The 2025 Cook Out Southern 500 returns to Darlington Raceway on Sunday, August 31, opening the playoffs at NASCAR’s famed “Track Too Tough to Tame.” Expect long green-flag runs, brutal tire wear, and high-stakes strategy as contenders chase an early postseason statement. Below you’ll find current odds to win, our picks & predictions, key track and race details, last year’s winner, and a concise race-day weather outlook to guide your card.
Cook Out Southern 500 Race 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 | Radio: MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
- Distance: 367 laps / ~501 miles
- Track Type: 1.366-mile asymmetrical oval (abrasive surface; long-run handling matters).
Track Fast Facts
- Banking: ~25° (Turns 1–2), ~23° (Turns 3–4); ~3–5° on straights
- Keys to Winning: Tire management, clean pit execution, late-run balance, track position
Last Year’s Winner (2024)
Chase Briscoe earned a statement victory in the 2024 Southern 500, sealing a playoff berth with long-run speed and clutch late-race execution.
Anticipated Weather — Summary
Warm and partly sunny afternoon trending to a mild, dry evening. Falling track temps after sunset should emphasize tire wear and long-run balance. Low rain risk.
Current Odds to Win — Cook Out Southern 500 (Bovada snapshot; subject to change)
- 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
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Picks & Predictions
Top Picks
- Kyle Larson (+550): Elite at Darlington; excels as the run stretches and others fade on tires.
- Denny Hamlin (+500): Master of managing fall-off; repeatedly dangerous in crown-jewel night races.
Value Plays
- Joey Logano (+1600): Track position flips + crisp pit work give him late-race leverage.
- Bubba Wallace (+2000): Intermediate-track speed profile fits; clean day yields top-five equity.
Long-Shot Sprinkles
- Erik Jones (+8000): Proven Darlington feel; right cautions could put him in the mix.
- Michael McDowell (+25000): Overachieves on abrasive surfaces; pit timing + long-run steadiness are the path.
Live-Bet Angle
- Prioritize cars whose lap times stabilize after 25–30 laps—that’s the signal for night-phase strength at Darlington.
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2025 Cook Out Southern 500 Snapshot
- When/Where: Sun Aug 31, 2025 — 6:00 p.m. ET, Darlington Raceway (SC)
- Layout/Distance: 1.366-mi oval; 367 laps / ~501 miles
- 2024 Winner: Chase Briscoe
- Weather: Warm start → cooler evening; low rain risk; tire wear elevated
- Board Leaders: Hamlin, Larson, Byron
- Value Targets: Logano, Wallace; Long-shots: Jones, McDowell.