NASCAR stars predict 'out of control' Darlington race after power increase

NASCAR stars have predicted a wild race at Darlington this weekend, with the Cup Series set to run its increased horsepower short track package at the track for the first time.

Most drivers appear cautiously excited for the challenge, with Denny Hamlin predicting huge levels of tire fall-off as the Lady In Black shreds the Goodyear rubber.

Chase Briscoe joined his Joe Gibbs Racing team-mate in predicting an 'out of control' race, admitting that his sim sessions in the leadup to the race have been wreck-heavy.

Justin Allgaier will be returning to replace Alex Bowman in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports car as the 32-year-old continues to recover from vertigo, and predicted that the race might look more like his typical O'Reilly Series race than normal.

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Briscoe: Crashing every corner, every lap

Hamlin spoke on the race earlier this week, saying: "Heads up on Darlington. You want to see some cars out of control? There cars, with essentially little to no underbody – because we're not going to the short track aerodynamic package – these cars are out of control. I am predicting four seconds of fall-off...it might be more."

Briscoe, meanwhile, said: "It's going to be out of control. It's going to be, I think, the hardest track we run on all year long. I've ran the sim now for probably a week and a half, and you are crashing every corner, every lap."

And as for Allgaier...: "I definitely hope it's not as extreme as some, I know Denny and Chase Briscoe had some comments about how on the crazy side it's going to be, and I've obviously heard the other side of it.

"I do think that one or two teams could potentially hit on something that ultimately makes them extremely fast, that maybe not everyone else is able to accomplish. With everyone being out of grip, it's probably more in line with what our O'Reilly Series race is."