Overview

• Chase Briscoe led 309 of 367 laps from pole and swept both stages to win his second straight Southern 500, becoming the eighth driver to go back-to-back and the first since 2006.
• He achieved the repeat with different teams and manufacturers — Stewart-Haas/Ford in 2024 and Joe Gibbs Racing/Toyota in 2025 — a rarity analysts say underscores his adaptability.
• With the Darlington win Briscoe moved atop the playoff leaderboard at 2,070 points and said he plans to use the cushion to chase more stage wins and playoff points in the next two races.
• Briscoe disclosed an in-race health scare tied to alternator concerns and intense heat, noting flashbacks to a 2020 Fontana electrical failure before relief came when his crew had him restart his helmet fan.
• Denny Hamlin lauded Briscoe’s contender credentials while warning on his podcast that the December 1 antitrust trial involving 23XI Racing and NASCAR could be revealing, as Hendrick’s Rudy Fugle labeled the team’s Darlington execution “embarrassing” after a poor outing.