Darlington Raceway | Race Recap
DARLINGTON, S.C. (April 6, 2025) - The NASCAR Cup Series raced at Darlington Raceway this weekend celebrating its “Throwback Weekend” and the Goodyear 400. The No. 42 Dollar Tree team sported a tribute livery honoring John Hunter Nemechek’s father’s 1998 scheme, while Erik Jones took to the track in a “Petty Blue” and “Day-Glo Red” AdventHealth Toyota, paying homage to the late John Andretti’s 1998 ride. After 400 miles of intense racing, it was Denny Hamlin who conquered the track famously known as “Too Tough to Tame” and claimed victory.
Below is a look at how each of the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entries fared.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK | NO. 42 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
After starting 27th, the first of three stages of the Goodyear 400, John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 42 Dollar Tree team battled the car’s handling early on. Just three laps into the race, the first caution flag came out, giving the team an opportunity to jump off strategy and gain track position by staying out while many others pitted for tires. This move helped Nemechek climb as high as 16th during the opening stage. However, he reported that his Toyota Camry XSE was initially tight, then loose, which led to a drop in performance. With 20 laps to go in the stage, the leader had caught and passed Nemechek, putting them a lap down. Just 12 laps later, a yellow flag came out for a multi-car accident, allowing the No. 42 Dollar Tree team to take the wave around and get back on the lead lap to finish Stage 1 in 32nd.
Stage 2 kicked off with a long green-flag run, and Nemechek remained in the back half of the field. Crew chief Travis Mack identified lap 140 as the optimal window for a pit stop. While others began cycling through pit stops as early as lap 131, the No. 42 Dollar Tree team stayed disciplined and stuck to their plan. That patience paid off—just as they were preparing to pit, the No. 6 car spun, eventually making it to pit road, but NASCAR threw a caution on lap 138 for debris. The well-timed yellow vaulted Nemechek up to 12th.
During the caution, the team made aggressive adjustments to improve the balance of the Toyota Camry XSE. The changes were well-received, with Nemechek radioing on lap 147, “more of that adjustment.” The remainder of the stage ran caution-free, and Nemechek brought the No. 42 home in 14th for the end of stage two.
At the stage break, Nemechek confirmed the adjustments were a step in the right direction, saying he felt more grip. Mack called for more changes during the next stop.
Starting the final stage in 17th, Nemechek focused on maintaining the track position he had worked hard to gain. Again, Nemechek reported that the No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE started off tight but would quickly transition to being loose after a few laps. Despite slipping back a few positions, he stayed within striking distance of the top 20. With the leaders on a fast pace, it was on lap 267 of 293, Nemechek went a lap down to the leader. Just shy of the end of the race, another spin on the backstretch sent the race into overtime. The No. 42 Dollar Tree team took the wave around and got back on the lead lap for the final restart. On the final lap, Nemechek lost the handling of his No. 42 machine and spun down the backstretch, he was able to limp the car back to the finish for a disappointing 30th-place result.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTABLE:
“It just was not our day. We lacked grip most of the day – the team made some good adjustments during the middle stage, and we were able to get some track position, but we lost it at the end. We’ll move on to Bristol.”
ERIK JONES | NO. 43 ADVENTHEALTH TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
START: 34TH | FINISH: 17TH | POINTS: 28TH
Erik Jones started the race deep in the field at 34th. A spin in the opening laps allowed the two-time Darlington winner to bring the No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota to pit road on Lap 7 for fresh tires and fuel. Jones would be scored 31st on the restart.
Midway through the stage Jones said the car had no grip, was tight in the middle and a little loose off. The team pitted again on Lap 26 for a chassis adjustment, tires, and fuel. The adjustments worked as Jones was up to 24th by Lap 50 and said the No. 43 was a little tight but pretty good on track. A late-race strategy call to put scuff tires on showed Jones finishing Stage 1 in the 35th position.
Due to the strategy, Jones started Stage 2 from the 21st position and by Lap 110 he cracked the top 15. Halfway through the tire run Jones was 14th with 60 to go in Stage 2. Jones moved up to third before pitting at Lap 138 for tires and fuel – but a caution flag flew, and Jones passed the pit. this would push Jones back to 13th for the restart. Jones quickly moved into 11th with 20 laps remaining in Stage 2 – which is where he finished.
The team pitted at the stage break for tires and fuel setting Jones set sail in 12th for the start of the final stage. With 75 to go in the race, Jones was in 10th and said he was saving his tires for later in the run. With 51 laps remaining in the race, Jones brought the No. 43 to the pits for tires and fuel. After the long pit cycle Jones found himself in 16th in the closing laps. The handling of the No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota went “way loose” as Jones held on for 19th place. He pitted with one lap remaining in regulation for tires, fuel and an adjustment to finish the race in overtime. At the end of the race, Jones would be scored in the 17th place.
ERIK JONES QUOTABLE:
“We had a strong car mid-race but the final stage we just got way loose, I couldn't move forward. We had a top-10 car it just got way too loose when it mattered.”
NEXT UP: The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the track known as “The Last Great Colosseum,” Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, April 13 for the Food City 500. The race will broadcast on Fox Sports 1, MAX, PRN, and SiriusXM – NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
