NASCAR Darlington may be in limelight

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Darlington Raceway president Chris Browning wasn't a fan of NASCAR's new championship chase playoff. But after listening to fans, watching tickets sell and knowing the title could be won on his track, Browning has had a change of heart.
"It has definitely created a buzz around here," he said Monday.
The Southern 500, the last one in Nextel Cup history, will be run Nov. 14 as the next to last of the 10 races in the new format. And while there's an outside chance someone in the final 10 might win the title by then, Browning says it's more likely Darlington will choose the champion.
With that in mind, fourth-place Tony Stewart and fifth-place Matt Kenseth, whose season-long dominance in winning last year's title partly led to the new system, have scheduled practice at the 1.366-mile track.
On Aug. 24, points leader Jeff Gordon took part in an exhibition when Darlington debuted its lighting system. Track officials say Jimmie Johnson, Gordon's teammate and the chase's second-place driver, canceled a November test for Darlington the day after the No. 24 car's night laps.
Not that Gordon and Johnson need much practice on "The Track Too Tough To Tame." Gordon shares the record of five Southern 500s with Cale Yarborough. Johnson took Darlington's final March event this year.
"Jeff seems to have a pretty good handle on Darlington," Browning said. "The way Jimmie won here in March undoubtedly makes them two of the top guys."
The others in the top 10 are Dale Earnhardt Jr. (third), Elliott Sadler (sixth), Kurt Busch (seventh), Mark Martin (eighth), Jeremy Mayfield (ninth) and Ryan Newman (10th).
"When all is said and done, it'll be better for the sport because it brings even more interest," driver Ken Schrader said.
The race will start in the afternoon but most likely finish under the lights. Browning says lighting technicians will make adjustments next week.
Browning, the former head of defunct North Carolina Speedway, moved into his new home recently. He says the workers were taken by the August light show.
"They kept saying, 'Wow, that's going to be so cool for Darlington,' " he said.
The enthusiasm is reflected in ticket sales -- not for November but the track's 2005 date on Mother's Day weekend in May. Browning says ticket renewals to the Saturday night event, the first Nextel Cup race under the lights, are tracking ahead of previous springs.
Blood pumping
While Darlington still has a "ways to go" before selling out the Southern 500, Browning expects the chase format to get fans' blood pumping, especially with the chance to see the championship decided at the 55-year-old track.
Browning says the best thing for Darlington, trying to stay on the Nextel Cup schedule for 2006 and beyond, would be to sell out two to three weeks before the Southern 500, then have the chase clinched at Darlington.
"That would really send a strong message," he said.