Winners and losers from a mistake-filled playoff race at Darlington

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Playoffs are formally underway. Chase Briscoe has already locked himself into the Spherical of 12 with a dominant victory at Darlington, changing into the primary driver in virtually 20 years to win back-to-back Southern 500s.

The raced featured a number of unforced errors by the title contenders, totally on pit highway. 36 of the 38 starters made it to the end, however that did not imply it was a great day. Not a single playoff driver from Ford or Chevrolet completed inside the highest ten, whereas Toyota had 4 within the high ten.

This is a have a look at the most important winners and losers from the 76th operating of the Southern 500:

WINNER: Two totally different groups, similar final result for Briscoe at Darlington

Watch: Briscoe: ‘Means tougher than it wanted to be’ to clinch Darlington win

Chase Briscoe has now gained back-to-back Southern 500s at Darlington, however much more impressively, he did it with two totally different race groups. Final yr, he earned Stewart-Haas Racing its closing win earlier than the staff shut down, and in 2025, he opened the playoffs with a dominant victory on the historic monitor. He’s simply the eighth driver to efficiently defend their crown within the Southern 500 and the primary to take action with two totally different groups since Cale Yarborough in 1973 and 1974 (although it was primarily the identical automotive with new possession).

HMS leaves Darlington with numerous questions, and it goes far past ‘why did it take 40 seconds to pit Alex Bowman’s race automotive?’ No Hendrick driver completed greater than seventeenth, and two of them are actually in actual hazard because the Cup Collection heads to Gateway. Bowman is nineteen factors under the cutline whereas Chase Elliott is simply 9 factors up. Was it simply an off-night, or one thing extra? The one excuse surrounds the No. 5 of Kyle Larson, who suffered some harm that impacted his efficiency. However even earlier than that, he was not out entrance main laps like we count on him to do at certainly one of his finest tracks.

WINNER: Legacy Motor Membership shines within the Southern 500

Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota

Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photographs

Whereas all eyes have been on the playoff drivers, the Jimmie Johnson-led staff practically stole the highlight at Darlington. Two-time Southern 500 winner Erik Jones had a legit shot at making it three, putting a really shut third as one of the best non-playoff driver within the discipline. The following finest was his personal teammate, John Hunter Nemechek, who completed fourth in one of the best exhibiting but for Legacy in 2025. Additionally they managed to get two vehicles inside the highest 5 for each the Daytona 500 and Southern 500 this yr.

LOSER: Josh Berry’s playoff underdog story could already be over

Berry’s shot of advancing past the Spherical of 16 was already wanting troublesome, however a Lap 1 wreck at Darlington leaves him buried in a gap that the No. 21 staff is probably not able to digging out of. Nonetheless, props to them for not giving up. He returned to the monitor after spending over 100 laps within the storage, and even snagged the quickest lap bonus level as he seems to be to make up some floor.

WINNER: Reddick loses the race, however makes the correct alternative

Watch: Chase Briscoe fends off Tyler Reddick for Southern 500 victory

Reddick actually, actually wished to win the Southern 500. He has been shut a number of instances earlier than, and his post-race interviews confirmed how little he cared about his nice factors place. Nonetheless, he nonetheless made the correct ‘massive image’ alternative on the final lap. Reddick made a lunge at Briscoe for the lead, however he did not absolutely ship it like Darlington 2024 the place he finally took himself out in an try to win the race. This time, he took second, and walks out of Darlington with a hefty margin between himself within the elimination zone. As certainly one of two winless drivers within the playoffs, it was sorely wanted as he seems to be way more more likely to advance now.

LOSER: Bell’s day unravels after pit highway collision

Christopher Bell noticed his race come aside on pit highway, however not in the best way many others did. It wasn’t a gradual cease or a free wheel, however a collision with one other automotive. After spinning out and inflicting a warning, Carson Hocevar filed down pit highway on the very again of the sphere. Nonetheless, when he went to show into his personal stall, Bell was leaving his and call occurred. The harm prevented Bell from doing a lot of something the remainder of the day, and leaves him with simply 11 factors between himself and the cutline. He was additionally pissed off with Hocevar’s staff after the race for not telling him to present technique to the playoff drivers.

WINNER: Chastain avoids catastrophe and strikes away from the cutline

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet; Erik Jones, Legacy Motor Club Toyota

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet; Erik Jones, Legacy Motor Membership Toyota

Picture by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photographs

Ross Chastain has all the time been sturdy at Darlington, and Sunday was no totally different. He collected 12 stage factors, and even battled for the race lead at one level. Nonetheless, he was confronted with an uncomfortable state of affairs within the closing laps when a fueling concern meant the staff didn’t get his automotive full. Chastain needed to purposely surrender spots, letting a high ten slip away whereas he nursed the automotive house. In the long run, he fell from seventh to eleventh, however “prevented catastrophe” as he leaves Darlington 21 factors above the cutline. At the beginning of the race, there was just one level between himself and the drop zone.

LOSER: SVG loses factors cushion after only one race

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Picture by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photographs

It was a really totally different story for Chastain’s rookie teammate within the No. 88, who completed thirty third at Darlington. They by no means might get the deal with on SVG’s automotive, and a late-race technique gamble did not repay resulting from an premature warning. In consequence, most of his 16-point buffer is gone. He’s now on the bubble, simply three factors above the cutline. To make issues worse, the motive force instantly under him is three-time and defending sequence champion Joey Logano. Oh, and van Gisbergen has by no means run a lap on the subsequent monitor on the schedule. It will be a troublesome process for him to remain on the correct of the road within the weeks to come back.

WINNER: Veteran racer A.J. Allmendinger excels in one other old-school race

AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photographs

It is arduous to not be impressed by versatile racer A.J. Allmendinger. The 43-year-old has been competing in NASCAR since 2006, and his expertise exhibits in conventional occasions like this one. He is a driver who has led laps on the Indy 500, earned a watch within the Rolex 24, and has gained quite a few races in inventory vehicles. This yr, he has a fourth-place end within the Coca-Cola 600 and a fifth-place end within the Southern 500 — two grueling crown jewel occasions on ovals. Now we have to present A.J. his flowers as he delivered Kaulig one other stellar exhibiting in certainly one of NASCAR’s hardest races.

LOSER: Hamlin’s ‘Achilles Heel’ seems once more in playoff opener

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Picture by: Logan Riely / Getty Photographs

Earlier than the Cup race at Darlington, Denny Hamlin was requested what the ‘Achilles Heel’ is for his No. 11 staff, and he rapidly pointed to ‘execution’ as the reply. Whereas Hamlin has 4 wins this yr, there have been a number of moments the place races have simply gotten away from the Joe Gibbs Racing squad. Sadly, the execution was not there on Sunday evening. A gradual cease on pit highway denied Hamlin an opportunity to problem Briscoe for the win, however he nonetheless made essentially the most of it points-wise. Hamlin secured a high ten end and should not be fearful a couple of first-round exit, however as a driver who has a self-appointed purpose to succeed in 60 profession wins in 2025, races like this are going to hang-out him.