Chase Briscoe is on the cusp of making NASCAR history by capturing a third consecutive Southern 500 victory at Darlington Raceway, a feat only seven other drivers, including Hall of Famers Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson and Jeff Gordon, have ever achieved, and would surpass Jeff Gordon's record.
The Stakes at Darlington
Briscoe's recent successes stem from his mastery of Darlington's 1.375-mile oval, where he has already secured the past two Southern 500 races and previously captured the Triple-A series event in 2021, giving him confidence that his dominant lead in 2024 and 2025 will translate into a third straight win.
Denny Hamlin, the 2026 regular-season champion and JGR teammate, currently trails Briscoe by 45 points with ten playoff races remaining, a deficit that has not yet produced any elimination scenarios and keeps him squarely in the title hunt.
Hamlin's résumé features a record 19 playoff appearances and 14 wins, yet he remains without a Cup championship, making his pursuit of a title all the more compelling as he eyes the Darlington showdown.
The betting market currently lists Hamlin and Tyler Reddick as the +500 favorites, followed by Briscoe at +600, Kyle Larson at +850, Christopher Bell at +1000 and Ryan Blaney at +1100, reflecting the tight competition and high stakes for the playoff picture.
Ryan Preece, seeded 16th, has pledged to stay aggressive in the playoffs, insisting there is nothing to lose as he eyes a potential upset at Darlington, a venue famously dubbed Too Tough to Tame that continues to test the limits of every driver.