Cook Out Southern 500

The Cook Out Southern 500 is one of NASCAR's most prestigious and iconic races, and it takes place at the historic Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. The race will be the final race before the beginning of the Playoff season. The 2024 race is scheduled for September 2nd, 2024, and will mark the 74th anniversary of NASCAR racing at the Darlington Raceway. Since 2020, the event was scheduled to take place as the first race of the NASCAR playoffs. However, in 2023, the race was announced to be the regular season finale and now in 2024 will be the first race of the NASCAR playoffs.

The race is a demanding track layout with a 501-mile distance and 367 laps and is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans. This iconic event has been a staple on the NASCAR circuit since the 1950s, making it one of the longest-running races in the sport's history.

Cook Out Southern 500 History

The Cookout Southern 500 has a rich history dating back to its inception in 1950 as NASCAR’s first 500-mile race. The race was originally held on Labor Day weekend and became one of NASCAR’s premier events and earned the status as one of the sport's four majors of the NASCAR circuit which includes the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, and Southern 500.

In its historic run, the Southern 500 has seen legendary moments, like Bill Elliott and Jeff Gordon winning the Winston Million in 1985 and 1997 respectively. The race briefly moved to November in 2004, before being rescheduled to Mithers Da weekend from 2005 to 2013. In 2015, the Southern 500 made its return to its traditional Labor Day weekend slot, taking back its historical significance and its place as a a NASCAR classic.

Cook Out Southern 500 Schedule

The Cook Out Southern 500 in 2024 will be a 160-lap race held over the weekend from August 31st to September 1st. The qualifying session for the race will be held on Saturday, August 30, 2024. The final race on September 1st, 2024, will be a three-stage event. It will be divided into Stage 1- 115 laps, Stage 2- 115 laps, and the final Stage, which will be 137 laps. The race will be held on Sunday from 6:00 PM Eastern Time. The race will take place over a distance of 501.322 miles.

Cook Out Southern 500 Venue

Cookout Southern 500 takes place at the Darlington Raceway. The track is a 1.33-mile oval located in Darlington, South Carolina has an asphalt racing surface. The race has a total distance of 501 miles and 367 laps with asphalt racing surface with 25 degrees of banking in turns 1 and 2, and 23 degrees of banking in turns 3 and 4. With 3 degrees on the front stretch and 2 degrees on the backstretch, this track will create an exciting start to the Cup Series Playoffs.

The track is of egg-shaped design, with each end having a different layout. The design came about because one end of the track is close to a pond and the owner didn't want to move. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their car handling in a way that they perform well on both ends of the track

Cook Out Southern 500 Drivers Standing

The driver standings for the race are led by Tyler Reddick, as of August 2024. Kyle Larson, Chase Elliot, Ryan Blaney, and William Byron are the ones following his tow. Here are the top-10 drivers rankings, as of August 2024:

Drivers with the most wins in the Cook Out Southern 500

The Cookout Southern 500 has a long history with many talented drivers with the most wins at the Darlington Raceway. Jeff Gordon stands at the top with 6 wins with wins in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2007. Jimmie Johnson stands second with 5 wins in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013. Dale Earnhardt stands third with 2 wins in 1990 and 1994.

Where to watch Cook Out Southern 500 2024

NASCAR’s official site states that the official broadcaster of the race will be the FOX and NBC Sports Network. To stream the NASCAR races you can use the ️FOX Sports App, the NBC Sports App, Peacock and also in FloRacing

Cook Out Southern 500 start times in different Time Zones