Chase Briscoe wins Southern 500 at Darlington for second consecutive year

Chase Briscoe dominated NASCAR’s Southern 500.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver reigns as champion of the Cup Series’ crown jewel at Darlington Raceway once again, sweeping the stages, leading 309 of 367 laps and holding off Tyler Reddick to tame one of the sport’s toughest races Sunday.

Briscoe’s victory in the playoff-opening race locks him into the Round of 12. It marks his second victory in a row at Darlington, becoming the first driver to record consecutive Southern 500 wins since Greg Biffle won back-to-back 20 years ago.

“My whole career has always been a high pressure situation,” said Briscoe, whose victory last Labor Day weekend came with Stewart-Haas Racing. “There was no backup plan. You might only get one race. You’ve got to go perform and show your worst. I’ve always felt like I’m in it every week, I feel like I’m still auditioning to prove that I belong here. And certainly, the higher the pressure, the better I feel like I do.”

Reddick finished second, Erik Jones third, John Hunter Nemechek fourth and AJ Allmendinger fifth. It’s a historic night for Toyota: The top-four sweep of Toyota drivers is the manufacturer’s third in Cup history and first since 2017.

A catalyst for Briscoe’s dominance? The dynamic between the driver and his crew chief, his Super Bowl champion owner says.

“It’s a test of machine, driver and pit crew,” Joe Gibbs said. “I’m happy for James (Small), because it’s a huge deal for him to be able to (advance in the playoffs) together with Chase. It takes an unusual chemistry for the crew chief and driver.

“It’s really impressive. I’m in the background, so all I do is pray.”

Results from the NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington

Lap-by-lap updates from the 2025 Southern 500

Lap 367: Chase Briscoe holds off Tyler Reddick and wins his second consecutive Southern 500!

Lap 366: White flag!

Lap 362: Tyler Reddick makes his move from the inside and is held off by Chase Briscoe! Five laps remain.

Lap 355: Chase Briscoe continues looking to hold off the pack as Tyler Reddick and Erik Jones pull closer to the nearly wire-to-wire race leader.

Lap 337: Your Top 10 with 30 laps to go: Chase Briscoe, Tyler Reddick, Erik Jones, John Hunter Nemechek, AJ Allmendinger, Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain, Carson Hocevar, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.

Lap 319: Chase Briscoe and Tyler Reddick bring us back to green. Briscoe gets by to take the lead once again, and the Legacy Motor Club duo of Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek run in third and fourth place, respectively.

Lap 312: Caution is out: Derek Kraus has a fire in his No. 44 car.

Lap 303: Shane Van Gisbergen pits from 23rd place, planning a one-stop strategy here in the final stage.

Lap 291: Chris Buescher makes contact with the wall exiting Turn 4 battling for sixth place with Ross Chastain but continues.

Lap 281: Chase Briscoe is already back to the lead, passing Shane Van Gisbergen and Tyler Reddick.

Lap 275: Chase Briscoe, Tyler Reddick, Erik Jones and Kyle Larson all pit. Denny Hamlin takes the lead back as we are inside the race’s final 100 laps.

Lap 261: Chase Briscoe has led more than 200 laps — a career-best — in tonight’s race. But that doesn’t necessarily set up well for the reigning champ: The past three drivers who have led more than 200 laps in this event have not gone on to win the Southern 500.

Lap 240: Chase Briscoe recaptures his lead, passing Tyler Reddick from the outside exiting Turn 2.

Lap 238: Restart with Chase Briscoe leading on the outside, and Tyler Reddick on the inside.

Lap 233: All the lead-lap cars pit, including that of leader Chase Briscoe, and the No. 19 car remains out in front of the pack with Tyler Reddick as it gets ready to come back to green.

Lap 231: Your Top 10 following Chase Briscoe’s second consecutive stage win: Briscoe, Tyler Reddick, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, AJ Allmendinger, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, John Hunter Nemechek, Ryan Preece and William Byron.

Stage 2

Lap 230: Chase Briscoe wins the second stage!

Lap 225: Chase Briscoe is closing in on another stage win.

Lap 215: Back to green as Alex Bowman and Ty Dillon battle for the free pass.

Lap 209: Ryan Blaney spins in the back of the field, bringing out another caution.

Lap 208: Green again — Chase Briscoe and Tyler Reddick bring us back — and we quickly go three-wide for the lead. Erik Jones shoots up alongside Briscoe and Reddick.

Lap 203: Caution! Cody Ware spins on the backstretch.

Lap 195: Chase Briscoe is back into the lead as Chase Elliott pits.

Lap 189: Chase Elliott and Justin Haley jump into the lead during the pit cycle.

Lap 187: Chase Briscoe and Erik Jones remain out in front as several cars, including the No. 1 of Ross Chastain, come down pit road under green.

Lap 171: Erik Jones, who won this race three years ago, is up to second place behind leader and reigning Southern 500 champ Chase Briscoe. Tyler Reddick runs in third, Ross Chastain fourth and Kyle Larson fifth.

Lap 168: Christopher Bell has fallen eight spots into 14th place after sustaining damage on pit road from colliding with Carson Hocevar.

Lap 157: Green once again — and Ross Chastain is battling Chase Briscoe for the lead on the front row.

Lap 156: Trouble on pit road as Carson Hocevar gets caught up with Christopher Bell entering his pit stall.

Lap 154: Several pit stops come under the yellow flag, including from Denny Hamlin — who slides into his pit stall and has a slower stop.

Lap 152: Carson Hocevar spins off Turn 4! The No. 77 car got loose and spun out, avoiding contact with the field as Joey Logano and several drivers came by him. Caution is out.

Lap 144: Tyler Reddick passes Denny Hamlin for third place. Ross Chastain is running well behind leader Chase Briscoe.

Lap 137: Denny Hamlin says it may be a clutch issue.

Lap 132: Denny Hamlin reports he feels like he has some damage as his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe passes him for the lead exiting Turn 2.

Lap 127: Chris Buescher gets into the wall after battling with Carson Hocevar for 15th place. Both continue on without issues.

Lap 122: Back to green!

Lap 121: Josh Berry comes out of the garage area. Several pit stops come under caution.

Lap 117: Your Top 10 from Stage 1: Briscoe, Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Austin Cindric, John Hunter Nemechek and Ryan Blaney.

Playoff drivers William Byron, Austin Dillon, Joey Logano and Chase Elliott are in the next 10 finishers.

Stage 1

Lap 115: Chase Briscoe wins the opening stage!

Lap 114: Chase Briscoe has led more than 72 laps of today’s race, marking the most in any throughout any in his first season at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Lap 92: Chase Briscoe is back into the lead over Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, Ross Chastain and Bubba Wallace.

Lap 76: Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace and most of the leaders come down pit road for the second and what is expected to be the final time.

Lap 67: Alex Bowman falls three laps down after a slow pit stop.

Lap 55: Chase Briscoe is back in the lead. John Hunter Nemechek remains in front on older tires, and Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson are all up toward the leader of the pack.

Lap 46: More pit stops coming under green at Darlington. John Hunter Nemechek, Shane Van Gisbergen and Michael McDowell run toward the front as the drivers who’ve yet to pit.

Lap 35: Chase Briscoe pits from the lead, and Bubba Wallace is your new leader.

Lap 34: Bubba Wallace passes Denny Hamlin for second place.

Lap 33: Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace are all within one second of each other.

Your Top 10: Briscoe, Hamlin, Wallace, Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon and Ryan Blaney.

Lap 27: Chase Briscoe is leading Denny Hamlin, with Bubba Wallace running well in third place.

Lap 16: Christopher Bell gets by Tyler Reddick for fifth place.

Lap 10: Bubba Wallace gets by his teammate, Tyler Reddick, to take over fourth place. Chase Briscoe continues leading over pole-sitter Denny Hamlin.

Lap 7: Back to green! Chase Briscoe jumps in front of Denny Hamlin.

Lap 3: Berry is headed to the garage following that opening-lap wreck that impacted several playoff drivers, including Tyler Reddick, who made contact with the No. 21.

Lap 1: Josh Berry gets into the wall! The first-time playoff driver gets loose in Turn 2 of the opening lap.

Green flag, 6:05 p.m.: The Southern 500 is underway!

5:55 p.m.: Pre-race ceremonies are in the books. Racin’ soon!

5:45 p.m.: Pre-race ceremonies are underway ahead of one of the biggest races on the NASCAR calendar. Many drivers — both in and out of the playoffs — are in contention, and this year’s postseason feels as unpredictable as it’s been in recent memory.

5:15 p.m.: Welcome to the Southern 500 at Darlington — NASCAR’s iconic Labor Day weekend main event and the opener to the Cup Series playoffs.

Who’s going to win?

Denny Hamlin wad the favorite at +425 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook early Sunday evening, followed by William Byron (+450), Kyle Larson (+500), Ryan Blaney (+700), Tyler Reddick (+800) and Chase Briscoe (+800).

The Observer’s Shane Connuck is sticking with Byron. NASCAR’s hometown star tamed Darlington in the spring two years ago, flexing his potential as he earned one of his series-best six victories that season. With only two trips to Victory Lane in 2025, it’s imperative the born-and-bred Charlottean advances in the playoffs early — and that could begin at Darlington. Starting from the sixth row, the driver who currently pilots the No. 24 made famous by six-time Southern 500 champion Jeff Gordon has the best shot to win one of NASCAR’s most competitive races.

Starting lineup for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington

This story was originally published August 31, 2025 at 5:24 PM.

Shane Connuck

The Charlotte Observer

Shane Connuck is a former journalist for The Charlotte Observer