The Cup playoffs begin at one of the sport’s oldest track. Darlington Raceway, which hosted its first Cup race in 1950, will be the site of the opening race of the Cup playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
William Byron and Martin Truex Jr. enter the playoffs atop the standings with 2,036 points. Michael McDowell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kevin Harvick and Bubba Wallace start the round outside a cutoff spot to the next round.
Details for Sunday’s race at Darlington Raceway
(All times Eastern)
START: The command to start engines will be given at 6:09 p.m. ... The green flag is scheduled to wave at 6:19 p.m.
PRERACE: Cup garage opens at 3 p.m. ... Drivers meeting is at 5:15 p.m. … Driver introductions are at 5:30 p.m. ... Nick Terry, Motor Racing Outreach chaplain, will give the invocation at 6:01 p.m. ... The 282nd Army Band from Fort Jackson, South Carolina, will perform the national anthem at 6:02 p.m.
DISTANCE: The race is 367 laps (501.32 miles) on the 1.366-mile superspeedway.
STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 115. Stage 2 ends at Lap 230.
STARTING LINEUP: Southern 500 lineup
TV/RADIO: USA Network will broadcast the race at 6 p.m. ... Countdown to Green will begin at 5:30 p.m. USA Network. ... Post-race show will be on USA Network and Peacock. ... Motor Racing Network coverage begins at 5 p.m. … SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the MRN broadcast.
STREAMING: NBC Sports
FORECAST: Weather Underground — Sunny with a high of 86 degrees and no chance of rain at the start of the Cup Series race.
LAST TIME: William Byron won in May. Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain crashed while racing for the lead late. Kevin Harvick placed second. Chase Elliott was third. In last year’s playoff opener, Erik Jones, who was not in the playoffs, won. Eight of the 16 playoff drivers finished outside the top 15. Three failed to finish.
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