2026 Cook Out Southern 500 Betting Race Picks

On Sunday, NASCAR’s “Chase” format officially returns for the first time since 2013 when the green flag waves for one of the most prestigious races of the season in the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. The Cup Series will no longer have the 3-race rounds and single championship finale to determine an entire year’s worth of performance. Instead, the next 10 races will cumulatively decide this year’s Cup Series Champion. As things currently stand, Denny Hamlin leads the points standings as the regular season champion and enters the final stretch of the season as the sentimental favorite to earn his first Cup Series title in his Hall of Fame career! Hamlin also holds the most wins (5) among active drivers at Darlington and enters the weekend among the overall betting favorites!