Christopher Bell captured the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, snapping a 33‑race winless streak by passing Kyle Larson with just 18 laps remaining.
Race Recap
The victory marked Bell’s first win since Bristol nearly a year ago and came after a season that featured seven second‑place finishes, underscoring how close the margin had been between triumph and disappointment.
On the final lap, Larson elected to stay on the track while Bell and several competitors headed to pit road, a gamble that left Larson without fuel and allowed Bell to take the lead.
Nine of the top ten finishers belonged to the Chase, with Ty Gibbs finishing second, Tyler Reddick third, Ryan Blaney fourth and Ryan Preece rounding out the top ten.
Chase Briscoe’s pursuit of a third straight Southern 500 win was halted by a pit‑road penalty for fuel issues, while Denny Hamlin suffered mechanical trouble with his toe links and fell to 18th, a lap down after repairs. William Byron spun out with a suspected flat tire, and Roush Fenway Racing drivers Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece also faced challenging finishes.
Looking Ahead
The Chase now heads to World Wide Technology Raceway in the St. Louis area, with the next event scheduled for Madison, Illinois, outside the city.