NASCAR playoffs begin in Darlington

Another spectacular regular season has concluded in the NASCAR Cup Series, the 16-driver Playoff field is set and jump starting the postseason action this year is the ‘Track Too Tough To Tame’ – Darlington Raceway.

The 2023 season marks the 20th year the NASCAR Cup Series has crowned its champion in a Playoff format, and just the fourth-time the postseason has opened at Darlington Raceway (2020-2023). Racing at the historic ‘Lady In Black’ is a contest unto itself, but the competitors vying for this season’s title are ready for the challenge in this year’s Cook Out Southern 500 on September 3 at 6 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Darlington Raceway is the fourth different track to host the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series postseason. New Hampshire Motor Speedway hosted the first race of the Playoffs from 2004–2010, then Chicagoland Speedway held the first race of the Playoffs from 2011–2017 and Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosted the first event of the Playoffs from 2018-2019.

Prior to the 2020 season, Darlington Raceway had hosted just one other Playoff race, the penultimate event in the inaugural Playoffs in 2004. The race was won by seven-time series champion and former Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson.

The winner of the opening race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs has gone on to win the title that same season four times. In 2004 (inaugural Cup Playoffs), Kurt Busch won the opening race of the Playoffs at New Hampshire and went on to win the title. In 2011 (race was delayed until Monday due to rain), NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart won his first race of the season at Chicago to open the Playoffs. Stewart went on to set the record for the most wins in a Playoff run with five victories and the title – a feat Kyle Larson matched in 2021. In 2012, Brad Keselowski won the Playoff race at Chicagoland Speedway and went on to win the title. And in 2017, Martin Truex Jr. won the Playoff race at Chicagoland Speedway to open the Playoffs and went on to win the championship that same season.

The worst finish in the opening race of the Playoffs by a driver that went on to win the NASCAR Cup Series title was Jimmie Johnson’s 39th-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to open the 2006 postseason. The worst finish in the opening Playoff race at Chicago for a driver that went on to win the title was Jimmie Johnson’s 12th-place finish in 2016. The worst finish in the opening race of the Playoffs at Las Vegas by a driver that went on to win the title was Kyle Busch’s 19th-place finish in 2019. And the worst finish in the opening race of the Playoffs at Darlington Raceway by a driver that went on to win the championship was Chase Elliott’s 20th-place finish in 2020. The last two seasons, Kyle Larson (2021) and Joey Logano (2022) finished second at Darlington Raceway to open the Playoffs and went on to win the title.

Last season, Erik Jones became the first non-Playoff driver to win the opening race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Since the inception of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs in 2014 (last eight seasons), entering the Playoffs as the No. 1 seed has been the most successful seeding, producing four championships among three drivers – Kyle Busch (2015, 2019), Martin Truex Jr. (2017) and Kyle Larson (2021). Hendrick Motorsport’s driver William Byron enters this season’s Playoffs as the No. 1 seed with 36 Playoff points at his side. Last season’s champion, Joey Logano started the 2022 Playoffs as the second seed. The deepest seed that an eventual champion has started in the Playoffs was seventh, by Kevin Harvick in 2014 and Joey Logano in 2018.

Historically iconic Darlington Raceway is a challenge for the competitors

Darlington Raceway is the perfect stage for 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ opener, the Cook Out Southern 500 (Sunday, Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The historic 1.366-mile, egg-shaped, paved oval has hosted 124 NASCAR Cup Series races dating back to 1950, and with its rich tradition of history it has become one of the most iconic tracks on the schedule.

Originally, the raceway was built as a 1.25-mile paved superspeedway in 1949-1950 and hosted the first 500-mile race in NASCAR history and the first on asphalt on September 4, 1950. A total of 75 cars competed in the inaugural event and Curtis Turner won the pole at 82.034 mph, and the race was won by Johnny Mantz (Plymouth, 75.250 mph). The race took 6 hours, 38 minutes, and 40 seconds to complete. This weekend’s race will be exactly 73 years since the inaugural event held in 1950.

Since then, Darlington Raceway has undergone some changes through the years. In 1953, the track was re-measured to 1.375-miles. Then in 1970, the track was re-configured to 1.366-miles following the spring race of that season. The track was repaved in 1995 and then again prior to the 2008 season. Over the years the historic facility has become known amongst its competitors as ‘the track too tough to tame’.

In total, the 124 NASCAR Cup Series races has produced 53 different pole winners and 53 different race winners. NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson leads the series in poles at Darlington with 12 (1967, ’70, ’72, ’73 sweep, ’75 sweep, ’76 sweep, ’77, ’78 and ’82). Pearson’s 12 Darlington poles are tied with NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough (12 poles at Daytona) for the second-most poles all-time at a single track in the NASCAR Cup Series. Pearson also holds the NASCAR Cup Series record for most poles at a single track with 14 poles at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

A total of six of the 53 NASCAR Cup Series pole winners at Darlington Raceway are active this weekend, led by Kevin Harvick (2014, 2017) and Joey Logano (2022 sweep) with two poles each.

NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson also leads the NASCAR Cup Series in victories at Darlington Raceway with 10 wins (1968, ’70, ’72, ’73, ’74, ’76 sweep, ’77, ’79, 80); followed by fellow Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt with nine wins and Jeff Gordon with seven. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in victories at Darlington Raceway with four triumphs (2010, 2017, 2020, 2022). Of the 53 NASCAR Cup Series Darlington Raceway race winners, 29 have multiple wins and eight are active this weekend.

This weekend’s Cook Out Southern 500 will be 367 laps (501.3 miles) and will be broken up into three stages. The first stage will be 115 laps, the second stage will be 115 laps and the final stage will be 137 laps.

A total of 20 different starting positions on the grid at Darlington Raceway have resulted in victories in the NASCAR Cup Series. The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (21) than any other starting position at Darlington Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series. The outside front row (second-place) has produced the second-most wins (18). The front row starting positions combined have produced 31.4% of the race winners at Darlington Raceway with 39 wins coming from the two spots.

A total of 12 different drivers have won from the pole at Darlington Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series. NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins from the pole at Darlington Raceway with four wins (1971, 1972, 1976 sweep). Kevin Harvick (2014) and Joey Logano (2022) are the only active drivers to win from the pole at Darlington Raceway. The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Darlington is 43rd by Johnny Mantz in 1950 – the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event held at the historic raceway.

Quick Rundown: NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs

The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs format is competed over the final 10 races and includes 16 drivers and four rounds – the Round of 16, the Round of 12, the Round of 8 and the Championship 4.

An overview:

• A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Playoffs.

• The number of Playoff drivers in contention for the championship will decrease after every three Playoff races, from 16 to start; 12 after race No. 3; eight after race No. 6; and four after race No. 9.

• The first three races (27-29) will be known as the Round of 16; races 30-32 will be known as the Round of 12; races 33-35 will be Round of 8; and race No. 36 will be the Championship 4 Round.

• A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Playoff race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next Playoff round.

• Four drivers will enter the Championship Race with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the prestigious NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Eligibility For The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs

• The top 15 drivers with the most wins over the first 26 races will earn a spot in the Playoffs – provided they have attempted to qualify for every race (except in rare instances).

• The 16th Playoff position will go to the points leader after race No. 26 if he/she does not have a victory. In the event that there are 16 or more different winners over 26 races, the only winless driver who can earn a Playoff spot would be the points leader after 26 races.

• If there are fewer than 16 different winners in the first 26 races, the remaining Playoff positions will go to those winless drivers highest in points. If there are 16 or more winners in the first 26 races, the ties will first be broken by number of wins, followed by points.

• Prior to the start of the Playoffs, all Playoff drivers will have their points adjusted to 2,000, with all Playoff points added to their total. Those Playoff points will stay with the driver as long as he/she remains in the Playoffs (except for the Championship 4 Round race).

Playoff Structure

The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are an elimination-style format that is broken up into four rounds. After the third Playoff race, there will be 12 drivers. After the sixth Playoff race, the field will drop to eight drivers, and following the ninth Playoff race, only four drivers will remain in championship contention.

• Round of 16: The first round (races 27-29 at Darlington, Kansas, Bristol) is the Round of 16. If a Playoff driver wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the next round (Round of 12). The remaining available positions 1-12 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each driver will then have their points reset to 3,000, with any awarded Playoff points added.

• Round of 12: The second round (races 30-32 at Texas, Talladega, Charlotte RC) is the Round of 12. Likewise, if a driver in the top 12 in points wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the next round (Round of 8). The remaining available positions 1-8 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each driver will then have their points reset to 4,000, with any awarded Playoff points added.

• Round of 8: The third round (races 33-35 at Las Vegas, Homestead-Miami, Martinsville) is the Round of 8. If a driver in the top eight in points wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the next round (Championship 4). The remaining available positions 1-4 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each will then have their points reset to 5,000.

• Additionally, drivers who are eliminated in the Round of 16, Round of 12 and Round of 8 will have their points readjusted. Each eliminated driver will return to the Playoff-start base of 2,000 with any awarded Playoff points and any accumulated points starting with race No. 27 added. This will allow all drivers not in contention for the title to continue to race for the best possible season-long standing, with final positions fifth-through-16th still up for grabs.

Championship Finale

• The 36th and final race of the season will be the Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, which will feature the Championship 4 Round. Simply stated, the highest finisher in that race among the remaining four eligible drivers will win the NASCAR Cup Series title.

• Playoff points for stage wins will not apply in the season finale, so the official finishing position alone will decide the champion.

• Note:  All rules outlined above also apply to the owner championship structure.

Scouting the Playoff field at Darlington

Darlington Raceway is set to kick off the 20th running of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2004-2023) in this Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at 6 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Since the inception of the postseason in 2004, 47 different drivers have qualified for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs; including this season’s 16-driver field. Only one driver this season is making his Playoff career debut in the NASCAR Cup Series – Bubba Wallace. Veterans Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick are making their NASCAR Cup Series record 17th Playoff appearance – the most all-time.

In total 10 different drivers have won the championship since the inception of the Playoffs in 2004. This season, seven former NASCAR Cup Series champions make up the 16-driver Playoff field (active champions that are in the Playoffs are bolded in the chart below); Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch (2015, 2019) and Team Penske’s Joey Logano (2018, 2023) are the only active competitors with multiple NASCAR Cup Series championships.

A total of 10 different organizations are represented in this season’s NASCAR Cup Series Driver Playoffs – Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, RFK Racing, Richard Childress Racing, Trackhouse Racing, 23XI Racing, Team Penske, Front Row Motorsports, JTG Daugherty Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing.

All three NASCAR Cup Series official engine manufacturers have qualified for the Playoffs as well, led by Ford with six entries into the postseason, followed by Ford and Toyota with five each.

Looking ahead to Darlington Raceway, eight former winners are entered in the race this weekend; led by Denny Hamlin (2022 2020, 2017, 2010) with four wins. Kevin Harvick (2020-3, 2020-1, 2014) and Martin Truex Jr. (2016, 2021) are the only other Playoff drivers this season with multiple wins at Darlington Raceway.

Driver listed below are by seeding heading into Darlington:

William Byron (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) heads to Darlington Raceway as the No. 1 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,036 points – up +29 points on the Round of 12 cutoff – in his fifth consecutive appearance in the postseason (2023, ‘22, ’21 ’20, ’19). Byron is currently tied in points with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. but owns the No. 1 seed due to the tiebreaker of most wins. Byron has made 10 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway amassing one pole, one win (2023), three top fives and four top 10s. His average finish at the 1.366-mile track is 16.8. If Byron were to win this weekend, he would become the 14th different driver in the NASCAR Cup Series to post consecutive wins at Darlington; Dale Earnhardt (1989-1990) and Jeff Gordon (1995-1996) are tied for the series-most consecutive wins at Darlington with three each.

Martin Truex Jr. (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) heads to Darlington Raceway as the Regular Season Champion – just the second driver in the series to win multiple Regular Season Championships (2017, 2023); joining Kyle Busch (2018, 2019). Truex enters the Playoffs as the No. 2 seed with 2,036 points – up +29 points on the Round of 12 cutoff – in his 10th postseason appearance (2023, ’21 ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16, ’15, ’12, ’07). Truex has made 22 series starts at Darlington Raceway, putting up one pole, two wins (2016, 2021), four top fives and 10 top 10s. His average finish at the 1.366-mile track is 13.2.

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) heads to Darlington Raceway as the No. 3 seed in this season’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,025 points – up +18 points on the Round of 12 cutoff – in his record setting 17th postseason appearance (2023, ‘22, ’21, ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16, ’15, ’14, ’12, ’11, ’10, ’09, ’08, ’07, ’06). Hamlin has made 22 series starts at Darlington Raceway, putting up one pole, four wins (series-most among active drivers: 2010, 2017, 2020, 2021), 12 top fives and 16 top 10s. His average finish at Darlington is 7.7 – best among active drivers.

Chris Buescher (No. 17 RFK Racing Ford) rolls into Darlington Raceway after winning the regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway as the No. 4 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,021 points – up +14 points on the Round of 12 cutoff – in his second appearance in the postseason (2023, ’16). Buescher has made 12 series starts at Darlington posting three top-10 finishes. His average finish at Darlington is 17.5.

Kyle Busch (No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) arrives at Darlington Raceway as the No. 5 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,019 points – up +12 points on the Round of 12 cutoff – in his 16th postseason appearance (2023 ‘22, ’21 ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16, ’15, ’14, ’13, ’11, ’10, ’08, ’07, ’06). Busch has made 23 series starts at Darlington posting one win (2008) six top fives and 14 top 10s. His average finish at the 1.366-mile track is 13.4.

Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) heads to Darlington Raceway as the No. 6 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,017 points – up +10 points on the Round of 12 cutoff – in his seventh postseason appearance (2023, ‘22, ’21, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16). Larson has made 11 series starts at Darlington, posting five top fives and seven top 10s. His average finish at 1.366-mile facility is 10.1 – second-best among active drivers.

Christopher Bell (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) heads to Darlington Raceway as the No. 7 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,014 points – up seven points on the Round of 12 cutoff – in his third postseason appearance (2023, ‘22, ’21). Bell has made eight series starts at Darlington Raceway, collecting one top-five and two top-10 finishes. His average finish at Darlington is 16.0.

Ross Chastain (No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet) rolls into Darlington Raceway as the No. 8 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,011 points – up four points on the Round of 12 cutoff – in his second career postseason appearance (2023, ’22). Looking to Darlington, Chastain has made eight series starts at the egg-shaped track accumulating one top-five and one top-10 finish. His average finish at Darlington is 22.8.

Brad Keselowski (No. 6 RFK Racing Ford) returns to Darlington Raceway as the No. 9 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,010 points – up three points on the Round of 12 cutoff – in his 11th appearance in the postseason (2023, ’21 ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16, ’15, ’14, ’12, ’11). Keselowski has made 19 series starts at Darlington Raceway posting one pole, one win (2018), six top fives and 10 top 10s. His average finish at Darlington is 11.7 – third-best among active drivers.

Tyler Reddick (No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota) arrives at Darlington Raceway as the No. 10 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,009 points – up two points on the Round of 12 cutoff – in his third career appearance in the postseason (2023, ‘22, ‘21). Reddick has made eight series starts at Darlington Raceway posting two top-five and three top-10 finishes. His average finish at Darlington is 12.5.

Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Ford), last season’s champion, heads to Darlington Raceway as the No. 11 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,008 points – up just one point on the Round of 12 cutoff – in his 10th postseason appearance (2023, ‘22, ’21 ’20, ’19, ’18, ’16, ’15, ’14, ’13). Logano returns to the ‘Lady In Black’ having made 19 series career starts at Darlington grabbing two poles, one win (2022), six top fives and 10 top 10s. His average finish at Darlington is 13.2.

Ryan Blaney (No. 12 Team Penske Ford) heads to Darlington Raceway as the No. 12 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,008 points – up just one point on the Round of 12 cutoff – in his seventh postseason appearance (2023, ‘22, ’21 ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17). Blaney has made 13 series starts at Darlington, posting two top-10 finishes. His average finish at the South Carolina track is 17.8.

Michael McDowell (No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford) arrives at Darlington Raceway as the No. 13 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,007 points – one point back from Ryan Blaney in the 12th and final transfer spot on points to the Round of 12 – in his second appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series postseason (2023, ’21). McDowell has made 16 series starts at Darlington putting up two top-10 finishes. His average finish at the historic track is 26.4

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet) will start the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs as the No. 14 seed with 2,005 points – three points behind the Round of 12 cutoff – in his second appearance in the postseason (2023, ’17). Stenhouse has made 15 series starts at Darlington Raceway putting up one top-10 finish. His average finish at the egg-shaped track is 23.0.

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford) starts off the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs as the No. 15 seed with 2,004 points – back four points from the Round of 12 cutoff – in his record setting 17th career postseason appearance (2023, ‘22 ’21, ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16, ’15, ’14, ’13, ’12, ’11, ’10, ’08, ’07, ’06). Harvick has made 31 series starts at Darlington Raceway grabbing three wins (2014, 2020-1, 2020-3), 13 top fives and 19 top 10s. His average finish at Darlington is 12.4.

Bubba Wallace (No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota) is climbing off of Cloud-9 this week after earning the final spot into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in the regular season finale at Daytona. Now the Alabama native heads to Darlington Raceway as the No. 16 seed with 2,000 points – back eight points from the Round of 12 cutoff – in his first postseason appearance (2023). Wallace has made 10 series starts at Darlington posting one top five and two top 10s. His average finish at Darlington is 20.8.

For additional Playoff driver bio information, please visit the following link on NASCARMedia.com:

NCS Playoff Media Content Hub.