--This isn't your daddy’s Darlington

--All he can do is watch

-- Top 5 and 5 to watch: Darlington

-- The Top 35: The No. 22 Toyota Jumps Up Three Spots And Inches Towards Top 35

--Richmond Ratings Highest Ever

DARLINGTON, S.C. --Bill Elliott, who hasn’t raced at Darlington since 2003, hardly recognized Darlington Raceway when he showed up to practice the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford on Thursday.

DARLINGTON, S.C. --Clearly favoring his broken left ankle, Dario Franchitti climbed -- gingerly -- up a flight of stairs to an observation platform to watch Sterling Marlin take practice laps in the No. 40 Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge. Franchitti sustained the injury in a Nationwide Series wreck at Talladega two weeks ago, and his return date to the No. 40 is yet to be determined.

Here’s a look at the top five in points and five drivers to watch in Saturday night’s Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway. All statistical references are for Sprint Cup races at Darlington unless otherwise indicated.

The No. 22 Caterpillar Toyota, driven by Dave Blaney and owned by Bill Davis, was the biggest mover and shaker last week in the battle for the top 35.

The Dan Lowry 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway last Saturday was the most viewed NASCAR event in the history of the racetrack, according to RIR officials. The race, which was broadcast live on Fox, earned a 4.5 final national rating, up 5 percent from last year's 4.3 final national rating.

NASCAR Number
By Bill Marx, The Sporting News,May 9

Today's NASCAR Number is this week's Daily Double.

1,091: Cup series-high laps run inside the top 15 by Jeff Gordon in races at Darlington in the past three years. Of the 1,104 laps run, Gordon has spent 13 outside the 15.

3: Laps run by Kyle Petty inside the top 15 in those same three races. Petty was outside the top 15 in his other 1,093 laps.

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This Day in NASCAR History
By Bill Marx, The Sporting News,May 9

1981: Benny Parsons, in his only season driving for owner Bud Moore, gets his first of three wins for Moore, winning the Melling Tool 420 at Nashville (Tenn.) Speedway. Parsons leads 209 laps and beats Darrell Waltrip by a car length. Waltrip leads one lap, and Ricky Rudd, who finishes fifth, leads the other 210.