The NASCAR Cup series is heating up, and this weekend, we have the Cook Out Southern 500, which marks the first playoffs of the regular season. This year’s event is the 74th edition of this event, and 36 drivers will be competing in South Carolina in the 27th race of the season.
The Southern 500 takes place at the Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, United States. This track is one of the most tasking in the NASCAR Cup Series 2023 season, and it earned the name “Track Too Tough to Tame.” The race distance is set at 501 miles and has 367 laps in total with four turns. The first two stages have 115 laps each, while the final stage has 137 laps.
Erik Jones won the Southern 500 last year, but he is a huge underdog to win this tournament. Widely considered as one of the Crown Jewels of the NASCAR calendar, entertainment is always certain at the Southern 500.
| ℹ️ Event: | NASCAR Cup Series 2023, Cook Out Southern 500 |
| 🏟️ Venue: | Darlington Raceway, South Carolina, United States |
| 🗓️ Date: | 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, 3 September 2023 |
Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Larson are the top two contenders to win the Southern 500, and they are almost even, according to the US racing bookmakers. William Byron is having a good season, and he is another strong favorite to win this race. Danny Hamlin and Kyle Busch complete the top five to win the Cook Out Southern 500, while last year’s winner, Erik Jones, misses out on the top five.
Martin Truex Jr. sits second on the NASCAR Cup Series standings, and he is in a very close contest with William Byron. The American race car driver wasn’t at his best last time at the Coke Zero Sugar 400, but he has been decent in the last three months. Martin Truex Jr. could go top of the drivers’ standings with a win, and he would be eyeing a second career win at the Southern 500.
Kyle Larson ranked 27th at the Coke Zero Sugar 400, and this was the second consecutive time he has finished outside the top 20 in a race. He has slipped out of the top five on the NASCAR Cup Series standings, but he is still in good shape for the playoffs. Kyle Larson was decent at the Firekeepers Casino 400, and he made the top three to win this race.
William Byron has earned his place among the top three favorites to win this race, and he should even be placed higher up this list. The Hendrick Motorsports driver is the best driver in the NASCAR Cup Series this season, and he sits top of the drivers’ standings, although the gap between him and Martin Truex Jr. is very close. William Byron would be chasing his sixth win of the season in South Carolina this month.
Danny Hamlin won this race in 2021, and he has a very good chance here as he isn’t far off the top three favorites to win. The Toyota No. 11 is third in the NASCAR Cup Series drivers standings and came second at The Glen track last month. Denny Hamlin can still catch up with the top two, but he would also keep an eye on Chris Buescher, who is closing down on him.
Kyle Busch was one of the best drivers at the Coke Zero Sugar 400, and he entered this race in good spirits. He sits fifth on the NASCAR Cup Series drives standings, but only two points separates him from Kyle Larson heading into the playoffs. Kyle Busch knows what it takes to win the Southern 500, and he can turn back the years, but he has very tough opponents to beat.
The Southern 500, also known as the Cook Out Southern 500 for sponsorship reasons, is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. It began in 1950 as NASCAR’s first 500-mile race, and it is held on the traditional Labor Day weekend. Johnny Mantz won the first edition in 1950, while Jeff Gordon holds the record for the most wins at the Southern 500.
Erik Jones stunned the crowd last year to win his second Southern 500 title in the last five years, driving under the Petty GMS Motorsports team. Denny Hamlin is another driver who has won this title twice in the last decade, and he has three career wins in total.
The Southern 500 is a Grand Slam race in the NASCAR series, and it comes with a wide range of exciting options to bet on. We have compiled the best picks from experts in this race for you.
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William Byron is one of the most underrated drivers in the NASCAR series, and he tops the charts heading into the playoffs this month. The American race car driver has five race wins to his name this season, and he has been a very consistent name among the top five in the NASCAR calendar.
William Byron has finished in the top five nine times this season and won the Go Bowling At The Glen race less than a month ago at the Glen track. The odds of a race win for William Byron are worth the risk, but you should back him to finish in the top five at the Southern 500.
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Prior to the race at the Daytona International Speedway, Denny Hamlin recorded one of his best finishes this season as he ranked second at the Glen track, only behind the impressive William Byron. Denny Hamlin is one of the most experienced drivers here, and he has a great winning mentality, which puts him in a very good position to win. He already has three career wins in the Southern 500, and he would be eyeing a fourth title here. A bet on the Joe Gibbs racing driver to get a top-ten finish is a safe bet with good value in this race.
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The bookmakers have Martin Truex Jr. as the favorite to win, and although he isn’t expected to have a very easy run, a top-five finish shouldn’t be a problem for the American race car driver. He has finished in the top five nine times in the NASCAR 2023 season, and with the competition at the top heating up, Martin Truex Jr. should bring his best to South Carolina. Backing the 43-year-old to finish anywhere in the top five is a valuable option on NASCAR betting sites.
The Southern 500 features on the NASCAR calendar, and there are good offers from the bookmakers in this race. Below are the expert betting tips for the Southern 500 race in 2023:
All eyes would be on the Southern 500 race, which is one of the Grand Slam events. There are a lot of exciting options to bet on, and you can make extra cash by using our expert betting tips and predictions.
