NASCAR Cup Series prepares for Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway

NASCAR returns to Darlington Raceway this weekend for the Cook Out Southern 500, which serves as the opening race of the 2026 Chase. The 1.366-mile asphalt oval, known for its distinct egg shape, requires teams to navigate two sets of corners with different banking configurations. Originally opened in 1950, the facility earned its nicknames "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" due to its unforgiving nature and the frequency with which drivers scrape the outside walls. These contacts, commonly referred to as "Darlington Stripes," can be the difference between a successful finish and a ruined afternoon. David Pearson holds the record for both the most all-time Cup wins and poles at the South Carolina track.

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