After 26 weeks, NASCAR has arrived at the postseason for 2025. 16 drivers hope to race for the championship at the end of the season, and just four spots will be available in the final race. The playoffs begin with the 2025 Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington.
Can one of the 16 playoff drivers punch their ticket to the next round with a win, or will we see someone outside the postseason play spoiler? Let’s dive in.
2025 Cook Out Southern 500 Entry List
Derek Kraus and Timmy Hill mark the only non-regular entries for the first race of the NASCAR playoffs. The court battle between 23XI, FRM, and NASCAR continues, and while it will loom large over the end of the season, I don’t foresee it impacting any race lineups yet.
That's too close of a moment for the No. 24. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/uV071lXxQJ
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 30, 2025
Darlington has earned a reputation as one of the toughest tracks in the series for drivers. The circuit has earned the nicknames the Lady in Black and The Track Too Tough to Tame. Drivers will need to manage their equipment to be competitive at the end. The layout features very different turns in one and two versus three and four, making it extremely unique.
With the added pressure of the playoffs, I’m expecting a lot of excitement come Sunday.
Playoff Picture Heading Into Darlington
Just 16 drivers have the chance to win the NASCAR Cup Series crown this year. Over the next three races, they will be trimmed down to 12. Check out the current points situation below.
- Kyle Larson +26
- William Byron +26
- Denny Hamlin +23
- Ryan Blaney +20
- Christopher Bell +17
- Shane Van Gisbergen +16
- Chase Elliott +7
- Chase Briscoe +4
- Bubba Wallace +2
- Austin Cindric +2
- Ross Chastain +1
- Joey Logano +1
- Josh Berry -1
- Tyler Reddick -1
- Austin Dillon -2
- Alex Bowman -5
It’s tough to predict exactly how these playoffs will go, as any mishap can shake up this order in a hurry. Of the drivers who raced their way in, I think Austin Dillon is probably most likely to come up short. Joining him as drivers I think will be eliminated in round one are Josh Berry, Austin Cindric, and Ross Chastain.
An electric ending with 0.002 seconds to win it at @TooToughToTame. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/QFok59qGIi
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 28, 2025
Shane Van Gisbergen is likely to struggle in this round with all ovals, but he does have a 16-point cushion and has been improving. I think he gets a little luck and advances to the Round of 12 as the final driver in.
2025 Cook Out Southern 500 Race Predictions
Ryan Blaney felt like he was on his way to a massive win at Darlington earlier this season before a late caution threw a wrench into things. I’m not going to overcomplicate this pick. I think Blaney wins and advances.
Other drivers I’m definitely keeping an eye on are the spring winner at Darlington in Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick in the #45, and William Byron in the #24. Each of these drivers has run well here in the past, and I think all will play a massive role in this race come Sunday.
Check out the schedule below so you don’t miss any on-track action.
Saturday 08/30
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying (Darlington) – 9:10 a.m. CT on TruTV
Sober or Slammer 200 (NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – Darlington) – 11:00 a.m. CT on FS1
NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying (Portland) – 3:05 p.m. CT on the CW App
Pacific Office Automation 147 (NASCAR Xfinity Series – Portland) – 6:30 p.m. CT on the CW
Sunday 08/31
Cook Out Southern 500 (NASCAR Cup Series – Darlington) – 5:00 p.m. CT on USA and HBO Max
Stay locked into Apollo for more NASCAR and F1 coverage throughout the racing season! Follow @CoachJayArnold and @ApolloHOU on Twitter to stay up to date on the latest and check out our Instagram – Apollo NASCAR!
