When the NASCAR Cup Series entry list was first publicized for Sunday night's Cook Out Southern 500 playoff race at Darlington Raceway, it featured two part-time non-chartered (open) cars: the No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet and the No. 66 Garage 66 Ford.
These two teams are among the part-time teams that have competed most often during the 2025 season, and with a number of different drivers.
In Sunday's 367-lap race around the four-turn, 1.366-mile (2.198-kilometer) egg-shaped Darlington, South Carolina oval, Derek Kraus is set to make his second start of the year behind the wheel of the No. 44 car, and Josh Bilicki was slated to make his team-leading sixth behind the wheel of the No. 66 car.
Josh Bilicki out at Darlington
While Kraus is still set to compete for the first time since May's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Bilicki's return will have to wait.
Timmy Hill is instead set to return to the team for the first time since last year's Southern 500 and drive the No. 66 Ford this weekend. He was knocked out of last year's race with a steering issue.
Both Kraus and Hill are locked into the race, since the entry list consists of 38 cars.
This weekend marks Garage 66's 12th Cup Series start (15th total appearance) of the year, and they do not currently have anything else lined up afterwards. However, given the fact that they've operated on a week-to-week basis and entered the year with a goal of making 20 starts, it's likely that Darlington won't mark their final Cup event of the 2025 season, leaving the door open for Bilicki.
USA Network is set to provide live coverage of the Cook Out Southern 500 live from Darlington Raceway starting at 6:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, August 31. Start a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoff opener!