The time has arrived: the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are here.
Sixteen drivers kick off their hopeful journeys to the Bill France Cup at one of NASCAR’s toughest tracks, Darlington Raceway.
Darlington hosted plenty of excitement in the spring, including a bit of a feud between Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain. It also brought out legends of the sport past and present for the 75 Greatest Drivers list celebration.
Let’s see who is coming to the track this week, as well as where you can catch the races.
TV Broadcast: The famed Cook Out Southern 500 airs on Sunday, Sept. 3, at 6 p.m. ET on the USA Network. The NASCAR Xfinity Series continues to wind down the regular season on Saturday, Sept. 2, at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA.
Hauler Parade: After a three-year hiatus, the hauler parade returns to the track. It will be held on Friday, Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. ET.
Grand Marshal: While the race’s grand marshal has not been announced, the hauler parade has a very special guest to serve in that role. 10-time Cup winner Donnie Allison will serve as the grand marshal of the hauler parade.
Pre-Race Concert: Country singer Michael Ray will perform the pre-race concert prior to the Cup race. Ray has two No. 1 singles on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart.
Luken Glover joined the Frontstretch team in 2020 as a news writer before elevating to a columnist, where he served as the longtime writer for The Underdog House. Currently, he is an editor for the site and conducts feature interviews. Glover has covered several forms of racing for the site including NASCAR, CARS Tour, and SRX events.
A 2023 graduate of the University of the Cumberlands, Glover is a promotional writer, elementary athletic director, and basketball coach. He is passionate about serving in his church, playing/coaching a wide variety of sports, and researching motorsports history.