At-track photos: 2026 Darlington Raceway Chase weekend

Christopher Bell adds his first win sticker above the door of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. 

The final tally after a grueling 500 miles. 

A beautiful tribute to Kyle Busch from Southern 500 winner Christopher Bell. 

A long-time coming for Christopher Bell, who snapped a near year-long winless drought at Darlington. 

Christopher Bell takes his first victory of 2026 to open The Chase! 

Christopher Bell takes the lead late from Kyle Larson in the Southern 500. 

The Southern 500 was paused for fewer than 10 minutes after a brief, light rain shower came through. 

William Byron goes to the garage after an engine failure late in the Southern 500. 

Byron dropped to last in Chase points after a 37th-place result. 

Denny Hamlin pits during the Southern 500. 

The No. 1 seed in The Chase suffered damage after contact with Michael McDowell early in the final stage. 

Hamlin finished 18th. 

A couple of sunset shots incoming. A beautiful backdrop for a crown-jewel event. 

A general view of the grandstands as the sun sets during the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. 

Arguably, the best view in all of NASCAR. 

Chase Briscoe rides right next to the wall in Turns 3 and 4 at Darlington. 

Tyler Reddick makes a pit stop during the Southern 500. He won Stage 1. 

The championship window is wide-open for the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team. 

Fans pay tribute the late Kyle Busch on Lap 8 of the Southern 500. 

The green flag drops for the Southern 500 in front of a packed grandstand at Darlington Raceway. 

All eyes on the Cup Series title for Hamlin. 

The 16 Cup Series Chase drivers onstage as they prepare for a 10-race battle for the championship. 

Bubba Wallace greets fans during driver intros at Darlington. 

Alex Bowman (left) and Connor Zilisch have a chat on the driver-intro stage ahead of the Southern 500. 

Zilisch will replace Bowman in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after the 2027 season. 

Haas Factory Team driver Sheldon Creed celebrates on the frontstretch after winning the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Haas Factory Team's Sheldon Creed celebrates in Victory Lane with his son after winning the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Sheldon Creed celebrates in Victory Lane with his No. 00 Haas Factory Team crew after winning the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Sheldon Creed exits his No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet to celebrate his victory in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Haas Factory Team's Sheldon Creed celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Haas Factory Team driver Sheldon Creed takes the checkered flag in his No. 00 Chevrolet, winning the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Haas Factory Team's Sheldon Creed drives his No. 00 Chevrolet during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Carson Kvapil (No. 1) and Jesse Love (No. 2) battle for position during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Blaine Perkins (No. 31) and Jake Finch (No. 9) drive during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

William Sawalich spins in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Justin Allgaier (No. 7), Carson Kvapil (No. 1) and Brandon Jones (No. 20) battle for the lead during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

DGM Racing driver Preston Pardus spins in his No. 92 Chevrolet during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Rajah Caruth pits his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Hill motors his No. 21 Chevrolet during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Carson Kvapil (No. 1) and Justin Allgaier (No. 7) lead the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series field to green, kicking off The Chase at Darlington Raceway.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Brandon Jones stands by his No. 20 Toyota before the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

All 12 Chase presented by Mobil 1 drivers pose for a photo before the opener Darlington Raceway.

Viking Motorsports driver Parker Retzlaff waves to fans before the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

JR Motorsports' Justin Allgaier greets fans before the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Young's Motorsports driver Ryan Ellis walks through driver introductions ahead of the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

RSS Racing's Brad Perez gives the crowd the piece sign before the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

JR Motorsports driver Jake Finch waves to fans before the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

A general view of the "Too Tough to Tame" scoring pylon before the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Team Penske teammates Joey Logano (left) and Ryan Blaney (right) walk through the garage area together at Darlington Raceway Saturday afternoon.

RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher looks on Saturday at Darlington Raceway.

Front Row Motorsports' Todd Gilliland stands on pit road Saturday at Darlington Raceway.

Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott smiles Saturday at Darlington Raceway.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell looks at data Saturday at Darlington Raceway. 

Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin stands on pit road at Darlington.

Ryan Blaney's crew pushes his No. 12 Team Penske Ford through inspection at Darlington Raceway.

Kyle Larson's crew pushes his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet through the garage area Saturday at Darlington Raceway.

JR Motorsports driver Carson Kvapil celebrates after winning the pole for Saturday night's NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase opener at Darlington Raceway.

Haas Factory Team driver Sam Mayer navigates his No. 41 Chevrolet down the backstretch during NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series practice at Darlington Raceway.

Sheldon Creed drives his No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet during NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series practice at Darlington Raceway.

RSS Racing driver Ryan Sieg drives his No. 39 Chevrolet during NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series practice at Darlington Raceway. Sieg won his first series race last weekend at Daytona. 

JR Motorsports driver Rajah Caruth wheels his No. 88 Chevrolet during NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series practice at Darlington Raceway.

Joe Gibbs Racing's Taylor Gray turns a lap in his No. 54 Toyota during NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series practice at Darlington Raceway.

Big Machine Racing driver Patrick Staropoli wheels his No. 48 Chevrolet during NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series practice at Darlington Raceway.

Daniel Dye enters his No. 32 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet during NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series practice at Darlington Raceway. He'll drive full time for that team next season. 

JR Motorsports driver Rajah Caruth is all smiles during NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying at Darlington Raceway.

JR Motorsports' Justin Allgaier looks on during NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying at Darlington Raceway.

Haas Factory Team driver Sam Mayer stands on pit road during NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying at Darlington Raceway.

A Miami Dolphins-themed helmet sits atop Brad Perez's No. 38 RSS Racing Ford during NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series practice at Darlington Raceway.