Everything was set up for Denny Hamlin to succeed going into the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase presented by Mobil 1 ... until The Chase actually started, that is. Two-thirds of the way through Sunday‘s Chase opener at Darlington Raceway,

Hocevar says spinning Brad Keselowski was the product of hard racing—not dirty driving—and insists he has nothing to apologize for despite growing criticism from fellow NASCAR drivers.

Darlington Raceway plays host to the Southern 500. Denny Hamlin is favored in the Southern 500. Chase Briscoe has won this race two straight years. In addition to outright win picks, you can select drivers to finish in the Top 3, 5, or 10.

NASCAR Cup Series standings after Darlington, including all 16 Chase drivers, updated points and the championship gaps after the Southern 500.

Tyler Reddick will start up front for the Southern 500 after lightning canceled qualifying at Darlington Raceway on Saturday

DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Christopher Bell was downright jubilant in his first visit to Darlington Raceway\"s Victory Lane, grabbing one of the champagne bottles for an obligatory post-race dousing of colleagues.

Christopher Bell snapped a 33-race winless streak, claiming his first victory of the year in Sunday night's Cook Out Southern 500, coming after a record-breaking mark of seven runner-up efforts on the season.

The Chase for the title will start today in one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races, the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in its typical slot on Labor Day weekend. The 10-race playoffs appropriately begin on the egg-shaped layout known as “The Track Too Tough to Tame.

Bubba Wallace and his No. 23 23XI team made NASCAR history during the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway with a record-setting performance.

Carson Hocevar turned an early NASCAR Chase incident into the biggest talking point from the Cook Out Southern 500 after Brad Keselowski spun on Lap 107. Hocevar’s response only added to the tension.