Chase Briscoe has secured a spot in the NASCAR playoffs following his victory at the Cook Out Southern 500, held at Darlington Speedway in South Carolina. Briscoe managed to fend off a late push from Kyle Busch, who also needed a win to qualify for the postseason.
In the wake of the race, several drivers emerged as winners and losers.
Winners:
Chase Briscoe – This marks Briscoe’s first victory since 2022, and it is arguably the most significant win of his career. Additionally, it ensures that Stewart-Haas Racing has at least one representative in the playoffs during the team’s final season.
Tyler Reddick – Competing while unwell, Reddick finished 10th at Darlington and narrowly secured the regular-season points championship, edging out Kyle Larson by just one point. Despite being the top seed in the playoffs due to his wins, Larson will still face tough competition.
Martin Truex Jr. – Although Truex finished in 36th place after being involved in a wreck early in the race, he emerged as a winner by clinching a playoff spot after the second stage when Chris Buescher failed to score any points.
Losers:
Chris Buescher – Buescher faced unfortunate circumstances as Briscoe’s win secured a playoff spot for him and left only one berth available for winless drivers. Buescher missed the playoffs by a mere six points.
Kyle Busch – Despite coming close to victory and the playoffs, Busch remains winless this season. Richard Childress Racing has shown significant improvement over the past month, but time wasn’t on Busch’s side.
Bubba Wallace – In the race for a playoff spot, Wallace and Buescher battled intensely. However, with Briscoe’s win, Wallace, who started from the pole position, finished 27 points short of qualifying for the postseason.