Darlington Raceway is scheduled to get the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs underway on Sunday night with the Cook Out Southern 500, and there are 38 drivers set to compete in the crown jewel race.
After 40 drivers competed in this past Saturday night's regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway, a total of four changes have been made to the entry list ahead of this Sunday's 367-lap race around the four-turn, 1.366-mile (2.198-kilometer) egg-shaped Darlington, South Carolina oval.
Two part-time teams that fielded non-chartered (open) cars at Daytona are set to return, but with different drivers, while two other teams that fielded an open car will not return at all at the track "Too Tough To Tame".
4 lineup changes confirmed for Darlington
Joey Gase became NY Racing Team's fourth driver of the year and finished in 28th place at Daytona behind the wheel of the No. 44 Chevrolet, but he is set to be replaced by Derek Kraus, who made his first start of the year and placed 32nd at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the team back in May.
Casey Mears made his second start of the year for Garage 66 (MBM Motorsports) and finished in 29th place, good for the team's second best finish of the season. But Josh Bilicki is set to be back behind the wheel of the No. 66 Ford for a team-leading sixth start of the year this weekend.
Richard Childress Racing, which expanded to three cars at Daytona and fielded the No. 33 Chevrolet for Austin Hill, will not run a third car at Darlington. Back in April, they ran the third car at Darlington for Hill. And then there is Live Fast Motorsports, which fielded the No. 78 Chevrolet for team owner B.J. McLeod at Daytona but will also not compete this weekend.
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are scheduled to get underway at 6:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, August 31 with the Cook Out Southern 500. Live coverage is set to be provided by USA Network, so start a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss any of the action from the "Lady in Black"!