The Importance Of Starting Up Front At Darlington
Starting up front at Darlington is important, especially if a driver wants to win. Over the last thirteen Darlington races only once has this race been won from a starting position lower than 12th. The average starting position of a winner over this stretch is 7.61.
Last year Kevin Harvick won from the pole. Of the drivers who started in the top ten only four of them finished in the top ten. That number would’ve been higher if it wasn’t for attrition and late pit strategy.
In 2013 Matt Kenseth won from the 7th place starting position. The first six finishers in that race started in the top ten. Of the top fourteen finishers in that event 9 of them started in the top ten. All the drivers who started in the top ten finished in the top seventeen.
