The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs started off with a drama-filled race Sunday evening in the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. On a day when many of the Playoff drivers and teams struggled with mistakes and misfortunes, it was Hendrick Motorsports and Kyle Larson that hit on everything just right to score the victory.
Tyler Reddick finished the night second, followed by Chris Buescher in third, while William Byron and Ross Chastain rounded out the top five.
Sunday's race was slowed eight times for caution flags and featured one red flag period, which was to repair the lighting in the inside of Turns 3 and 4.
Race Results: NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington
| Fin | Str | Vehicle | Driver | Team | Laps | Stage 1 Pos | Stage 2 Pos | Stage 3 Pos | Pts | Status | Times | Laps Led | Playoff Pts | Stage 1 Pts | Stage 2 Pts |
| 1 | 18 | 5 | Kyle Larson (P) | HendrickCars.com Chevrolet | 367 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 57 | Running | 1 | 55 | 5 | 8 | 9 |
| 2 | 3 | 45 | Tyler Reddick (P) | Jordan Brand Toyota | 367 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 51 | Running | 4 | 90 | 0 | 9 | 7 |
| 3 | 8 | 17 | Chris Buescher (P) | BuildSubmarines.com Ford | 367 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 36 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | 23 | 24 | William Byron (P) | Liberty University Chevrolet | 367 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 39 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 5 | 27 | 1 | Ross Chastain (P) | Unishippers Chevrolet | 367 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | 5 | 6 | Brad Keselowski (P) | Solomon Plumbing Ford | 367 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 38 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| 7 | 19 | 23 | Bubba Wallace (P) | McDonald's Toyota | 367 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | 13 | 9 | Chase Elliott (P) | NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet | 367 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 33 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 9 | 4 | 12 | Ryan Blaney (P) | Menards/Richmond Water Heaters Ford | 367 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 38 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 |
| 10 | 20 | 43 | Erik Jones | Allegiant Chevrolet | 367 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 35 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 11 | 11 | 8 | Kyle Busch (P) | McLaren Custom Grills Chevrolet | 367 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 31 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 12 | 6 | 22 | Joey Logano (P) | Shell Pennzoil Ford | 367 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | 16 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger | Action Industries Chevrolet | 367 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | 10 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Smithfield Ford | 367 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 24 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | 12 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | HighPoint.com/Lady in Black Ford | 367 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | 25 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (P) | Boost by Kroger/Irish Spring Chevrolet | 367 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 22 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | 15 | 42 | Carson Hocevar(i) | Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet | 367 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | 31 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. (P) | Bass Pro Shops Toyota | 367 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | 7 | 4 | Kevin Harvick (P) | Mobil 1 Take 5 Ford | 367 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25 | Running | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 20 | 28 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Morgan & Morgan Chevrolet | 367 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 20 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 21 | 17 | 54 | Ty Gibbs # | Monster Energy Toyota | 367 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | 22 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Gainbridge Chevrolet | 367 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | Running | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | 1 | 20 | Christopher Bell (P) | Yahoo! Toyota | 366 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 17 | Running | 3 | 40 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 24 | 29 | 31 | Justin Haley | LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet | 366 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | 2 | 11 | Denny Hamlin (P) | Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota | 366 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 | Running | 3 | 177 | 2 | 10 | 10 |
| 26 | 30 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Quincy Compressor Ford | 366 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | 35 | 51 | Ryan Newman | Parts Plus/Biohaven Ford | 365 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | 34 | 41 | Ryan Preece | HaasTooling.com Ford | 364 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | 26 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Raze Energy Blue Shock Chevrolet | 364 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | 33 | 15 | JJ Yeley(i) | Ollie's Bargain Outlet Ford | 362 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Running | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | 14 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Discount Tire Ford | 361 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | Running | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | 9 | 34 | Michael McDowell (P) | StageFront.VIP Ford | 329 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Accident | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | 24 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Ally Chevrolet | 322 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Accident | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | 21 | 99 | Daniel Suarez | Freeway.com Chevrolet | 320 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Accident | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | 32 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford | 318 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Accident | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | 36 | 78 | BJ McLeod | Affliction Chevrolet | 210 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Engine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Image Courtesy: Tyson Gifford, Racing America
