Race: Cook Out Southern 500
Date: Sunday, August 31, 2025
Track: Darlington Raceway
Time: 6 pm ET
Channel: USA
What Did We Learn From Last Weekend?
And that’s a wrap! Ryan Blaney took the checkered flag at Daytona, allowing Alex Bowman to capture the last transfer spot into the playoffs. Because Blaney was a repeat winner, along with the chaos that ensued early on in the race, Reddick was bumped, and Bowman slid his way in by the skin of his teeth. Many thought his day was over after being heavily damaged early in the race. Luckily (or strategically) for Bowman, he had enough points to prevent the deficit from being thin enough for Reddick to capture him, despite being eliminated from the race.
Daytona proved to be a wild ride with 44 lead changes and Blaney coming from 12th position with three laps to go and winning with a half-car length advantage over Daniel Suarez. Justin Haley and Cole Custer were instrumental in Blaney’s win, racing each other and giving Blaney an opportunity to carry his momentum when it mattered most. Those guys had a great race in their own right, finishing 3rd and 4th respectively behind Daniel Suarez. It was definitely a great showing for those drivers and also a great showing for Suarez, who doesn’t have a ride lined up for 2026 yet.
Where Are We Headed This Weekend?
This weekend, they’ll have another shot, but those top 16 are going to race hard at Darlington to try and earn a transfer spot to the next round. Each playoff round is only three races, leaving drivers at the end of the points standings scrambling to try to advance, unless they get the win. At Darlington, we all know the nicknames are there for a reason. This is a peculiar track that can be challenging for newer drivers with less experience. This 1.366 asphalt oval boasts 25 degrees of banking in turns 1 and 2, 23 degrees in 3 and 4, and 6 degrees on the stretches. Homestead and Kansas are probably the closest comparisons to what Darlington is, with high tire wear and just the skill set required.
Odds and Value Picks
Let’s take a look at your potential winners heading into this weekend’s first race of the playoffs:
Winner: Kyle Larson (+550)
Larson finished 4th in this race last year and won the Fall race in 2023. The kid is hungry. He’s looking for another championship, and winning Darlington is an easy ticket to the next round for him. Larson will be the guy to beat.
Mid-Range Pick: Tyler Reddick (+800)
Reddick has yet to capture a win at Darlington, but after being knocked out of the playoffs at Daytona last week, you can bet he’s out for redemption. He finished 4th here in the Spring race and has several top 5 finishes under his belt. Reddick is ready.
Dark Horse: Josh Berry (+3000)
Berry has been flying under the radar and got caught up in an accident in the race earlier this year, but his biggest successes have come on the high-wear tracks like Darlington. He got a 3rd place finish here last year, so he can get his way around this place. Berry is looking to close out the season with some stronger runs, and this is a place he can accomplish that.
Here are your current points leaders after Daytona:
- Kyle Larson
- William Byron
- Denny Hamlin
- Ryan Blaney
- Christopher Bell
- Shane van Gisbergen
- Chase Elliott
- Chase Briscoe
- Bubba Wallace
- Austin Cindric
- Ross Chastain
- Joey Logano
- Josh Berry
- Tyler Reddick
- Ty Dillon
- Alex Bowman
With just three races to get into the next round, those last four drivers are going to have to make some moves. Logano only sits one point above Berry, leaving him a bit of a sitting duck. Stay tuned to see how Darlington shakes up these standings!
