The 2025 Cook Out Southern 500, the 76th running of the event, was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on August 31, 2025, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina on the speedway, it was the 27th race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, first race of the playoffs, and the final Crown Jewel of the year.
Chase Briscoe won the race. Tyler Reddick finished 2nd, and Erik Jones finished 3rd. John Hunter Nemechek and A. J. Allmendinger rounded out the top five, and Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Carson Hocevar, and Chris Buescher rounded out the top ten.
Report
Background
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that is effective at both ends.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (P) denotes playoff driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Ross Chastain (P) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2 Austin Cindric (P) Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon (P) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 5 Kyle Larson (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 7 Justin Haley Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 11 Denny Hamlin (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney (P) Team Penske Ford 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 19 Chase Briscoe (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Josh Berry (P) Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano (P) Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 35 Riley Herbst (R) 23XI Racing Toyota 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Ford 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 44 Derek Kraus NY Racing Team Chevrolet 45 Tyler Reddick (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Ford 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 60 Ryan Preece RFK Racing Ford 66 Timmy Hill (i) Garage 66 Ford 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 77 Carson Hocevar Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 88 Shane van Gisbergen (P) (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list
Practice Michael McDowell was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 29.007 seconds and a speed of .
Practice results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 29.007 169.531 2 7 Justin Haley Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 29.123 168.856 3 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 29.124 168.850Official practice results
Qualifying Denny Hamlin scored the pole for the race with a time of 28.694 and a speed of .
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 11 Denny Hamlin (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 28.694 171.381 2 19 Chase Briscoe (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 28.715 171.255 3 21 Josh Berry (P) Wood Brothers Racing Ford 28.829 170.578 4 45 Tyler Reddick (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 28.848 170.466 5 5 Kyle Larson (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.925 170.012 6 1 Ross Chastain (P) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 28.933 169.965 7 20 Christopher Bell (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 28.962 169.795 8 23 Bubba Wallace (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 28.985 169.660 9 3 Austin Dillon (P) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.004 169.549 10 2 Austin Cindric (P) Team Penske Ford 29.023 169.438 11 24 William Byron (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.025 169.426 12 12 Ryan Blaney (P) Team Penske Ford 29.032 169.386 13 7 Justin Haley Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 29.060 169.222 14 22 Joey Logano (P) Team Penske Ford 29.080 169.106 15 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 29.082 169.094 16 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 29.127 168.833 17 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 29.172 168.573 18 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Ford 29.196 168.434 19 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 29.216 168.319 20 88 Shane van Gisbergen (P) (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 29.223 168.278 21 9 Chase Elliott (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.226 168.261 22 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 29.234 168.215 23 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.235 168.209 24 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 29.245 168.152 25 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 29.249 168.129 26 77 Carson Hocevar Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 29.249 168.129 27 60 Ryan Preece RFK Racing Ford 29.254 168.100 28 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 29.263 168.048 29 48 Alex Bowman (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.269 168.014 30 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 29.327 167.682 31 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 29.338 167.619 32 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 29.401 167.260 33 35 Riley Herbst (R) 23XI Racing Toyota 29.445 167.010 34 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 29.511 166.636 35 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 29.663 165.782 36 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Ford 29.997 163.936 37 44 Derek Kraus NY Racing Team Chevrolet 30.451 161.492 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) Garage 66 Ford 31.025 158.504 Official qualifying results
Race
Race results
Stage results
Stage One Laps: 115
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 19 Chase Briscoe (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 45 Tyler Reddick (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 93 11 Denny Hamlin (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 1 Ross Chastain (P) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 75 23 Bubba Wallace (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 66 5 Kyle Larson (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 20 Christopher Bell (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 2 Austin Cindric (P) Team Penske Ford 39 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 210 12 Ryan Blaney (P) Team Penske Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 115
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 19 Chase Briscoe (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 45 Tyler Reddick (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 93 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 84 5 Kyle Larson (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 66 1 Ross Chastain (P) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 57 23 Bubba Wallace (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 48 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 39 60 Ryan Preece RFK Racing Ford 210 24 William Byron (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final Stage results
Stage Three Laps: 137
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 2 19 Chase Briscoe (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 367 602 4 45 Tyler Reddick (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 367 533 19 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 367 424 30 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 367 385 22 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 367 386 8 23 Bubba Wallace (P) 23XI Racing Toyota 367 417 1 11 Denny Hamlin (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 367 388 23 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 299 26 77 Carson Hocevar Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 367 2810 15 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 367 2711 6 1 Ross Chastain (P) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 367 3812 10 2 Austin Cindric (P) Team Penske Ford 367 2813 24 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 367 2414 34 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 367 2315 32 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 367 2216 27 60 Ryan Preece RFK Racing Ford 367 2117 21 9 Chase Elliott (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 2018 12 12 Ryan Blaney (P) Team Penske Ford 367 2019 5 5 Kyle Larson (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 3020 14 22 Joey Logano (P) Team Penske Ford 367 1721 11 24 William Byron (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 1722 16 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 367 1523 9 3 Austin Dillon (P) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 1424 18 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Ford 367 1325 17 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 366 1226 28 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 366 1127 13 7 Justin Haley Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 366 1028 33 35 Riley Herbst (R) 23XI Racing Toyota 366 929 7 20 Christopher Bell (P) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 365 1230 35 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 365 731 29 48 Alex Bowman (P) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 365 632 20 88 Shane van Gisbergen (P) (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 365 533 25 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 365 434 31 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 365 335 38 66 Timmy Hill (i) Garage 66 Ford 354 036 37 44 Derek Kraus NY Racing Team Chevrolet 282 137 36 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Ford 249 138 3 21 Josh Berry (P) Wood Brothers Racing Ford 239 2Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 24 among 10 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 7 for 37 laps Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 51 minutes and 7 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television USA covered the race on the television side. Leigh Diffey, two–time Darlington winner Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Kim Coon, Parker Kligerman and Marty Snider handled the pit road duties from pit lane.
USABooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Leigh DiffeyColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve Letarte Dave BurnsKim CoonParker KligermanMarty Snider
Radio MRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Mike BagleyAnnouncer: Todd Gordon Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyTurns 3 & 4: Kurt Becker Steve PostChris WilnerBrienne Pedigo
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 7 1 Chase Briscoe 2,070 1 2 Denny Hamlin 2,067 (–3) 2 3 Kyle Larson 2,062 (–8) 10 4 Tyler Reddick 2,059 (–11) 4 5 Bubba Wallace 2,049 (–21) 4 6 William Byron 2,049 (–21) 3 7 Ryan Blaney 2,046 (–24) 3 8 Ross Chastain 2,045 (–25) 1 9 Austin Cindric 2,036 (–34) 5 10 Christopher Bell 2,035 (–35) 4 11 Chase Elliott 2,033 (–37) 6 12 Shane van Gisbergen 2,027 (–43) 1 13 Joey Logano 2,024 (–46) 1 14 Austin Dillon 2,019 (–51) 1 15 Alex Bowman 2,008 (–62) 3 16 Josh Berry 2,008 (–62)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 992 2 Toyota 960 (–32) 3 Ford 899 (–93)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References