The NASCAR playoffs are here, and 16 drivers are ready to chase their championship dreams.
For 10 weeks, drivers will compete against the rest of the Cup Series field until a champion is crowned on Nov. 5 at Phoenix Raceway. But before the series reaches Phoenix, contenders will have to survive three eliminations as four drivers will be eliminated after the third, sixth and ninth races, leaving a final four to race for the title.
The first battle will take place in one of the most famous races in NASCAR history: the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, a track known simultaneously as “Too Tough to Tame” and “The Lady in Black.”
Seven of the 16 drivers have won at the South Carolina track, most notably Denny Hamlin, who has four wins at Darlington, including two in the Southern 500. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver, who enters the playoffs as the No. 3 seed behind teammate Martin Truex Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron, has finished in the top five at Darlington in 55% of the races he’s competed in and in the top 10 73% of the time.
Will Hamlin surge to the top at Darlington again? Here is all the information you need to get ready for Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500:
The Cook Out Southern 500 starts at 6 p.m. ET at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina.
USA Network is broadcasting the Cook Out Southern 500 and has a pre-race show beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET, while USA and Peacock will have a post-race show at 10:30 p.m. ET.
The Cook Out Southern 500 can be live streamed on the NBC Sports website and the NBC Sports app.
NASCAR PLAYOFFS: Meet the 16 drivers who will race for the 2023 championship
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(*-former champion)
The Cook Out Southern 500 is 367 laps around the 1.366-mile oval for a total of 501.32 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 115 laps; Stage 2: 115 laps; Stage 3: 137 laps.
William Byron led seven laps, including both laps in overtime, before holding off Kevin Harvick by 0.781 seconds on May 14, 2023.
And one year ago in the playoff race, Erik Jones, a non-playoff driver, led the final 23 laps before edging Denny Hamlin by 0.252 seconds on Sept. 4, 2022.
(Car number in parentheses; P-playoff driver)
1. (20) Christopher Bell (P), Toyota
2. (11) Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota
3. (45) Tyler Reddick (P), Toyota
4. (12) Ryan Blaney (P), Ford
5. (6) Brad Keselowski (P), Ford
6. (22) Joey Logano (P), Ford
7. (4) Kevin Harvick (P), Ford
8. (17) Chris Buescher (P), Ford
9. (34) Michael McDowell (P), Ford
10. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford
11. (8) Kyle Busch (P), Chevrolet
12. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford
13. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
14. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford
15. (42) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
16. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
17. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
18. (5) Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet
19. (23) Bubba Wallace (P), Toyota
20. (43) Erik Jones, Chevrolet
21. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
22. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet
23. (24) William Byron (P), Chevrolet
24. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
25. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (P), Chevrolet
26. (77) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
27. (1) Ross Chastain (P), Chevrolet
28. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
29. (31) Justin Haley, Chevrolet
30. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford
31. (19) Martin Truex Jr. (P), Toyota
32. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford
33. (15) JJ Yeley, Ford
34. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford
35. (51) Ryan Newman, Ford
36. (78) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet
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