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Kyle Busch has matured, and become a better driver this year, making him tougher to beat in the Sprint Cup Series, writes Johnny Benson of NBCSports.com.

Keys to success at Darlington
I tested at Darlington after it was resurfaced not too long ago, and although the track has the same unique shape it’s had in the past -- one end is different than the other meaning teams have to set cars up for almost two different types of corners – with the new pavement the oval has become extremely fast, so finding balance in the cars is going to be no easy task.

The drivers who will have the best chance at a win are those who have a car that proves better running through Turns 3 and 4. It’s considerably easier to get through Turns 1 and 2 than it is Turns 3 and 4. The new track surface has a lot of grip and is very smooth. The layout is tight, making Darlington an extremely demanding track.

With the new surface tire wear won’t be as big of an issue as it was in the past and so teams can be a little more aggressive in their setups. Tire management will not be as crucial as it used to be at Darlington.

Patience is needed for Darlington's racing groove, which historically had been real narrow and got even narrower after the installation of SAFER barriers in 2004.

In the past drivers would strictly race the track, but with the new pavement they can be a bit more daring and the quality of racing should improve. There should be more side-by-side racing. Qualifying takes on an added importance since no driver wants to start in the back because of the increased likelihood of getting caught up in a wreck.

With the track banked in the corners any debris (dust, tire rubber or residue from any track cleaning product) that is blowing around is going to roll down and collect on the apron of the track so entering the pits can be a problem since drivers have to be extremely careful not to get caught up in any debris that has collected and spin out, especially when pitting under a green flag.

And with the new pavement speeds could be up entering the pits which will make it more difficult to get in since cars will be going from the new surface on the track to the old surface in the pits and the old surface lacks grip.