NASCAR 2023: Final results for Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 is finally done and dusted. The first race of the playoff season started at 6 pm ET on Sunday (September 3) and lasted for four hours, eight minutes and 47 seconds. The race took place at the Darlington Raceway, with a total of 36 entries.

Kyle Larson, driving the #5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports driver, scored his third win of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season at the 1.366-mile-long track.

Larson emerged victorious after he led on the restart with 51 of the 367 laps remaining and then held on through two more late-race restarts in the final 47 laps to lock his spot in the Round of 12.

In a race that was filled with drama and thrilling action, Kyle Larson crossed the finish line 0.447 seconds ahead of his fellow playoff driver Tyler Reddick to grab the checkered flag. The win marked his 22nd career Cup Series victory and second win in one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races, as he previously won the Coca-Cola 600 in 2021.

Meanwhile, Reddick finished runner-up, followed by Chris Buescher, William Byron, and Ross Chastain in the top five. Brad Keselowski, Bubba Wallace, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, and the defending champion of the event Erik Jones completed the top 10.

The Cook Out Southern 500 saw 13 lead changes among six different drivers and witnessed eight caution flags.

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NASCAR 2023 Cook Out Southern 500 final results

Here are the final results for NASCAR's 2023 Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway:

1. #5 - Kyle Larson (P)
2. #45 - Tyler Reddick (P)
3. #17 - Chris Buescher (P)
4. #24 - William Byron (P)
5. #1 - Ross Chastain (P)
6. #6 - Brad Keselowski (P)
7. #23 - Bubba Wallace (P)
8. #9 - Chase Elliott (P)
9. #12 - Ryan Blaney (P)
10. #43 - Erik Jones
11. #8 - Kyle Busch (P)
12. #22 - Joey Logano (P)
13. #16 - AJ Allmendinger
14. #10 - Aric Almirola
15. #14 - Chase Briscoe
16. #47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (P)
17. #42 - Carson Hocevar(i)
18. #19 - Martin Truex Jr. (P)
19. #4 - Kevin Harvick (P)
20. #3 - Austin Dillon
21. #54 - Ty Gibbs #
22. #7 - Corey LaJoie
23. #20 - Christopher Bell (P)
24. #31 - Justin Haley
25. #11 - Denny Hamlin (P)
26. #38 - Todd Gilliland
27. #51 - Ryan Newman
28. #41 - Ryan Preece
29. #77 - Ty Dillon
30. #15 - JJ Yeley(i)
31. #2 - Austin Cindric
32. #34 - Michael McDowell (P)
33. #48 - Alex Bowman
34. #99 - Daniel Suarez
35. #21 - Harrison Burton
36. #78 - BJ McLeod

Catch the NASCAR Cup Series teams and drivers next at the Kansas Speedway for the second playoff race of the season on September 10.