NASCAR race results from the playoff opener at Darlington Raceway

NASCAR Cup Series drivers are on the grid in Darlington, South Carolina. The 1.366-mile of Darlington Raceway is set to host the Southern 500.

View the Darlington Raceway results for the NASCAR Cup Series below.

Darlington/Portland Menu
ARCA: Prac/Qual | Race
Truck: Prac/Qual | Race
Xfinity: Prac/Qual | Race
Cup: Prac/Qual | Race

Darlington/Portland TV Schedule

Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe set the front row. 367 laps of stock car racing are up next…

Darlington
Stage 1 – Report

Laps: 115 (1-115 / 367)

Green flag, Josh Berry wiggles off turn bottom in turn two! He’s sideways in front of the field. He collects, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Busch and others.

Green, Briscoe gets the jump and he’s clear into turn one.

Lap 60, Briscoe leads Bubba Wallace by 5 seconds. There are multiple pit strategies playing out.

Lap 69, slow stop for Alex Bowman as the crew struggles with an equipment issue. It’s a 30 second pit stop under green.

Lap 85, another pit cycle is complete. Briscoe now leads Hamlin by 1 second.

Chase Briscoe wins stage one at Darlington Raceway!

Darlington Results (Stage 1) : 1. Chase Briscoe; 2. Tyler Reddick; 3. Denny Hamlin; 4. Ross Chastain; 5. Bubba Wallace; 6. Kyle Larson; 7. Christopher Bell; 8. Austin Cindric; 9. John Hunter Nemechek; 10. Ryan Blaney

Darlington
Stage 2 – Report

Laps: 115 (116-230 / 367)

Green flag on stage two, Briscoe and Hamlin fight for space into turn one. Hamlin slides Briscoe into turn three. They might light contact and Hamlin takes the lead away.

Lap 125, Carson Hocevar and Chase Elliott rub fenders into turn one.

Lap 132, Briscoe looks under Hamlin in turn one. Hamlin lifts on the outside of turn two and Briscoe reclaims the lead.

Lap 152, Carson Hocevar spins caution on old tires. Hocevar says over the radio, “Worst car I’ve ever driven. I can’t drive it anymore.”

Hocevar and Bell makes contact on the pit lane. Bell now has a hole in his right front nose.

Green, Briscoe and Chastain run side-by-side for the lead. Briscoe clears him via the outside lane into turn three.

Lap 180, race leader Chase Briscoe is suffering from electrical issues. He’s turned off multiple components due to low voltage.

Lap 203, Cody Ware spins with a flat tire, caution.

Green, Briscoe and Reddick run side by side for the lead off turn two. Erik Jones makes it three wide for the lead into turn three. Briscoe holds them off. Ryan Blaney spins behind them, caution.

Green, Briscoe clears Reddick into turn three.

Chase Briscoe wins stage two in the Southern 500!

Darlington Results (Stage 2) : 1. Chase Briscoe; 2. Tyler Reddick; 3. Erik Jones; 4. Kyle Larson; 5. AJ Allmendinger; 6. Ross Chastain; 7. Bubba Wallace; 8. John Hunter Nemechek; 9. Ryan Preece; 10. William Byron

Chase Briscoe, Tyler Reddick - Darlington Raceway - NASCAR Cup SeriesCredit: DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 31: Chase Briscoe, driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, and Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Pinnacle Toyota, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on August 31, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Darlington
Stage 3 – Report

Laps: 137 (231-367 / 367)

Alex Bowman gets the free pass and he’s now on the lead lap. He was two laps down earlier in this race after a pit stop issue.

Green flag on stage three, Reddick gets the jump on the inside and he’s clear into turn one!

Lap 240, Briscoe has a run on Reddick into turn one. They run side-by-side for the lead exiting turn two. Reddick knocks the bump and nearly tags the wall. Briscoe takes the lead away.

Lap 283, Briscoe leads Reddick by 1.6 seconds as another pit cycle is complete.

55 to go

55 to go, Derek Kraus is on fire! He comes to a stop and the caution is out.

Green, Briscoe and Reddick run side-by-side for the lead. Briscoe is clear via the outside lane in turn three.

25 to go, Briscoe leads Reddick by five car lengths. Reddick has closed the gap as the leader works lap traffic. Erik Jones is closing on both of them.

7 to go, Briscoe leads Reddick by just a car length.

Chase Briscoe holds them off and he wins at Darlington Raceway!

Chase Briscoe and his son Brooks Briscoe - Darlington Raceway - NASCAR Cup SeriesCredit: DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 31: Chase Briscoe, driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, celebrates with his son Brooks Briscoe after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on August 31, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

Darlington Raceway
Race Results
August 31, 2025
NASCAR Cup Series

Pos | Driver

1. Chase Briscoe

2. Tyler Reddick

3. Erik Jones

4. John Hunter Nemechek

5. AJ Allmendinger

6. Bubba Wallace

7. Denny Hamlin

8. Kyle Busch

9. Carson Hocevar

10. Chris Buescher

11. Ross Chastain

12. Austin Cindric

13. Zane Smith

14. Noah Gragson

15. Brad Keselowski

16. Ryan Preece

17. Chase Elliott

18. Ryan Blaney

19. Kyle Larson

20. Joey Logano

21. William Byron

22. Ty Gibbs

23. Austin Dillon

24. Cole Custer

25. Daniel Suarez

26. Todd Gilliland

27. Justin Haley

28. Riley Herbst

29. Christopher Bell

30. Ricky Stenhouse Jr

31. Alex Bowman

32. Shane van Gisbergen

33. Michael McDowell

34. Ty Dillon

35. Timmy Hill

36. Derek Kraus

37. Cody Ware

38. Josh Berry

Chase Briscoe in victory lane at Darlington Raceway - NASCAR Cup SeriesCredit: DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 31: Chase Briscoe, driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, celebrates with his son, Brooks Briscoe in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on August 31, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

NASCAR Cup Series
Playoff Standings

Pos | Driver | Wins (In Round) / Points

1. Chase Briscoe
1 Win

2. Denny Hamlin
+43

3. Kyle Larson
+38

4. Tyler Reddick
+35

5. William Byron
+25

6. Bubba Wallace
+25

7. Ryan Blaney
+22

8. Ross Chastain
+21

9. Austin Cindric
+12

10. Christopher Bell
+11

11. Chase Elliott
+9

12. Shane van Gisbergen
+3

— Cutline (Elimination after Bristol) —

13. Joey Logano
-3

14. Austin Dillon
-8

15. Josh Berry
-19

16. Alex Bowman
-19

Darlington Raceway
Video Highlights

Links

Darlington Raceway | NASCAR