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.
Entering his fifth year with Frontstretch, Luken Glover is the author of The Underdog House, shedding light on the motivation and performance of NASCAR's dark horse teams as they strive to fight to the top. Additionally, Glover reports for the site at various events, and he contributes in the video editing department.
A 2023 graduate of the University of the Cumberlands, Glover is a middle school math and PE teacher, as well as a basketball coach. He is passionate about serving in his church, playing/coaching a wide variety of sports, and researching motorsports history.