NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington live updates, leaderboard, rain delay update
tennessean.com • • sports
Key Points:
- The NASCAR Cup Series Chase kicked off with the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 6, featuring 16 drivers competing over 10 races for the championship. Denny Hamlin started the Chase with a 25-point lead over Ryan Blaney.
- Tyler Reddick secured the pole position after practice and qualifying were canceled, with the race transitioning from late afternoon into nighttime over 367 laps.
- Christopher Bell won the Southern 500, marking his 14th career victory and first win of the 2026 season, followed by Ty Gibbs, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, and Kyle Larson in the top five.
- The race featured multiple lead changes, cautions including a rain delay, and several key incidents such as Denny Hamlin's contact with Michael McDowell causing damage and William Byron's spin resulting in a 37th-place finish.
- Coverage of the event included live updates, radio broadcasts by MRN, and national TV coverage on USA Network, with streaming options via HBO MAX and NASCAR.com.
