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NASCAR results
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Christopher Bell won the Southern 500 at Darlington on Sept 6, his first win of 2026. The win opens the NASCAR Cup playoffs, reshaping the championship chase.
Background
The Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway is NASCAR's oldest 500-mile race and the traditional opener of the Cup Series playoffs, known as The Chase. This year's race marked the start of the revamped postseason format, with drivers competing for crucial points to advance in the championship.
How it unfolded
- Sep 5, 2026NASCAR's O'Reilly Auto Parts Series held its first postseason race at Darlington, with Sheldon Creed winning.
- Sep 6, 2026Christopher Bell won the Southern 500, holding off Ty Gibbs and Tyler Reddick for his first win of the season.
- recentlyPost-race, Denny Hamlin leads the Cup Series standings with 2,135 points, followed by Christopher Bell 12 points back.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- NASCAR reported Bell's victory as his first of the campaign, with the win launching him into the playoffs.
- Analysts
- Notable drivers like Michael McDowell and Erik Jones missed the Chase due to inconsistent oval results, per NASCAR analysis.