Tyler Reddick secured the pole position for the Cook Out Southern 500 after rain forced the cancellation of qualifying sessions at Darlington Raceway, leaving the field to be set by NASCAR’s performance metric.
Rain Stalls Qualifying at Darlington
The starting lineup was determined by a metric that blends 70 percent of a driver’s recent race finish with 30 percent owner points, placing Reddick on the front row alongside Daniel Suárez, Ryan Preece and Denny Hamlin, who will occupy the second row.
This is the sixth time qualifying has been rained out this season, meaning all 16 drivers in the Chase Series will take the green flag without any laps completed at Darlington, a track where prior experience is limited.
Carson Hocevar and Chris Buescher, both of whom were involved in incidents at Daytona earlier in the week, will start at the rear of the field in positions 34 and 35 respectively, underscoring the challenges that have already shaped their season.
With no prior laps at the 1.25‑mile oval, drivers will have to rely on simulation data and past knowledge to navigate Darlington’s infamous “Lady Turn” and the high‑speed backstretch, adding an extra layer of intrigue to Sunday’s race.