Darlington Raceway | RACE RECAP
DARLINGTON, S.C. (Sept. 1, 2024) – It’s time for one of the longest standing events, the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s John Hunter Nemechek in the No. 42 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE started 18th while Erik Jones in the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE started 28th. It was the final race of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, so the temperature outside wasn’t the only thing that was hot. Bubba Wallace started the race from the pole and the “Lady in Black” saw Chase Briscoe take home the checkered flag.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK | NO. 42 Mobil 1 TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
START: 18TH | FINISH: 25TH | POINTS: 33RD
As the regular season on the NASCAR Cup Series was set to close at the conclusion of the Cook Out Southern 500, all the drivers on the outside of the playoffs were going to need to make a move to get in. John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team was in that position. The North Carolina native knew it was going to be a long race and that he needed to be there at the end.
As the 367-lap race began, it only took two laps for the first yellow flag to be displayed for the No. 19 and No. 12 who collected to each other in a wreck. Still early in the race, Nemechek managed to work his way forward to the 15th running spot. After this first yellow, the field started to settle in and log some laps. As the laps were starting be posted, Nemechek was battled a tight to loose handling issue on his No. 42 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE, as a result, he started to drop in the standings. At the conclusion of the first stage, Nemechek landed 29th on the standings, minus one lap to the leader.
During the stage break, Nemechek provided a detailed break down of how his No. 42 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE was handling. Ultimately, he was looking for more grip, especially as the sun was starting to set on the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval. Crew chief Ben Beshore called for a major air-pressure adjustment in an effort to give his driver what he needed.
Being mired a lap down and back in the standings, Nemechek and the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team was going to need some yellow flags to get the lap back and put them back into contention. During the longest stage of the evening, those yellow flags didn’t fall as the entire second stage saw green flag racing, making it difficult to catch up. However, the handling on the No. 42 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE was trending better throughout the stage, as Nemechek said the run just before Stage 2 concluded was the best his car handled, and his lap times showed that as he was running times equal to those cars that were running inside the top-five.
Beshore continued to work to give his driver more of what he needed for the final stage of the night. Nemechek continued to battle, as he said he was lacking rear grip. Green flag pit stops ensued with 90 laps remaining in the race. The No. 42 was issued a penalty for equipment interference, forcing the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team to make a pass down pit road under green, putting the team four laps down. Just prior to, Beshore called his driver down pit road for service, a yellow flag on lap 314 slowed the field. An opportunity to gain one of their laps back, he kept his driver on the track and was going to need another quick yellow so they could get some fresh Goodyear tires and fuel. The last half of the final stage saw plentiful of fireworks on the track with several cars being collected. Although their race car saw some solid lap times after they were able to make adjustments, it was a long night for the No. 42 Mobil 1 team. Nemechek closed out the race in 25th, three laps down
ERIK JONES | NO. 43 dollar tree TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
START: 28TH | FINISH: 24TH | POINTS: 27TH
The Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway kicked off in the blazing heat shortly after 6:00pm. The No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE started the race in the 28th position. A quick caution forced the No. 43 to lock its front left tire, checking up to avoid the wreck. Luckily, the damage was minimal and the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB crew opted to stay out and not pit. Breaking the top-20 shortly before the 20th lap, wheelman Erik Jones and spotter Rick Carelli were a dynamic duo, clearing one car after the next. Noted as the “biggest mover” on lap 23, Jones moved up 11 positions and gave the crew a note saying “pretty good right now”, relaying to the Dollar Tree team that no adjustments were needed. The team pitted and enhanced the car with four new Goodyear tires and a fresh load of Sunoco fuel. On lap 46, Jones radioed to crew chief Dave Elenz and team that he was a “little snug firing off” - Erik received a “10-4” and kept racing to his full potential. The team pitted again for new tires and fuel and as Jones ran a couple of laps, he called out a couple more intricacies of the car, whether tight or free, as well as grip conditions, to let the team know of adjustments that could be made. Carelli encouraged the No. 43 driver saying, “Keep running that, you’re looking good on the pace”, and “You’re matching times with the leader”, with about 30 laps to go in Stage 1. It was a calm last 30 laps for the entire NASCAR field, no yellow flags flew until the end of the Stage, where the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE finished in the 18th position.
At the end of Stage 1, Jones and Elenz went back and forth giving feedback and suggestions on how to improve the car and what adjustments to make. Jones noted that as time went on, the car became more loose and it was decided to make an adjustment to the air pressure in the tires. The team pitted for four tires and fuel before heading out to begin Stage 2.
Jones sported the white, green, and gold Toyota Camry to the top-15 on lap 126. Competition was fierce, as everyone was hungry for a last-minute win to get into the playoffs. The field seemed to find their groove as they spread out and the track cooled off. Jones noted that it was hard to work in traffic, especially when competition he was battling runs in the middle. He also radioed that he was too tight overall. The Dollar Tree decorated team pitted for tires and fuel mid-stage before taking more laps at the “Lady in Black.” On lap 174, Jones told the team that he was lacking grip on the track and that the car doesn’t feel bad, he just felt like he should be going faster. Only 10 laps later did Erik radio to the team that the car was trending free. The Dollar Tree crew quickly pitted to adjust any minor issues and to add new tires and fuel, making two consecutive 9.2-second pit stops. Shortly after hitting lap 200, Jones relayed to the crew that the steering was off, and he felt as if something was broken. Thinking that maybe the left front tire wasn’t 100% on, the No. 43 crew came down pit road to add new tires in hopes to resolve the issue. Erik took a spin with the new wheels, but it didn’t seem like it was the correct solution.
During the stage break, the Dollar Tree Toyota came down pit road and the team popped the hood to make some adjustments and made another lap before pitting for fuel and tires. At the beginning of Stage 3, Elenz gave Jones the good news, stating that everything seemed secured and in place. The team battled with this issue throughout the entire stage, brainstorming ways to improve it. After multiple pit stops and deliberations, it was determined that there was a broken toe link, as the car was skewing to the right, even down the straightaways. With not much solve to the way the car was handling, the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry fought hard to keep up with the pace, finishing the Southern 500 in the 24th position.
NEXT UP: The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs kick off next weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Be sure to tune in for the Quaker State 400 on Sunday, Sept. 8 to USA Network at 3:00 pm ET or listen to it on PRN or SiriusXM Channel 90.
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ABOUT DOLLAR TREE, INC.: Dollar Tree, a Fortune 200 Company, operated 16,622 stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces as of October 28, 2023. Stores operate under the brands of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree Canada. To learn more about the Company, visit dollartree.com.
ABOUT MOBIL 1: For 50 years, Mobil 1 has been trusted by drivers to keep their engines running longer. Our products combine the latest technology and innovation to exceed the toughest standards of vehicle manufacturers and tuning shops—so consumers can get the most out of their time behind the wheel, both on the road and on the track. Turn every day into an adventure with Mobil 1, the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand. Learn more at www.mobil1.us or and follow @Mobil1Racing on Instagram and X. Join us. For the love of driving.
ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice "Maury" J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The CLUB competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty "The King" serves as Club Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.
