NASCAR races back with midweek Cup Series event

Previewing Wednesday’s Toyota 500, plus a trackside reporter’s take on Sunday.

Speed freaks

Godspeak ( Kelly Godwin): It was good to see stock cars on the track again, but strange there were no fans. All things considered, it was worth the wait. Goodbye, cartoon races.

Ken’s call ( Ken Willis): It was hardly a Darlington classic, but the subtle and unsubtle nuances of Darlington were there for hard- core fans. It beat the hell out of internet marble races. Godspeak: Tyler Reddick continues to impress. He took a probable 15thplace car and muscled it up to seventh. It was a great run for the rookie.

Ken’s call: John Hunter Nemechek finished 9th for a team ( Front Row) that gets a top- 10 once every 50- plus combined races in its 15 years. That’s my guy.

Questions & attitude

Kevin Harvick now at 50 wins. Will any other current driver get there?

Denny Hamlin is at 38 wins and pushing 40 years old, and he could, or he could stall a bit and run out of time. Joey Logano ( nearly 30 with 25 wins) and Brad Keselowski ( age 36, 30 wins) could also conceivably do it. But there are a lot of moving parts, on and off the track, and a lot of things have to go right for a driver to reach 50 wins. For all we know, Harvick might be the last for a very long time.

How do you rate Matt Kenseth’s comeback?

It’s like he never left. The guy could always roll off the futon, kiss the kids goodbye and go finish 10th, anytime and anywhere. It’s certainly admirable that Mild Matt, at 48, could go 18 months without racing and finish 10th ( at Darlington, no less) without a warm- up, but frankly I’m just not surprised. Death, taxes and Matt Kenseth in the top 10. – Ken Willis

The Daytona Motor Mouths

Godwin Kelly and Ken Willis have covered NASCAR since bias- ply tires and Unocal kept things rolling. Follow their work at News- JournalOnline. com

WHAT’S ON TAP

( All times Eastern)

CUP SERIES: Toyota 500

Site: Darlington Raceway Schedule: Wednesday at 6 p. m. on Fox Sports Network

CUP SERIES: Coca- Cola 600

Site: Charlotte Motor Speedway ( 1.5mile quad- oval)

Schedule: Sunday, qualifying ( Fox Sports 1, 2 p. m.), race ( Fox, 6 p. m.)

XFINITY: Alsco 300

Site: Charlotte Motor Speedway Schedule: Monday, race ( Fox Sports 1, 7: 30 p. m.)

GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES: N. C. Education Lottery 200

Site: Charlotte Motor Speedway Schedule: Tuesday, race ( Fox Sports 1, 8 p. m.)

GODWIN’S WEDNESDAY PICKS

Winner: Martin Truex Jr.

Rest of top five: Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth First one out: Kurt Busch

Dark horse: Matt DiBenedetto Don’t be surprised if: The veteran drivers control the final laps of this race.

BY THE NUMBERS

120 Cup Series races held at Charlotte 1960 year Charlotte motor speedway opened

NASCAR CUP SERIES POINTS

1. Kevin Harvick ................................... 218

2. Alex Bowman .................................. 190

3. Joey Logano .................................... 185

4. Chase Elliott .................................... 178

5. Brad Keselowski ............................. 158

6. Denny Hamlin ................................. 154

7. Aric Almirola .................................... 151

8. Ryan Blaney...................................... 144

9. Matt DiBenedetto .......................... 141

10. Clint Bowyer .................................. 135

11. Martin Truex Jr. ............................ 135

12. Jimmie Johnson ........................... 132

13. Kurt Busch ..................................... 129

14. Kyle Busch ..................................... 122

15. Kyle Larson .................................... 121

16. Chris Buescher ............................. 107

17. Erik Jones ...................................... 107

18. Austin Dillon .................................. 103

19. Bubba Wallace .............................. 103

20. Tyler Reddick ................................ 101