoekwater
Engine Tuner John Kendrach
Over The Wall Pit Crew
Front Tire Changer Rick (Fuzz)
Burgdoff
Front Tire Carrier Shane Cooke
Rear Tire Changer Greg Burkhart
Rear Tire Carrier Steve Genenbacher
Gasman Jimmy Watts
Tire Specialist Skippy Johnson
Catch Can Steve Mann
Jackman Brian Perry
Other Crew Members
Truck Driver: Jerry Hess
Mechanic: David Baum
Shocks: Mike Cluka
Tires: Jeff (Skippy) Johnson
Engineer: Tim Turner
Computers & Gas Runner: John Hayes
Scorer: Terry Lane
Pit Stop Coach: Gary Smith
PR Rep: Drew Brown
