NASCAR Southern 500 at Darlington 2025: Start time, TV schedule, streaming and more

This weekend at Darlington Raceway, the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are ready to fire up with the 2025 running of the Cook Out Southern 500. Race fans can look forward to a spectacle under the lights as the postseason hits full swing, with the 76th running of the iconic "Track Too Tough to Tame" on Sunday, August 31, 2025.

The action can be viewed live on USA Network and will get radio coverage via the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

What fans need to know before the green flag at Darlington Raceway

The race starts at 6:00 p.m. ET, making for an elaborate evening start to play into the event's crown jewel status among NASCAR races. The pre-race festivities start even earlier, with the USA Network broadcast getting underway in the 5:30 p.m. ET area before the command to start engines sends the cars off.

HD coverage goes beyond TV with streaming options like HBO Max, which has slowly been adding NASCAR content, though the main broadcast will be on USA.Also Read: Michael Jordan’s controversial leaked messages spark lawsuit feud that could change NASCAR forever

Playoff storylines and what to watch

Denny Hamlin stole the show on Saturday when he secured the pole position, turning a lap of 28.694 seconds (171.381 mph). It was his second pole of the season, his second at Darlington, and the 45th of his career, becoming the first Toyota driver to get within 40 career poles.

On the other hand, Chase Briscoe comes in with elevated expectations behind the wheel of the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. He earned his spot in the Playoffs with a surprise Southern 500, but now brings a championship-level team into the race, and the pressure is thick.For Josh Berry, making his first Playoff appearance with Wood Brothers Racing, the focus is more on consistency than on sparks and flames. His goal is to move on past the Round of 16 with three decent top-10s, a clean, mistake-free slate rather than one-off heroics.

Dating back to 1950 and known for brutally abrasive asphalt and its egg-shaped layout, the Southern 500 has long challenged driver and strategy alike. The edition this year, which opens up the Playoffs, is set to do even more, combining legacy, pressure, and playoff drama in one high-profile event.