This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Cook Out Southern 500
Location: Darlington, S.C.
Course: Darlington Raceway
Format: 1.37-mile oval
Laps: 367
NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500 Race Preview
The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture got more complicated with Harrison Burton's victory a week ago at Daytona. His win took one more spot away from drivers vying to make the championship battle on points. Those drivers on the cusp of securing their spots have work to do this week at Darlington to ensure their face is one of the 16 that will have a chance to win this year's series championship. The Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway can be a treacherous race and the added pressure of navigating the points battle increases the challenge. Not only will Sunday night's race finalize the playoff field, but it will also decide the regular-season championship. With opportunity and heartbreak in play up and down the standings, the coming week's race at Darlington is one not to be missed with varying agendas throughout the field fueling an already engrossing 500-mile affair.
Key Stats at Darlington Raceway
- Number of races: 126
- Winners from pole: 21
- Winners from top-5 starters: 75
- Winners from top-10 starters: 105
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 6
- Fastest race: 141.383 mph
Previous 10 Darlington Winners
2024 spring - Brad Keselowski
2023 fall - Kyle Larson
2023 spring - William Byron
2022 fall - Erik Jones
2022 spring - Joey Logano
2021 fall - Denny Hamlin
2021 spring - Martin Truex Jr.
2020 fall - Kevin Harvick
2020 II - Denny Hamlin
2020 I - Kevin Harvick
Darlington's infamously tough layout presents a special challenge for drivers to conquer. The oblong oval's rough surface punishes tires and drivers often find the fastest groove as close to the wall as the dare to go. The track shaped like an egg with different radius turns at either end along with stepped banking. That staggered banking and the rough surface combine to offer a narrow racing line for drivers, making passing difficult. Most winners, and lap leaders, start at the front of the field. Therefore, track position is likely to be a factor this week, but pit strategy on long green-flag runs can also offer advantages to drivers who can make their tires last. While drivers and cars will generally prefer the high line in turns 3 and 4, they will be forced to change grooves as they work through traffic. Grip will enable them more choices as they work their way forward, but significant tire wear means nearly every trip to pit road will be for four new tires, too. Drivers must manage that wear throughout fuel runs, and spending too much time on track on old tires can be costly. Most fantasy lineups will want to focus on drivers starting inside the top 15 this week.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Cook Out Southern 500 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Denny Hamlin - $11,000
Kyle Larson - $10,700
Tyler Reddick - $10,500
William Byron - $10,200
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Brad Keselowski - $9,800
Martin Truex Jr. - $9,500
Christopher Bell - $9,300
Chase Elliott - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Ryan Blaney - $8,800
Joey Logano - $8,700
Chris Buescher - $8,500
Ross Chastain - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Kyle Busch - $7,800
Bubba Wallace - $7,700
Erik Jones - $7,400
Noah Gragson - $7,000
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Cook Out Southern 500
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Tyler Reddick - $10,500
Chris Buescher - $8,500
Ty Gibbs - $8,300
Ross Chastain - $8,000
Bubba Wallace - $7,700
Noah Gragson - $7,000
After starting on pole and leading 174 total laps, late contact cut Tyler Reddick's (DK $10,500, FD $13,500) tire and sent him tumbling down the order at Darlington in May. Prior to that, Reddick scored stage points in the first segment and won the second stage. He was arguably the best car that day, but that contact while racing for the win ruined his finish. Last fall, Reddick finished second in the Southern 500 and he has two other top-three finishes at the track, too. All told, Reddick has been one of the best drivers at this track in recent seasons and that makes him a top choice this week. The driver Reddick made contact was Chris Buescher (DK $8,500, FD $8,500). The RFK Racing driver led a total of 29 laps in that race after starting third and scoring stage points in both segments. The contact with Reddick, while battling for the lead, also cut Buescher's tire and sent him tumbling down the finishing order, too. Buescher might have won that race, but since he didn't, he faces a tight battle in this week's return to make the playoff field. Buescher's Darlington finishes of 10th and third in the two track visits prior to this past spring's drama, plus the added incentive of a playoff spot, make Buescher one fantasy players should take interest in this week. Ty Gibbs (DK $8,300, FD $10,500) was a benefactor of the contact between Reddick and Buescher in May's race. The pair's trouble lifted the Joe Gibbs Racing driver to the runner-up position, which is his best Darlington finish. He led 34 laps in that race and has an average Darlington result of 13.8 from four career starts. If he qualifies toward the front this week, he should be in store for another good finish.
Ross Chastain (DK $8,000, FD $8,200) and Bubba Wallace (DK $7,700, FD $7,800) both need as many points as possible this week to gain entry to the playoffs. Both drivers enter the weekend on the outside looking in and both drivers still have everything to race for. Chastain has been pretty good at Darlington with two top-five finishes from 10 career starts. He finished 11th in the spring race. The same is true for Wallace, who finished ninth or better in his last four races at the track. Both drivers will be trying to fight for this week's win. Both will also be trying to maximize their points should victory not be possible, which is good news for fantasy lineups. Though he isn't a playoff contender, fantasy players should not overlook Noah Gragson (DK $7,00, FD $7,200) either. HIs Cup Series average Darlington finish is only 20th from two starts, but he Xfinity record at the track is exceptional with two victories, five top-fives and seven top-10s from seven starts.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Denny Hamlin - $11,000
Chase Elliott - $9,000
Joey Logano - $8,700
Kyle Busch - $7,800
Erik Jones - $7,400
Carson Hocevar - $6,000
A Toyota-powered car has not won in the Cup Series at Darlington since the current generation of car was introduced two seasons ago. The last driver to do it was Denny Hamlin (DK $11,000, FD $13,000), though. The championship contender has four career wins at the track along with 13 top-fives from 24 starts. He also finished fourth in the spring race. Chase Elliott (DK $9,000, FD $9,500), on the other hand, has never won at Darlington. The former series champ has four top-fives and seven top-10s from 15 career tries. However, what makes him a fantasy option this week is the fact that he started 31st and finished 12th at the track in May. A better qualifying result this week could be the track position he needs to capitalize on the speed he showed here earlier this season. Joey Logano (DK $8,700, FD $9,000) had a more challenging race. He started 14th and slipped back to 21st for the finish in May. However, Logano won the spring Darlington race in 2022 and started on pole in both races at the track that season. Logano and team have been showing more speed as the playoffs approach and this is the week they need to deliver on to set themselves on a positive trajectory for the championship gauntlet. Also needing a result is Kyle Busch (DK $7,800, FD $8,000). The former champion's only path into this year's playoffs is a win this week. Busch has been much more competitive than earlier in the year. He enters this week's race with back-to-back top-five finishes at Michigan and Daytona but only finished 27th at the track in the spring. Still, Busch is racing better now than he has all season, which could make him a risk worth taking.
Veteran Erik Jones (DK $7,400, FD $7,000) is a value option for most fantasy formats any time the series heads to Darlington. The track has been a good one for him throughout his career. Jones has two victories and eight total top-10s from 13 Darlington starts. He finished 10th in this race last season and came from the 30th starting spot to finish 19th in the spring race this season. Jones typically rises to the top at the Southern 500 and there is no reason to think he can't do so again this week. Finally, Carson Hocevar (DK $6,000, FD $3,800) has turned heads with four top-10s this season. He sits 22nd points and hasn't finished worse than 12th in the last four races. He finished 26th in the spring race but had three top-fives from five CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at this track. Hocevar is on the best run of his season so far and this is a track where he could add to that momentum.
