The 2026 Cook Out Southern 500 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 6, 2026, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina on the egg-shaped asphalt oval, it was the 27th race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, the first race of the NASCAR Chase, and 77th running of the event.
Christopher Bell won the race. Ty Gibbs finished 2nd, and Tyler Reddick finished 3rd. Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five, and Chase Briscoe, Josh Berry, Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano, and Ryan Preece 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 also the drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped by 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 of the track.
During the offseason, NASCAR announced that Darlington would now get the short track package, as opposed to running the intermediate package from previous years.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points. (CC) denotes chase contender. Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2 Austin Cindric (CC) Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 7 Daniel Suárez (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher (CC) RFK Racing Ford 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 33 Austin Hill (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 35 Riley Herbst 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 45 Tyler Reddick (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 60 Ryan Preece (CC) RFK Racing Ford 66 Chad Finchum (i) Garage 66 Ford 67 Corey Heim (i) 23XI Racing Toyota 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 77 Carson Hocevar (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list
Qualifying Qualifying for the race was canceled due to inclement weather. Tyler Reddick was awarded the pole for the race as a result of NASCAR's pandemic formula with a score of 3.000.
Starting lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 45 Tyler Reddick (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 2 7 Daniel Suárez (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 3 60 Ryan Preece (CC) RFK Racing Ford 4 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 5 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 6 2 Austin Cindric (CC) Team Penske Ford 7 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 8 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 9 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 10 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 11 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 13 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 14 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 15 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota 16 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Ford 17 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 18 9 Chase Elliott (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 20 24 William Byron (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 22 67 Corey Heim (i) 23XI Racing Toyota 23 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 24 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 25 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 26 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 27 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 28 54 Ty Gibbs (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 29 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 30 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 31 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 32 33 Austin Hill (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 33 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 34 77 Carson Hocevar (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 35 17 Chris Buescher (CC) RFK Racing Ford 36 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 37 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 38 66 Chad Finchum (i) Garage 66 FordOfficial starting lineup
Race
Race results
Stage results
Stage One Laps: 107
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 45 Tyler Reddick (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 102 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 93 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 66 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 60 Ryan Preece (CC) RFK Racing Ford 48 2 Austin Cindric (CC) Team Penske Ford 39 24 William Byron (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 54 Ty Gibbs (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1
Stage Two Laps: 123
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 66 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 57 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 48 24 William Byron (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 45 Tyler Reddick (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 210 2 Austin Cindric (CC) Team Penske Ford 1
Final Stage results
Stage Three Laps: 137
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 11 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 367 732 28 54 Ty Gibbs (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 367 363 1 45 Tyler Reddick (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 367 464 24 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 367 445 25 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 416 7 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 367 437 14 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 367 348 17 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 367 449 13 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 367 2810 3 60 Ryan Preece (CC) RFK Racing Ford 367 3111 34 77 Carson Hocevar (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 367 2612 10 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 2513 6 2 Austin Cindric (CC) Team Penske Ford 367 2814 18 9 Chase Elliott (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 2315 36 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 367 2216 21 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 367 2117 5 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 367 2018 4 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 367 3519 22 67 Corey Heim (i) 23XI Racing Toyota 367 020 35 17 Chris Buescher (CC) RFK Racing Ford 367 1721 2 7 Daniel Suárez (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 367 1622 30 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 367 1523 12 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 367 1424 19 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 367 1325 33 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 367 1226 26 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 366 1127 23 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 366 1028 32 33 Austin Hill (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 366 029 9 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 366 830 15 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota 366 731 27 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 366 632 29 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 366 533 16 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Chevrolet 366 434 31 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 365 335 8 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 363 236 37 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 363 137 20 24 William Byron (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 319 638 38 66 Chad Finchum (i) Garage 66 Ford 243 0Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 29 among 12 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 6 for 44 Red flags: 1 for 7 minutes and 39 seconds Time of race: 4 hours, 3 minutes, and 5 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television USA Sports covered the race on the television side. Leigh Diffey, 1999 Southern 500 winner Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Kim Coon, and Marty Snider handled pit road, while Trevor Bayne provided analysis from the pace car for the television side.
USABooth announcersPit reportersPace car Lap-by-lap: Leigh DiffeyColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve Letarte Dave BurnsKim CoonMarty Snider Trevor Bayne
Radio MRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Mike Bagley, and former championship crew chief Todd Gordon called the action for MRN when the field races thru the front straightaway. Dave Moody called the action for MRN from atop the Sunoco tower outside the exit of turn 2 when the field races thru turns 1 & 2. Tim Catalfamo worked the action for MRN when the field races thru turns 3 & 4. Pit road was operated by lead pit reporter Steve Post, Alex Weaver, and Chris Wilner.
MRN Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Mike BagleyAnnouncer: Todd Gordon Turns 1 & 2: Dave MoodyTurns 3 & 4: Tim Catalfamo Steve PostAlex WeaverChris Wilner
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Denny Hamlin 2,135 4 2 Christopher Bell 2,123 (–12) 1 3 Ryan Blaney 2,119 (–16) 1 4 Tyler Reddick 2,111 (–24) 5 Chase Briscoe 2,098 (–37) 2 6 Ty Gibbs 2,096 (–39) 1 7 Kyle Larson 2,086 (–49) 8 Joey Logano 2,063 (–72) 1 9 Chase Elliott 2,063 (–72) 4 10 Bubba Wallace 2,054 (–81) 1 11 Chris Buescher 2,047 (–88) 12 Carson Hocevar 2,046 (–89) 2 13 Daniel Suárez 2,041 (–94) 1 14 Austin Cindric 2,033 (–102) 1 15 Ryan Preece 2,031 (–104) 3 16 William Byron 2,021 (–114)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Toyota 1,229 2 Chevrolet 1,027 (–202) 3 Ford 998 (–231)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References