The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs begin Sunday, August 31, with the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, featuring 16 drivers competing for the championship in a 501-mile, 367-lap event on the 1.366-mile asphalt oval. The race, carrying a $10,447,135 purse, airs at 6 p.m. ET on USA Network, with radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. Stages end on laps 115, 230 and 367.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series joins with the Sober or Slammer 200 on Saturday, August 30, at noon ET on FS1, covering 200.8 miles over 147 laps with stages at laps 45, 90 and 147, and a $782,900 purse. Meanwhile, the NASCAR Xfinity Series runs the Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland International Raceway on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on CW, spanning 147.75 miles across 75 laps on the 1.967-mile road course, with stages at laps 25, 50 and 75, and a $1,651,939 purse.
This marks the 129th Cup Series race at Darlington and the 76th Southern 500, the fifth time it opens the playoffs since 2020. No drivers have advanced to the Round of 12, but a win clinches a spot for contenders including Kyle Larson, William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, Shane Van Gisbergen, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Austin Cindric, Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Josh Berry, Tyler Reddick, Austin Dillon and Alex Bowman.
Five times the opening playoff winner has claimed the season title, most recently Logano in 2024. Active Darlington winners include Hamlin with five (2025, 2021, 2020, 2017, 2010), Keselowski and Jones with two each, and single victors Briscoe (2024), Larson (2023), Byron (2023), Logano (2022) and Kyle Busch (2008). Recent races show variability: seven different winners in the last seven events, and only one stage sweep leading to victory (Truex Jr., May 2021). Hamlin has led in the last 11 Darlington races, matching Waltrip’s streak from 1976-1984. Blaney enters with six straight top-10s, his best streak, while Chastain makes his 250th start, a milestone won by six drivers, two at Darlington. Hendrick holds the top seed for five consecutive years. The Southern 500 averages 4:15:50, with no overtime since 2014.
Cup qualifying is Saturday at 9 a.m. ET on truTV, after Truck practice and qualifying Friday at 3 p.m. ET on FS2. The entry list shows 38 cars, including Derek Kraus in the No. 44 and Josh Bilicki in the No. 91. Paint schemes feature throwbacks, such as Pudgy Penguins on Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s No. 47. Van Gisbergen has clinched Rookie of the Year. Betting odds favor Larson, with the field set for high competition.
For Trucks, the Sober or Slammer 200 opens playoffs, the 13th Darlington Truck race and second in playoffs (2021, 2025). The 10-driver field: Corey Heim, Layne Riggs, Chandler Smith, Daniel Hemric, Tyler Ankrum, Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger, Rajah Caruth, Kaden Honeycutt, Jake Garcia. No advancements clinched; a win moves forward, with points scenarios varying by winner type. Heim’s seven wins tie a record through 18 races; his Darlington average finish is 20.5, his worst. Rhodes is the only entered former Truck Darlington winner. The entry list has 36 trucks, including Trevor Bayne in TRICON Garage’s No. 1 with Victory Junction sponsorship.
At Portland, the fourth Xfinity race since 2022 has 37 entries. Eight clinched: Justin Allgaier, Connor Zilisch, Sam Mayer, Jesse Love, Austin Hill, Brandon Jones, Sammy Smith, Nicholas Sanchez. Four spots open; Kvapil leads winless drivers. Clinch requires 57-point leads over cutoffs. Zilisch, rookie with seven wins tying Bell’s record, has 30% win rate for drivers with over three starts and dominates roads with 67% win rate. JR Motorsports has 14 wins from six drivers, nine of last 11 races. No prior Portland winners entered; Allgaier has top-10s in all three. Debuts: Will Brown in Kaulig’s No. 11, Jack Perkins in Gibbs’ No. 19, Joey Hand in RSS’ No. 28. Pit rules: quickie yellows, fuel in stage breaks only, tires anytime, three-minute breaks. O’Reilly Auto Parts sponsors Xfinity from 2026.
Darlington, built in 1949-1950 by Harold Brasington on farmland to preserve a minnow pond, creating its egg shape, hosted NASCAR’s first 500-mile race in 1950, won by Johnny Mantz after Indianapolis-style qualifying over 15 days. Expanded in 1953 to 1.375 miles, then 1.366 in 1970; repaved in 1995, 2008; reconfigured in 1997; lights added 2004 for night races. Throwback started 2015; 2020 had fanless races amid COVID-19. Hosted two Cup races annually 1960-2004, one until 2020 return to multiples.
For 75th anniversary, unveiling 75 greatest moments chronologically on social media and darlingtonraceway.com/75Moments, with fan voting. Events: Track Laps for Charity August 27 with Zane Smith ($30 for three laps, photo); hauler parade August 28 with Cole Custer; Speediatrics Fun Day August 29 with Austin Dillon; Red Cross blood drive August 29; Turn 2 Tailgate Zone August 30-31 for college football; Terrence Carraway Memorial 5K August 30 with Chastain; 50/50 raffle through August 31 benefiting Darlington Shares. Off-track, Hamlin’s antitrust suit against NASCAR continues. Broadcasts accessible nationwide, with anticipation building for intense action.
