DARLINGTON, S.C. — The Cook Out Southern 500 is two Sundays away and for the fourth consecutive year, it will serve as the first race of the NASCAR playoffs.
While the final playoff grid has yet to be determined, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. is locked in based on his Daytona 500 win and his solid finishes throughout the season.
In the spring, Stenhouse finished 13th in the Goodyear 400 in spite of a flat tire which set him back a lap late in the race.
Stenhouse says the demands of navigating the Darlington Raceway make the Cook Out Southern 500 seem longer than the Coca Cola 600 which in terms of miles, is the longest race on the schedule.
In 15 appearances at the Darlington Raceway, Stenhouse has one top 10 finish, an eighth-place showing in the 2022 Goodyear 400.