Cook Out Southern 500
Darlington, South Carolina – September 6, 2026
AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 6TH STAGE 1: 8TH STAGE 2: 10TH FINISH: 13TH POINTS: 14TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Discount Tire team finished 13th in Sunday night’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway after spending much of the 367-lap event inside the top 10. Cindric started sixth after inclement weather canceled Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions and the lineup was set per the NASCAR Rulebook. He moved to fourth by the Lap 35 competition caution while reporting that the balance of his Ford Mustang Dark Horse was close, despite being on edge from a ride-quality standpoint. Cindric settled into the top 10 through the remainder of the opening stage as the team worked to improve a free condition on corner entry, ultimately finishing Stage 1 in the eighth position. Cindric continued to battle inside the top 10 throughout Stage 2 as the No. 2 team made air pressure adjustments to improve stability and overall balance. He finished the stage 10th before a quick stop by the crew gained three positions on pit road for the start of the final stage. Cindric reported his Ford fired off the best it had all night following the restart and continued to maintain position near the front of the field. He made a scheduled green-flag stop on Lap 279, just a few laps before the caution flag was displayed, but remained on track. A late caution followed by a red flag for rain with 30 laps remaining shuffled the running order and ultimately positioned Cindric on the outside of the front row for the ensuing restart. He battled through the closing laps before taking the checkered flag in the 13th position.
CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “I thought we had a pretty solid night overall with our Discount Tire Ford Mustang. We were able to run inside the top 10 for a lot of the race, score a few stage points and continue to work on the balance throughout the night. The finish probably doesn’t reflect where we were for most of the race, but there are definitely some positives to take away from it. It’s a long 10 weeks, and we’ll keep building on it and go to Gateway looking for a little more.”
RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/RICHMOND FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 24TH STAGE 1: 5TH STAGE 2: 6TH FINISH: 4TH POINTS: 3RD
RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Menards/Richmond Water Heaters Ford Mustang Dark Horse started 24th and finished fourth in Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. With practice and qualifying canceled due to weather, Blaney steadily worked his way through the field, overcoming a tight-handling condition early in the race to position himself inside the top five by the end of Stage 1. Following a scheduled competition caution on Lap 35, Blaney climbed to eighth by Lap 48 despite reporting the car was tight, particularly running the high side of the track. The No. 12 team made routine adjustments during pit stops, helping Blaney finish the opening stage in fifth place. In Stage 2, the No. 12 remained a consistent contender near the front, running as high as fourth while balancing changing track conditions and a car that became freer. Blaney concluded Stage 2 in sixth, reporting the car was too tight before the team made another four-tire stop with fuel and air pressure adjustments. Following a short rain delay, the Menards/Richmond Water Heaters Ford Mustang remained in contention as the team continued to adjust in pursuit of a strong finish. Blaney later pitted for four fresh tires and restarted inside the top 10 before making a late charge to secure a fourth-place finish.
BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “Overall, it was a solid day for us. We scored good stage points and were able to come away with a decent finish. The track changed quite a bit as the sun went down and we got a little tight, so it took us some time to get the balance back where we needed it. The guys stuck with it all night, especially there at the end when we took tires and were able to make up some ground. I’m proud of the effort. We ran all the laps, got a solid result out of it and we’ll keep building from here.”
JOEY LOGANO No. 22 PENNZOIL ULTRA PLATINUM FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 13TH STAGE 1: 14TH STAGE 2: 13TH FINISH: 9TH POINTS: 8TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano and the No. 22 Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Ford Mustang Dark Horse brought home an eighth-place finish in Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway to open the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase for the Championship. Logano spent much of the race battling near the edge of the top 10. After running 11th on Lap 14 and advancing to eighth by Lap 35, Logano reported a loose condition before the competition caution. The handling shifted throughout the opening stage, with the car alternating between tight and free conditions over the course of a run. Following adjustments by crew chief Paul Wolfe and the No. 22 team, Logano noted improvements in both drive-off and center turn, but varying pit strategies and competitors on fresher tires shuffled him back in the running order, resulting in a 14th-place finish in Stage 1. During Stage 2, Logano climbed back to 11th and remained optimistic that the green-flag pit cycle would improve the car’s turning ability. The team elected to make an early pit stop to gain track position, but Logano later reported an intermittent engine issue. Despite the concern, he continued to battle inside the top 15 and finished Stage 2 in 13th position. In the final stage, the No. 22 team continued making routine service stops and strategic calls to gain track position, with Logano running 11th by Lap 300. Following a short rain delay, the team elected to stay out as track conditions changed, keeping the Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Ford Mustang in contention through the checkered flag. Logano battled over the final 30 laps to bring home an eighth-place finish.
LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “We fought our own issues there, but it was much better than the last time we were here. We were about a ninth or 10th place car and we finished there. A couple of restarts from the end we kind of drove up there to seventh or so and I’m like, ‘Oooh, I’ve got something.’ And then we tried to stay out and make something happen. Four laps is kind of right at that edge and Larson hung pretty good with clean air, but if you don’t have that it’s pretty tough. We fought and battled to try to just go back to where we were, so it was a net neutral, but then you go and look at the 12 and the 12 got us way back up there to fifth or so. We were ahead of him when the caution came out, but we’re at that spot I think where those risks are well warranted. We didn’t get any stage points, so you kind of have to go for it.”
The NASCAR Cup Series Chase continues next weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis. Catch coverage of the Enjoy Illinois 300 beginning at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
