NASCAR at Darlington live race results, updates, highlights from Southern 500

As one of NASCAR’s most venerable venues, Darlington Raceway has a tenor all its own.

Engines cry, tires wail and supporters ululate. All amid a plume of burnt rubber and gasoline.

For hardcore race fans, it doesn’t get much better than this. The Southern 500 is one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races. This year’s iteration should be especially enticing. One reason why? It’s the final Cup Series race of the regular season.

With one race to go in the regular season standings, the playoff picture rests under a microscope. In the standings, 21 points separate 16th-place Chris Buescher from 17th-place Bubba Wallace. Ross Chastain and Kyle Busch find themselves in similarly precarious positions, as do more than a dozen other competitors who dream of postseason qualification — and the additional funds that brings.

The Lady in Black is as captivating as it is combative. She can mystify even the most steadfast of competitors, capable of imposing heartbreak on any of the gleaming chariots that litter her surface.

Sunday’s race could prove a similar story. Then again, volatility isn’t always a bad thing. And if Harrison Burton’s win last week taught us anything, a few unruly wrecks could bring an unsuspecting name to the top of the charts.

If it’s unpredictability you want, it’s unpredictability you’re going to get at Darlington, the track that is “too tough to tame.” We wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Sporting News is tracking live updates from Sunday’s race at Darlington. Follow below for highlights, results and more as the Cup Series’ regular season closes with a flourish.

MORE: Watch the Southern 500 live with Fubo (free trial)

NASCAR at Darlington live updates, highlights from 2024 race(All times Eastern)

5:05 p.m.: The weather appears to be holding up an hour from green flag. Rain appears to be headed to the north of the track.

An hour before 6:05p green flag and most of weather staying north. pic.twitter.com/2oJx7uFcJj

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 1, 2024 4:40 p.m.: Plenty of captivating decals for Sunday’s race. None have as much star power as Tyler Reddick’s, who will weave his way down the Lady in Black adorned by Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky and Tiger Woods. Given the stakes for the 23XI Racing standout — Reddick can clinch a regular-season championship with a strong showing — it makes since why Reddick and his business partners would seek to take inspiration from three of sport’s greatest-ever talents.

Weekend colors. 🎨@UpperDeckSports | @USAFRecruiting | @BubbaWallace | @TylerReddick pic.twitter.com/paGHPCQNzH

— 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) August 31, 2024What channel is NASCAR on today?TV channel: NBC (U.S.) | TSN (Canada)Live stream: Peacock, FuboRadio: MRNSaturday’s race will be broadcast on NBC in the United States. Canadian viewers can find the action on TSN.

Veteran announcer Leigh Diffey will lead the race’s lap-by-lap commentator, supplanting longtime announcer Rick Allen, who is moving down to the Xfinity Series. He’ll be joined by former Cup Series stars Jeff Burton and former Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte.

Cord-cutters can follow the action on Peacock, as well as with Fubo, which offers a free trial.

NASCAR start time todayDate: Saturday, September 1Time: 6:00 p.m. ETThe Southern 500 has a listed start time of 6:00 p.m. ET., but pre-race festivities are expected to push the waving of the green flag closer to 6:05 p.m. ET.

NASCAR at Darlington starting lineup 2024Leading the field for Sunday night’s race are Bubba Wallace and Carson Hocevar. Below is the rest of the starting lineup for Sunday’s race:

Starting pos.DriverCar No.Team1.Bubba Wallace2323XI Racing2.Carson Hocevar 77Spire Motorsports3.Chase Briscoe14Stewart-Haas Racing4.Kyle Larson5Hendrick Motorsports5.Martin Truex Jr.19Joe Gibbs Racing6.Tyler Reddick4523XI Racing7.Ryan Blaney12Team Penske8.William Byron24Hendrick Motorsports9.Christopher Bell20Joe Gibbs Racing10.Chris Buescher17RFK Racing11.Austin Cindric2Team Penske12.Brad Keselowski6RFK Racing13.Ty Gibbs54Joe Gibbs Racing14.Denny Hamlin11Joe Gibbs Racing15.Josh Berry4Stewart-Haas Racing16.Austin Dillon3Richard Childress Racing17.Kyle Busch8Richard Childress Racing18.John Hunter Nemechek42Legacy Motor Club19.Corey LaJoie7Spire Motorsports20.Chase Elliott9Hendrick Motorsports21.Justin Haley51Rick Ware Racing22.Ross Chastain1Trackhouse23.Joey Logano22Team Penske24.Harrison Burton21Wood Brothers Racing25.Daniel Hemric31Kaulig Racing26.Zane Smith71Spire Motorsports27.Alex Bowman48Hendrick Motorsports28.Erik Jones43Legacy Motor Club29.Noah Gragson10Stewart-Haas Racing30.Ryan Preece41Stewart-Haas Racing31.Michael McDowell34Front Row Motorsports32.Daniel Suarez99Trackhouse33.Todd Gilliland38Front Row Motorsports34.Shane van Gisbergen16Kaulig Racing35.Kaz Grala15Rick Ware Racing36.Ricky Stenhouse Jr.47JTG Daughtery Racing37.Timmy Hill66Hill Motorsports