Southern 500 Starting Lineup: Hamlin Leads Playoff Charge

Denny Hamlin secured the pole position for Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, asserting his dominance ahead of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs opener. The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry XSE posted a lightning-fast 28.694-second lap at 171.381 mph, edging teammate Chase Briscoe by 0.021 seconds. With playoff stakes high and the track notorious for its egg-shaped layout, drivers must balance speed and strategy, knowing that Darlington’s unique challenges can turn even small errors into costly setbacks.

Key Highlights

• Denny Hamlin claims pole for the 2025 Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway

• Chase Briscoe narrowly misses making history with four crown jewel poles in one season

• Josh Berry, Tyler Reddick, and Kyle Larson round out the top-five starters

• Playoff drivers occupy the first 12 grid positions, with Michael McDowell leading early practice

• Several playoff contenders, including Alex Bowman and Shane van Gisbergen, qualified outside the top 30

Pole Battle and Qualifying Drama

Hamlin’s pole marks his fifth career Darlington victory and 45th career pole, also making him the first Toyota driver to reach 40 poles. His single lap was precise, exploiting speed through Turns 3 and 4.

“It turned. We struggled with balance all through race practice, but we made some good adjustments to run one lap.” – Denny Hamlin

Briscoe, who had won poles at Daytona, Charlotte, and Indianapolis earlier this season, fell short of becoming the first driver to sweep all four crown jewel events in a single year.

“That one stings. My 1 and 2 was really good, and I didn’t want to go into Turn 3 and hit the wall or something, so I under-drove it.” – Chase Briscoe

Hamlin’s edge illustrates the razor-thin margins at Darlington, where fractions of a second separate history from heartbreak.

Top Starters and Playoff Contenders

Josh Berry delivered his best qualifying run since Atlanta, placing third in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford at 170.578 mph. Tyler Reddick, in the No. 45 23XI Toyota, qualified fourth, followed by Kyle Larson in the top Chevrolet entry. Positions six through 12 feature Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace, Austin Dillon, Austin Cindric, William Byron, and Ryan Blaney, creating a dense playoff front. Joey Logano (14th), Shane van Gisbergen (20th), Chase Elliott (21st), and Alex Bowman (29th) round out the remaining playoff starters, showing that early grid position can vary widely in a race where experience and patience matter most.

Berry reflected on his strong performance and its potential impact on race day:

“I’m super proud of that effort. Our big focus was trying to qualify better here, and the guys did a great job. I feel like our car is really strong, and I’m excited for Sunday. The biggest thing I feel like I’ve fought here is starting position, so starting up front, I think we can just manage the race easier and obviously score some stage points. That’s going to be important, so just having a mistake-free day by taking care of the car and having good pit stops will help keep us in the hunt.” – Josh Berry

Practice Notes and Early Incidents

Friday’s practice session offered additional insight into track conditions. Michael McDowell led the charts for Spire Motorsports at 169.531 mph, followed by teammate Justin Haley and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs. Carson Hocevar and Noah Gragson completed the top five. Todd Gilliland, AJ Allmendinger, Bubba Wallace, Kyle Busch, and John Hunter Nemechek rounded out the top ten.

Playoff contenders Alex Bowman, Shane van Gisbergen, Josh Berry, and Chase Elliott struggled in practice, all posting laps outside the top 30. Minor incidents included Ryan Preece earning a Darlington stripe after brushing the Turn 3 wall and Zane Smith spinning entering pit road, though neither brought out a caution.

News in Brief: 2025 Cook Out Southern 500 Starting Lineup

Denny Hamlin claimed the Busch Light Pole Award for Sunday’s 2025 Cook Out Southern 500, leading the playoff kickoff at Darlington Raceway. He edged teammate Chase Briscoe by 0.021 seconds, preventing a historic four-crown-jewel pole sweep. Josh Berry, Tyler Reddick, and Kyle Larson round out the top-five starters, while playoff drivers occupy the first 12 grid positions. Early practice saw Michael McDowell fastest at 169.531 mph, and minor incidents included Preece and Zane Smith.

ALSO READ: NASCAR Announces 2025 Qualifying Order for Cook Out Southern 500!