The NASCAR Cup postseason is officially back, kicking off this Sunday, September 6, at Darlington, and talk about a wild start: Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin are dead even atop the early odds board for the Cook Out Southern 500. This isn’t just another race; it’s the start of The Chase, and two of the biggest names are already duking it out before the green flag even drops.
The Heavyweights Ready to Rumble
Denny Hamlin rolls into this weekend as the regular-season champion, an absolutely massive feat, and he’s also pegged as the favorite to win the whole title. That’s some serious pressure, but he’s clearly built for it. Right there with him, tied at +500 odds, is Tyler Reddick. And get this: Reddick secured his fourth win of the 2026 season at *this very track*. The man knows how to drive Darlington, that’s for sure. Reddick had a “magical run” to start the 2026 season, winning the first three races and adding two more before his momentum cooled. He even boasted a 100-point lead in the overall standings at one point! The driver of 23XI’s No. 45 Toyota has got to feel good heading back to a place he’s already conquered this year. This weekend is setting up to be an epic showdown between two absolute powerhouses.
Who’s Chasing the Leaders? The Full Board Breakdown
So, with Reddick and Hamlin at +500 each, who’s lurking right behind them, hoping to make some noise? You’ve got Chase Briscoe at +600, then Kyle Larson at +850. Christopher Bell is sitting at +1000, with Ryan Blaney not far off at +1100. William Byron is at +1200, Ty Gibbs at +1300, and Joey Logano is a solid +1800. Looking for some value deeper in the field? Both Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace are at +2200, followed by Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher at +2500. Erik Jones rounds out this next tier at +3000, while Corey Heim sits at +2500.
Then you have the drivers looking for a massive upset. Carson Hocevar is at +3500, with Austin Cindric and Ryan Preece both at +5000. Ross Chastain is at +6000, Alex Bowman at +7500, and Daniel Suárez and Josh Berry are both looking at +8000. For the real long shots, Austin Dillon and Shane van Gisbergen are way out at +15000. John Hunter Nemechek and Zane Smith are +20000. Austin Hill, Connor Zilisch, Michael McDowell, Riley Herbst, and Todd Gilliland are all at +25000. AJ Allmendinger is at +30000, Noah Gragson at +35000, and then you hit the massive long shots like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ty Dillon, Chad Finchum, Cole Custer, and Cody Ware all at +50000. Every single one of them is ready to shake up The Chase right from the jump.
This Sunday, the green flag drops on The Chase at Darlington for the Cook Out Southern 500. Who’s gonna pull ahead? Reddick’s proven he owns this track, but Hamlin’s the regular-season champ for a reason. Get ready, because the postseason just got real.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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