Back-to-Back Briscoe

Chase Briscoe celebrates his win in the 2025 Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. (Photo: Stephen A. Arce/ASP Inc.)

Southern 500: Chase Briscoe dominated the 2025 Cook Out Southern 500 Sunday evening leading 309 of 367 laps en route to his second win of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Season. Briscoe's win, the fourth of his career, locks him into the Round of 12 in the Playoffs. Briscoe also swept the stages and scored max points (sans the fastest lap point). The addition of seven playoffs points is no doubt a welcome bonus to Briscoe's win as he looks to go deeper into the playoffs.

The race got off to a hot start with Josh Berry spinning and wrecking out in turn two on lap one. Luckily, nobody else's day was ruined by the spin in front of most of the field although Kyle Busch did spin out, too, and Tyler Reddick got doored by Berry while Berry was chasing the 21 car up the track before he looped around in front of the on rushing field. After that the race settled down and Briscoe settled into the lead driving away from the field. There were a few other cautions for incident but most were mundane spins that led to no major calamity. The exception being Derek Kraus and the 44 car being engulfed in flames. There was not much action at the front of the field as Briscoe dealt with no serious challengers until the last 20-ish laps as Reddick and Erik Jones were closing in for the lead. There were, in my opinion, decent battles throughout the field, and Darlington never disappoints as far as tire wear and battles go throughout the field with how drivers manage their tires and pit strategy. But the focus, both good and bad, will be and should be on the lead. Now, I am not knocking what Briscoe and the 19 team did. They deserved to win, they dominated and executed to perfection. That should be celebrated and respected. My main issue is, as has been with this car for most of its existence, is that on tighter tracks and one-ish lane tracks, there are no real battles for the lead. The lead car just aero blocks and cuts off the chasing car(s). Granted, that is the leader's job and goal, I miss the old days when the chasing car(s) could actually get to the lead car and battle them. Regardless of that disastorous aspect of the car and racing in the Cup Series these days, watching Reddick give chase to Briscoe and do all he could do was entertaining as they raced to the checkered flag. And Briscoe did not slip and took the checkered flag in impressive fashion.

Next up we head to World Wide Technology Raceway with the Xfinity Series and the Cup Series while the Craftsman Truck Series enjoys a weekend off before rejoining the action at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Xfinity Series kicks off this weekend on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EST on The CW with the nu way 200. The Cup Series headlines the weekend Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. EST on USA with the Enjoy Illinois 300.

WWTR Picks:

Trucks = OFF

Xfinity = Almirola

Cup = Blaney