Last Updated on August 26, 2025 6:35 am by admin
The 2025 Cook Out Southern 500 kicks off the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Darlington on August 31, delivering high-stakes intensity, historic prestige, and the legendary “Track Too Tough to Tame” with its abrasive surface and unique layout. With postseason drama looming, here’s your complete look at the current odds to win, the full driver entry list, track and race details, last year’s winner, storylines, and the anticipated weather forecast to guide your betting picks and predictions.
Cook Out Southern 500 Race & Darlington Track Info
- Event: NASCAR Cup Series – Cook Out Southern 500 (Playoff Round of 16 opener)
- Date & Time: Sunday, August 31, 2025 – 6:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC
- Broadcast: USA Network / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
- Track: 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval
- Distance: 367 laps / 501 miles
- Stage Breakdown: Stage 1 – 115 laps; Stage 2 – 115 laps; Final stage – 137 laps
Last Year’s Winner (2024)
Chase Briscoe scored a career-defining victory in the 2024 Southern 500, mastering the long runs at Darlington to secure Stewart-Haas Racing’s biggest win of the season.
News & Notes
- Playoff Pressure: As the first race of the playoffs, the Southern 500 sets the tone—mistakes here can doom a championship run.
- Darlington Stripes Incoming: Drivers often leave with scrapes from the wall; survival is half the battle on this abrasive, narrow track.
- Momentum Watch: Contenders like Larson, Byron, and Hamlin aim to stamp authority early, while mid-pack playoff drivers fight to avoid elimination.
- Wildcards: Non-playoff drivers like Erik Jones or Michael McDowell could play spoiler and steal the spotlight.
Anticipated Weather Forecast (Darlington, SC – Race Day August, 31)
Expect partly sunny skies, hot afternoon temps in the mid-80s, cooling into the evening with lows in the 70s. No major rain threats, but slick track conditions should make tire management pivotal.
Complete Bovada Odds to Win – Cook Out Southern 500
- Denny Hamlin +500
- Kyle Larson +550
- William Byron +650
- Ryan Blaney +700
- Tyler Reddick +700
- Christopher Bell +1200
- Chase Briscoe +1400
- Joey Logano +1600
- Bubba Wallace +2000
- Chris Buescher +2000
- Ross Chastain +2200
- Brad Keselowski +2500
- Chase Elliott +2500
- Kyle Busch +2800
- Josh Berry +3000
- Ryan Preece +3300
- Alex Bowman +4000
- Austin Cindric +4000
- Carson Hocevar +4000
- Ty Gibbs +4000
- Erik Jones +8000
- Austin Dillon +15000
- Daniel Suárez +20000
- AJ Allmendinger +25000
- Michael McDowell +25000
- Noah Gragson +30000
- Todd Gilliland +30000
- John Hunter Nemechek +35000
- Zane Smith +35000
- Justin Haley +40000
- Shane van Gisbergen +40000
- Cole Custer +50000
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +50000
- Ty Dillon +75000
- Riley Herbst +100000
- Cody Ware +200000
- Derek Kraus +300000
- Josh Bilicki +300000
Betting Angles & Notes
- Favorites: Hamlin, Larson, and Byron are priced as the top contenders—Darlington is a skill track where elite drivers often rise.
- Value Plays: Joey Logano (+1600) and Bubba Wallace (+2000) carry momentum and solid track history.
- Longshots: Erik Jones (+8000) and Michael McDowell (+25000) offer upset potential—Jones is a past Southern 500 winner.
- Playoff Context: The Darlington opener often eliminates a big name—expect aggressive strategies and some late-race chaos.
Complete Driver Entry List – Cook Out Southern 500
- Ross Chastain
- Austin Cindric
- Austin Dillon
- Noah Gragson
- Kyle Larson
- Brad Keselowski
- Justin Haley
- Kyle Busch
- Chase Elliott
- Ty Dillon
- Denny Hamlin
- Ryan Blaney
- AJ Allmendinger
- Chris Buescher
- Chase Briscoe
- Christopher Bell
- Josh Berry
- Joey Logano
- Bubba Wallace
- William Byron
- Todd Gilliland
- Riley Herbst
- Zane Smith
- Cole Custer
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Erik Jones
- Derek Kraus
- Tyler Reddick
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Alex Bowman
- Cody Ware
- Ty Gibbs
- Ryan Preece
- Josh Bilicki
- Michael McDowell
- Carson Hocevar
- Shane van Gisbergen
- Daniel Suárez
2025 Cook Out Southern 500 at a Glance
- Race Date/Time: Sunday, August 31, 2025 – 6:00 p.m. ET
- Track: Darlington Raceway (1.366 mi) – 367 laps / 501 miles
- Coverage: USA Network / MRN / SiriusXM
- 2024 Winner: Chase Briscoe
- Weather: Warm, partly sunny, cooling into evening – minimal rain chance
- Top Favorites: Hamlin (+500), Larson (+550), Byron (+650)
- Dark Horses: Logano (+1600), Wallace (+2000), Jones (+8000)