​The NASCAR Cup Series Chase begins with the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sept. 6 at Darlington Raceway.16 drivers are running for the Cup Series championship, with 10 races to decide the winner.Denny Hamlin is the points leader at the beginning of the Chase, 25 points ahead of Ryan Blaney.Tyler Reddick is on the pole after qualifying was canceled and the lineup was set by the rule book metric.Here’s how you can watch Sunday’s race:SOUTHERN 500 PICKS: NASCAR Darlington predictions 2026, expert picks for Southern 500 Cup raceNASCAR Darlington TV schedule, start time for the Southern 500Green Flag Time:  Approx. 4:10 p.m. CT on Sunday, Sept. 6Track:  Darlington Raceway (2.5-mile oval) in Darlington, S.C.Length: 367 laps, 501.3 milesStages: 115 laps, 115 laps, 137 lapsTV coverage: USA NetworkRadio: MRN (102.5-FM The Game in Nashville)Streaming: HBO MAX app for in-car cameras (subscription required); NASCAR.com and SiriusXM on Channel 90 for audio (subscription required)The Southern 500 will be broadcast nationally on USA Network. Other streaming options for the race include HBO MAX for in-car cameras for each driver.NASCAR Cup Series 2026 schedule, race resultsAll times Central.Feb. 4: Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray, Bowman Gray Stadium (Winner: Ryan Preece) Non-pointsFeb. 12: America 250 Duels at Daytona qualifying races, Daytona International Speedway (Winners: Joey Logano and Chase Elliott)Feb. 15: Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway (Winner: Tyler Reddick)Feb. 22: Autotrader 400, Atlanta Motor Speedway (Winner: Tyler Reddick)March 1: DuraMax Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas (Winner: Tyler Reddick)March 8: Straight Talk Wireless 500, Phoenix Raceway (Winner: Ryan Blaney)March 15: Pennzoil 400, Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Winner: Denny Hamlin)March 22: Goodyear 400, Darlington Raceway (Winner: Tyler Reddick)March 29: Cook Out 400, Martinsville Speedway (Winner: Chase Elliott)April 5: OPEN WEEKENDApril 12: Food City 500, Bristol Motor Speedway (Winner: Ty Gibbs)April 19: AdventHealth 400, Kansas Speedway (Winner: Tyler Reddick)April 26: Jack Link’s 500, Talladega Superspeedway (Winner: Carson Hocevar)May 3: Wurth 400, Texas Motor Speedway (Winner: Chase Elliott)May 10: Go Bowling at The Glen, Watkins Glen International (Winner: Shane van Gisbergen)May 17: NASCAR All-Star Race, Dover Motor Speedway (Winner: Denny Hamlin) Non-pointsMay 24: Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte Motor Speedway (Winner: Daniel Suarez)May 31: Cracker Barrel 400, Nashville Superspeedway (Winner: Denny Hamlin)June 7: FireKeepers Casino 400, Michigan International Speedway (Winner: Denny Hamlin)June 14: Great American Getaway 400, Pocono Raceway (Winner: Denny Hamlin)June 21: Anduril 250, Naval Base Coronado in San Diego (Winner: Corey Heim)June 28: Toyota/Save Mart 350, Sonoma Raceway (Winner: Shane van Gisbergen)July 5: eero 400, Chicagoland Speedway (Winner: Chase Briscoe)July 12: Quaker State 400, Atlanta Motor Speedway (Winner: Ryan Blaney)July 1