Cup Series Playoff Push Begins at the Legendary 'Lady in Black' This Sunday

The regular season is officially in the books, and now the real racing begins. The Cup Series playoffs kick off this Sunday at Darlington Raceway with the Cook Out Southern 500. This is one you won’t want to miss, because there’s nothing quite like playoff racing at the track they call “Too Tough to Tame.”

Thirty-eight drivers are lined up and ready to tackle the most challenging 1.366-mile oval in motorsports. This isn’t just another race. It’s the opener of the Round of 16, where dreams either stay alive or get crushed against the unforgiving walls of South Carolina’s most famous speedway.

The Field is Set for Sunday’s Showdown

Looking at this Cup Series entry list inevitably gets your adrenaline pumping, thinking about the action that awaits. You’ve got defending champions, hungry rookies, and seasoned veterans all fighting for the same thing: survival. The beauty of playoff racing is that it doesn’t matter what you did in the regular season once that green flag drops. It’s all about performing when the lights are brightest.

Ross Chastain leads off the field in that familiar No. 1 Trackhouse Chevrolet, sporting a throwback Busch Light scheme that’ll make any racing fan nostalgic. Austin Cindric sits second in his Team Penske Ford, followed by Austin Dillon in the iconic No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. These drivers know what’s at stake. Four competitors will be heading home after Bristol, and nobody wants to be part of that conversation.

Cup Series Veterans Ready for Battle

The veterans in this Cup Series field understand Darlington better than most. Kyle Larson, sitting fifth in the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, has shown he can handle the pressure when it matters most. His crew chief, Cliff Daniels, has been preparing for this moment all season long, and their combination of speed and strategy could be lethal on Sunday.

Brad Keselowski brings decades of experience to the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford. The Michigan native knows how to navigate these pressure-packed situations, and his BuildSubmarines.com sponsorship adds another layer of patriotic pride to his playoff push.

But let’s talk about Denny Hamlin. The 44-year-old wheelman from Virginia has been knocking on the door of a Cup Series championship for years. Running the No. 11 SportClips Haircuts Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, Hamlin enters these playoffs with something to prove. Age is just a number when you’ve got the hunger he’s shown all season.

Young Guns Ready to Make Their Mark

The youth movement in the Cup Series is real, and several young drivers are ready to announce themselves on stock car racing’s biggest stage. Carson Hocevar, just 22 years old, brings with him Michigan roots to Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet. The kid’s got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Ty Gibbs continues the family legacy behind the wheel of the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota. At just 22, he’s got the benefit of learning from some of the best minds in the sport at Joe Gibbs Racing. His crew chief, Tyler Allen, has been grooming this young talent all season for moments exactly like this.

Notable Storylines for Sunday’s Cup Series Action

Derek Kraus makes his second Cup Series start of 2025 in the No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet. Every opportunity at this level is precious, and Kraus knows he needs to make the most of his chance at Darlington. The 23-year-old from Wisconsin brings truck series experience, but nothing prepares you for 500 miles at the Lady in Black.

Josh Bilicki returns for his sixth Cup Series appearance this season, piloting the No. 66 Garage 66 Ford. These part-time efforts might not generate headlines, but they represent the dreams of countless racers who just want their shot at NASCAR’s premier division.

Shane Van Gisbergen continues his remarkable transition from Australian Supercars to American stock car racing. The 36-year-old Kiwi brings a different perspective to the No. 88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, and his success has been one of the most compelling stories in recent memory.

The Pressure Cooker Environment of Playoff Racing

What makes Cup Series playoff racing so special is the intensity. Every position matters. Every lap counts. One mistake can end your championship hopes before they really get started. Darlington amplifies all of these emotions because the track demands respect from every driver who climbs through the window.

The teams have been preparing for this moment since last November. Crew chiefs have been saving their best setups. Drivers have been visualizing every turn, every potential pass, every scenario that could unfold over 500 grueling miles.

Chris Buescher brings veteran leadership to RFK Racing’s No. 17 Ford, while Chase Briscoe looks to build on his strong regular-season performance in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota. These are the types of drivers who thrive under pressure, who seem to find that extra tenth of a second when the championship is on the line.

The Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway:

NASCAR Cup Series (Entry List)

(i) indicates drivers ineligible for championship and playoff points.

• 1. Ross Chastain, No. 1 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 2. Austin Cindric, No. 2 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 3. Austin Dillon, No. 3 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 4. Noah Gragson, No. 4 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 5. Kyle Larson, No. 5 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 6. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 7. Justin Haley, No. 7 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 8. Kyle Busch, No. 8 (Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 9. Chase Elliott, No. 9 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 10. Ty Dillon, No. 10 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 11. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 12. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 13. AJ Allmendinger, No.16 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 14. Chris Buescher, No. 17 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 15. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 16. Christopher Bell, No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 17. Josh Berry, No. 21 (Wood Brothers Racing, Ford)
• 18. Joey Logano, No. 22 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 19. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 20. William Byron, No. 24 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 21. Todd Gilliland, No. 34 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 22. Riley Herbst, No. 35 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 23. Zane Smith, No. 38 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 24. Cole Custer, No. 41 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
• 25. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 (Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
• 26. Erik Jones, No. 43 (Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
• 27. Derek Kraus, No. 44 (NY Racing Team, Chevrolet)
• 28. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 (HYAK Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 30. Alex Bowman, No. 48 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 31. Cody Ware, No. 51 (Rick Ware Racing, Ford)
• 32. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 33. Ryan Preece, No. 60 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 34. Josh Bilicki (i), No. 66 (Garage 66, Ford)
• 35. Michael McDowell, No. 71 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 36. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 37. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 38. Daniel Suárez, No. 99 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)

What to Expect from Sunday’s Cup Series Thriller

Darlington Raceway doesn’t care about your reputation or your season statistics. The track makes its own rules, and drivers who forget that lesson usually end up with tire marks on their quarter panels. The racing groove is narrow, the margin for error is smaller, and the consequences of mistakes are magnified.

Tyler Reddick brings speed and determination to the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota. His crew chief, Billy Scott, understands what it takes to win at this level, and their partnership has been building toward these crucial playoff moments all year long.

The Cup Series entry list shows 38 drivers, but only 36 will take the green flag Sunday evening. The competition will be fierce from the moment practice begins, and every session between now and the checkered flag carries championship implications.

Final Thoughts

This Cook Out Southern 500 represents more than just the first playoff race. It’s a statement opportunity. Who’s ready to step up when the pressure is highest? Who will crumble under the weight of championship expectations? Sunday evening at Darlington Raceway will start providing those answers. The Cup Series playoffs have arrived, and there’s no better place to begin this championship chase than at the track that separates the pretenders from the contenders.