The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs return to Darlington Raceway in South Carolina for the 2022 NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500 which is the first race in the round of 16.
Always playing a considerable role in the history of motorsports, this legendary racetrack is the perfect backdrop for the start of the 2022 postseason.
It should be an incredible night of racing under the lights as drivers complete 367 laps and over 500 miles of racing excitement.
It’s yet to be seen who will come out on top in this first postseason race, which will be held Sunday, September 4 at 6:00 PM Eastern time.
All points gained during the regular season are reset, with the best finish at the final playoff race at Phoenix taking the championship.
Any eligible drivers that win a race at any stage during the playoffs will advance to the next round, regardless of where they fall in the points standings.
Cook Out Southern 500 Betting Picks
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick was behind the wheel the last time Chevrolet took the checkered flag at Darlington in the Cup Series in 2014. He has since found Victory Lane twice since then but was driving a Ford.
Harvick recorded two straight victories, with the second at the Federated Auto Parts 400 a couple of weeks ago that ended a 65-race streak without a win. His race last weekend at the Coke Zero 400 ended early after starting on the pole.
Harvick on Lap 15
Harvick left the race on Lap 15 with an engine issue after smoke began coming out of the right side of his No. 5 car and was forced to watch the rest of the race from the sidelines.
However, because of his success at Darlington, he is always one of the top NASCAR betting picks.
Chase Elliott
As the regular season champion, Chase Elliott has taken advantage of the rest of the field and has had some of his best races during the postseason.
He hopes to break the drought Chevy drivers have had at the racetrack in the last several years and the cold streak of Hendrick Motorsports, who hasn’t won at Darlington in over ten years.
Cup Series Standings as a Leader
Jimmie Johnson was the last RHM driver to win at the Track Too Tough To Tame in 2012. Elliott was the leader in the Cup Series standings before the playoffs and has four wins to lead all drivers.
He also leads all Cook Out Southern 500 betting picks with 16 top-ten and nine top-five finishes. On this fast track, he has as good a chance as anyone to take the checkered flag as long as he remains mistake-free at Darlington.
Kyle Larson
The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion, Kyle Larson, is coming off a win at Watkins Glen a couple of weeks ago and is the most likely driver to end the drought for Chevy drivers at Darlington.
He finished 37th in last week’s Coke Zero Sugar 400, as Chevy won a race for the second straight weekend.
NASCAR 2022 Schedule
The manufacturer has won 15 races in the current NASCAR 2022 schedule and seven of the last eleven.
Larson finished fourth in the points race this season and has been close to winning the previous four Southern 500s, which is why he’s one of the favorite Cook Out Southern 500 betting picks this weekend.
NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500 Betting Trends
- Hendrick Motorsports has eleven victories at this event to lead all teams but hasn’t seen a checkered flag since Jimmie Johnson won in 2012.
- Among active drivers, Denny Hamlin and defending champion Kevin Harvick are the only two in the field to win this race multiple times, with two victories apiece.
- Joe Gibbs Racing is second in wins at the Cook Out Southern 500 with seven and has won four of the last eight events.
- Denny Hamlin has three victories at the NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500, which is the most of any driver in the field. His first checkered flag was in 2010, with the final win coming in last year’s event.
- Chevy leads Ford with a 27-16 edge for the most manufacturer wins at the NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500. However, Toyota has dominated recently, with Camrys taking victories in five of the last eight race editions.
NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500 Betting Pick and Prediction
Elliott finished as the leader in the NASCAR Cup standings in the regular season but was only able to finish 29th in last weekend’s regular-season finale. Larson is fourth and finished a disappointing 37th after taking the pole position.
Who to Bet On?
However, expect the drought for Chevrolet to continue as Harvick and his Ford look to be in the best position to take a victory in the first event of the 2022 NASCAR Cup playoffs.
He was the winner of the race in 2020 and has taken wins in two of his last four events, and has recently been at the top in NASCAR odds.
Cook Out Southern 500 Pick: Kevin Harvick
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