Southern 500
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| NASCAR Cup Series | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Darlington Raceway |
| Location | Darlington, South Carolina, United States |
| Corporate sponsor | Cook Out |
| First race | 1950 |
| Distance | 501.322 miles (806.800 km) |
| Laps | 367 Stages 1/2: 115 each Final stage: 137 |
| Previous names | Southern 500 (1950–1988) Heinz Southern 500 (1989–1991) Mountain Dew Southern 500 (1992–1997, 2001–2004) Pepsi Southern 500 (1998–2000) Dodge Charger 500 (2005–2006) Dodge Avenger 500 (2007) Dodge Challenger 500 (2008) Southern 500 presented by GoDaddy.com (2009) Showtime Southern 500 (2010–2011) Bojangles' Southern 500 (2012–2019) |
| Most wins (driver) | Jeff Gordon (6) |
| Most wins (team) | Hendrick Motorsports (12) |
| Most wins (manufacturer) | Chevrolet (29) |
| Circuit information | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 1.366 mi (2.198 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
The Southern 500, officially known as the Cook Out Southern 500 for sponsorship reasons, is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car crown jewel race at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, United States. First held in 1950, the event consists of 367 laps, 501 miles (806 km) and is the second of two stock car events held at Darlington on the oval, the other being the Goodyear 400. From its inception, the race has been typically held on Labor Day weekend.
The Southern 500 is considered one of the crown jewels of the NASCAR calendar and since 2020, the event is usually the first race of the NASCAR Chase. Christopher Bell is the defending race winner, having won the event in 2026.