The first race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase produced major setbacks at Darlington Raceway. Christopher Bell won the Cook Out Southern 500, but several NASCAR Cup Series drivers left South Carolina with damaged cars, lost points or missed chances.
William Byron suffered the biggest setback after a late mechanical failure ended his race. Denny Hamlin kept the NASCAR Cup Series points lead but had to recover from contact with Michael McDowell in the final stage.
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Chase Briscoe also missed a chance to win the Southern 500 for a third straight year.
Carson Hocevar and Brad Keselowski were involved in a Stage 1 incident, while several other Chase...
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