Here is my selection of Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers picks for this weekend’s Cookout Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
Brilliant – These NASCAR drivers have the best shot to win in Darlington
Martin Truex Jr.
He drove to victory lane the first trip this season and he’s poised to do it again this time around. Martin Truex Jr. loves this track, and it loves him. He’s won six of the 14 stages at Darlington since the stage point system was implemented, and he’s led almost 700 laps. Sure, he’s on a cool streak right now, but this is the NASCAR playoffs, and I believe in the No. 19 for a Sunday night win.
Darlington Wins: 2
Top-5 finishes: 3
Top-10 finishes: 9
Kyle Larson
Yawn. Kyle Larson. Again. This is one of his best tracks. He has never missed a stage point here, his average finish is better than any other current driver’s, he’s the regular-season champion, and he’s on his way to possibly win the whole thing. Ya gotta believe that the No. 5 will win more than just this one, but it’s a good place to start.
Darlington Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 4
Top-10 finishes: 6
Denny Hamlin
I am almost convinced that Denny Hamlin will finish this season without a win, despite his many top-5 and top-10 finishes. But here we are again at a track where he runs well and has a great chance to finish in first place. With a fresh start to the playoff season, the No. 11 might finally kick things up a notch to win at Darlington.
Darlington Wins: 3
Top-5 finishes: 10
Top-10 finishes: 14
Bold – These are my NASCAR sleeper picks for the
William Byron
William Byron has just finished the best season of his NASCAR Cup Series career, and there’s no way he’s going to slow down on the momentum for the playoffs. His last two trips to Darlington were impressive—top-5 finishes each time and a few stage points as well. Keep an eye on the No. 24 as they roll through this weekend.
Darlington Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 2
Top-10 finishes: 2
Tyler Reddick
After this kid fought so hard to get into the playoffs—especially last week, riding in a taped-up car to the finish line—I have a feeling the No. 8 is gonna go further than the first round. Sunday night is a great time to show off his skills and secure his way into round two with a win.
Darlington Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 1
Erik Jones
Erik Jones is my wild-card NASCAR sleeper pick of the week. He’s not in the playoffs, and he’s had a rough season, but he’s second only to Kyle Larson at Darlington. Jones signed on to an extension in the iconic 43 car, and it’s time he puts his skills to use behind the wheel. Keep an eye on this driver Sunday night.
Darlington Wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 4
Top-10 finishes: 6
Bonkers – Stay away from these NASCAR drivers in your fantasy lineup in Darlington
Christopher Bell
The kid has only been here four times in his Cup Series career, so there’s not much to build on. Could he surprise everyone? Maybe, but it’s not the best track for Christopher Bell; though he did get a sixth-place stage point last time around. While I expect the No. 20 to come out swinging during this playoff season, I still think it’s a good idea to keep him out of your NASCAR fantasy lineup this week when it comes to the win.
Darlington Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 0
Aric Almirola
This is a season that Aric Almirola—and pretty much everyone else at SHR—would like to forget. He’s here in the playoffs, but it’s going to be tough for him to stick around without a quick win. Unfortunately, that’s not likely to happen for the No. 10 at Darlington.
Darlington Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 2
Daniel Suarez
This is a really rough track for Daniel Suarez, whose best finish here was 11th back in 2019. Otherwise, it’s been straight 20’s. I think that Suarez has a lot of racing left in him, and this move to Trackhouse Racing has reminded everyone of that. Next year will be even better for the driver of the 99. Having said that, leave him on the sidelines for the Cookout Southern 500 on Sunday night.
Darlington Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 0
