NASCAR Playoff Field Set as Chase Briscoe Claims Dramatic Southern 500 Victory at Darlington
The final race of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season delivered a thrilling conclusion, with Chase Briscoe edging out Kyle Busch to win the prestigious Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway and clinch a spot in the playoffs. The victory marked a defining moment not only for Briscoe but also for his Stewart-Haas Racing team, which is set to conclude its final season in NASCAR.
Briscoe, who hadn’t led a lap in a non-plate race since Week 8 at Martinsville, timed his move perfectly on a late restart with 26 laps remaining. Trailing Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, and Ty Gibbs, Briscoe spotted an opportunity down low entering Turn 3 and seized it, never relinquishing the lead. “I was crying after the checkered,” said an emotional Briscoe in victory lane. “I just won the Southern 500. This is a crown jewel.”
Briscoe’s victory came at a crucial juncture for both him and his team. With Stewart-Haas Racing set to wind down its operations, the win guaranteed Briscoe a playoff berth in the team’s final year. “For all 320 employees, everybody, to be able to race for a championship in their final year, man, unbelievable,” said Briscoe, who dedicated the win to his team.
Kyle Busch, who also needed a win to make the playoffs, came tantalizingly close but fell just short, finishing second. “Once I got within his air, I really didn’t have enough to power through that, to get closer,” said Busch, reflecting on his late charge. Despite missing out on the playoffs for the first time since 2012, Busch showed signs of returning to form in recent weeks and could still factor into the championship picture over the next 10 races.
The race also had significant implications for the playoff field. Chris Buescher missed out on a playoff spot by just six points, despite a strong sixth-place finish, as Ty Gibbs claimed the final spot. Meanwhile, Bubba Wallace, who started from the pole, failed to make the playoffs despite a valiant effort that saw him finish 16th.
Kyle Larson finished fourth and secured the regular-season points championship, though he narrowly missed out on the regular-season race win title to Tyler Reddick by a single point. Despite this, Larson enters the playoffs as the top seed thanks to his four wins this season, which earned him 40 bonus points.
The Southern 500 also marked the end of a tumultuous regular season, with several drivers demonstrating their championship potential. Among them are Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, and Joey Logano, all of whom can make a strong case for the championship.
The start of the playoffs is just around the corner, with the first race set for Atlanta Motor Speedway. With 16 drivers vying for the title, only nine are considered serious contenders, but upsets are always possible in NASCAR.
Off the track, NASCAR announced its 2025 schedule, which includes a return to Rockingham Speedway for the Xfinity and Truck Series, as well as the addition of Mexico City to the Cup Series calendar. The inclusion of Mexico City as a new market underscores NASCAR’s commitment to expanding its global reach and engaging new fan bases.