The 2016 Bojangles' Southern 500, the 67th running of the event, was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race that was held on September 4, 2016, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. Contested over 367 laps on the egg-shaped oval, it was the 25th race of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Furniture Row Racing's Martin Truex Jr. won the race by holding off Kevin Harvick to earn his second victory of the 2016 season.
Brad Keselowski made his way to a second-place finish, The race had eight lead changes among different drivers and ten cautions for 52 laps.
Entry list The preliminary entry list for the race included 40 cars and was released on August 27, 2016, at 1:52 p.m. Eastern time.
Driver Team Manufacturer Throwback1Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevroletBill Elliott's No. 94 Mac Tonight paint scheme from 19972Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord1972 Miller Lite design3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevroletRicky Rudd's 1983 car when he won RCR's first Cup race4Kevin HarvickStewart–Haas RacingChevroletCale Yarborough's 1979 Daytona 500 car5Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevroletTerry Labonte's 1982 car6Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFordMark Martin's 1996–1997 car7Regan SmithTommy Baldwin RacingChevroletAlan Kulwicki's 1992 car10Danica PatrickStewart–Haas RacingChevroletRetro-inspired Nature's Bakery car11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaDarrell Waltrip-inspired car13Casey MearsGermain RacingChevroletSmokey Yunick's car that was driven by Mario Andretti and Curtis Turner in 1966 and 196714Tony StewartStewart–Haas RacingChevroletBobby Allison's Coca-Cola car in 1971 and 197215Clint BowyerHScott MotorsportsChevroletBenny Parsons' 1973 championship-winning car16Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFordAlan Kulwicki's 1992 Hooters car17Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFordDarrell Waltrip's car when he won his first Cup race in 197518Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaDale Jarrett's 1993 car19Carl EdwardsJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaTony Stewart's 1999 car when he drove for JGR20Matt KensethJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaTide-sponsored car, inspired by Darrell Waltrip's 1989 Daytona 500 and Ricky Craven's 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400-winning cars21Ryan Blaney (R)Wood Brothers RacingFordDavid Pearson's 1976 car22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFordBobby Labonte's 1998 Busch Series car, the first time Shell had sponsored a car23David RaganBK RacingToyotaDr Pepper car with its "I'm a Pepper" slogan24Chase Elliott (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevroletNAPA Auto Parts delivery trucks in the 1960s27Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevroletThe original paint scheme for Al Unser Jr.'s car at the 1993 Daytona 500 before crashing in his qualifying race30Josh WiseThe Motorsports GroupChevroletDale Earnhardt's No. 30 Army car from 197631Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevroletRicky Rudd's 1983 car when he won RCR's first Cup race32Jeffrey Earnhardt (R)Go FAS RacingFordDale Earnhardt's Wrangler car from the 1980s34Chris Buescher (R)Front Row MotorsportsFordInspired by the first Love's Travel Stop opened in 198138Landon CassillFront Row MotorsportsFordJ. D. McDuffie-inspired car41Kurt BuschStewart–Haas RacingChevroletThe VF-1, Haas Automation's first CNC machine42Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevroletEddie Cheever's 1990 IndyCar scheme, the first motorsports sponsorship for Target Corporation43Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFordRichard Petty's 1979 Daytona 500-winning car44Brian Scott (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsFordN/A46Michael AnnettHScott MotorsportsChevroletCurrent paint scheme with 1970s Pilot Flying J logos47A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevroletBruce Hill's 1977 car48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevroletDale Earnhardt's 1979 car driven by David Pearson as a substitute driver55Reed SorensonPremium MotorsportsChevroletN/A78Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyotaAuto-Owners Insurance 100th anniversary scheme83Matt DiBenedettoBK RacingToyota1970s Orange Crush design88Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevroletBuddy Baker's "Gray Ghost" car from 1979 and 198095Michael McDowellCircle Sport – Leavine Family RacingChevroletRichard Childress' 1970s car98Cole WhittPremium MotorsportsChevroletLeeRoy Yarbrough's 1969 Daytona 500 and Southern 500 winning carOfficial entry list
Qualifying
NASCAR cancelled all Friday activities and rescheduled both practice sessions in place of qualifying for Saturday due to rain from Hurricane Hermine. Kevin Harvick was awarded the pole position as a result.
Starting lineup Driver Team Manufacturer 14Kevin HarvickStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet 22Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord 319Carl EdwardsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota 441Kurt BuschStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet 522Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord 618Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota 711Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota 878Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyota 948Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet 1020Matt KensethJoe Gibbs RacingToyota 1124Chase Elliott (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet 123Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet 131Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet 1431Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet 1588Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet 1642Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet 1714Tony StewartStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet 185Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet 196Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFord 2021Ryan Blaney (R)Wood Brothers RacingFord 2147A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet 2217Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord 2316Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord 2427Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet 2510Danica PatrickStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet 2643Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord 2715Clint BowyerHScott MotorsportsChevrolet 2813Casey MearsGermain RacingChevrolet 2938Landon CassillFront Row MotorsportsFord 3095Michael McDowellCircle Sport – Leavine Family RacingChevrolet 3134Chris Buescher (R)Front Row MotorsportsFord 3223David RaganBK RacingToyota 337Regan SmithTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet 3444Brian Scott (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsFord 3583Matt DiBenedettoBK RacingToyota 3698Cole WhittPremium MotorsportsChevrolet 3746Michael AnnettHScott MotorsportsChevrolet 3832Jeffrey Earnhardt (R)Go FAS RacingFord 3955Reed SorensonPremium MotorsportsChevrolet 4030Josh WiseThe Motorsports GroupChevroletOfficial starting lineup
Practice First practice Jimmie Johnson was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 27.937 and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 27.937 176.025 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 28.091 175.060 3 21 Ryan Blaney (R) Wood Brothers Racing Ford 28.147 174.711Official first practice results
Final practice Brad Keselowski was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 28.157 and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Chevrolet 28.157 174.649 2 41 Kurt Busch Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 28.257 174.031 3 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.259 174.019Official final practice results
Race First half
Under mostly sunny South Carolina skies, Kevin Harvick led the field to the green flag at 6:26 p.m. Not much happened during this first run of the race outside of Clint Bowyer making an unscheduled stop for a flat tire on lap 23. Kyle Larson started a cycle of green flag stops on lap 47. Harvick retained the lead through the pit cycle. Austin Dillon and Michael McDowell were black-flagged for speeding and forced to serve a pass through penalty.
It was the same routine the next run of riding around the track until the second round of stops on lap 92. This time, Brad Keselowski assumed the lead when Harvick pitted. Trevor Bayne spun out at the entrance of pit road and brought out the first caution of the race on lap 96. This trapped all but Keselowski, Chase Elliott and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. a lap or more down. Everyone opted to take the wave-around when the top-three pitted.
The race restarted on lap 103. Jimmie Johnson, who was black-flagged before the caution flew for "illegal body modification," was forced to serve a pass through penalty. The second caution of the race flew on lap 114 after Brian Scott got loose exiting turn 2 and spun out.
The race restarted on lap 118. Keselowski drove away from the field for a time, but was chased down by Harvick who passed him in turn 2 to retake the lead on lap 141. A number of cars started pitting on lap 162. Harvick was among them and Keselowski assumed the lead. He pitted the next lap and the lead cycled back to Harvick.
The third caution of the race flew on lap 204 for a single-car wreck on the backstretch. Exiting turn 2, Tony Stewart got alongside Scott and his car got loose. After he recovered his car, he veered back to the right, hooked Scott and sent him into the inside wall. "We were just in a bad situation ... I was trying to let Tony go," Scott said. "Apparently he got mad at me. I have a lot of respect for Tony. He's always raced me really clean. I am not sure what he thought was going on there. I am not sure if he thought I was trying to hold him up there, I wasn’t. I was trying to let him go. I even pointed him to the inside. Maybe he thought I was giving him the finger or something. I will talk with him. We will figure it out.” Stewart was called to the NASCAR hauler after the race for the incident. He denied intentionally wrecking him, saying afterwards that he was "on old tires and sliding around. I got underneath him in [Turn] 2 and for some reason, he ran us through there [beside us] and I got really loose, and I was still getting it gathered up and got him in the left rear and wrecked him."
Second half The race restarted on lap 211. The fourth caution of the race flew on lap 213 after Johnson got loose exiting turn 4, spun down the track and hit the inside wall on the frontstretch.
The race restarted on lap 218. The fifth caution of the race flew on lap 249 after Jeffrey Earnhardt slammed the wall in turn 4. Denny Hamlin exited pit road with the race lead.
The race restarted on lap 255. The sixth caution of the race flew on lap 260 for Greg Biffle hitting the wall in turn 4. Matt Kenseth opted not to pit under the caution and assumed the race lead.
The race restarted on lap 265. Harvick drove by Kenseth to retake the lead with 94 laps to go. The seventh caution of the race flew with 87 laps to go for a two-car wreck in turn 2 involving A. J. Allmendinger and Ryan Blaney. Hamlin exited pit road with the race lead.
The race restarted with 83 laps to go. Larson got a great restart and took the lead from Hamlin with 82 laps to go. Oil left on the track that came from the expired engine of Stewart's No. 14 car brought out the eighth caution of the race with 48 laps to go.
The race restarted with 45 laps to go. The ninth caution of the race flew with 39 laps to go for a two-car wreck on the backstretch. Rounding turn 2, Paul Menard suffered a left-rear tire blowout, got loose, clipped Kurt Busch and sent him backwards into the wall. He continued down the track hitting the inside wall head on. Ryan Newman opted not to pit and assumed the lead along with Brad Keselowski who also stayed out.
The race restarted with 34 laps to go. Martin Truex Jr. passed Newman for the lead with 27 laps to go. Harvick reeled him in to take the lead just as the 10th caution of the race flew for a two-car wreck in turn 2 involving Aric Almirola and Bowyer. Truex exited pit road with the race lead.
The race restarted with 12 laps to go. Truex drove on to score the victory.
Post-race
Driver comment Truex said in victory lane that the win was "just – this is unbelievable. So many people to thank obviously. ... I appreciate them.”