NASCAR Cup Series
Chase Briscoe Earns Second Consecutive Cook Out Southern 500 Win
Sep 1, 2025
Josh Berry's NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs bid had an inauspicious beginning, but he persevered to set the Xfinity Fastest Lap of Sunday's Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
Berry spun on the first lap of the Southern 500, suffering damage to the rear of his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford. After attempting to stay on track, Berry brought the car in for repairs, losing 119 laps to the leaders.
While the time spent off-track secured a last-place finish for the Tennessee driver, he used his time back on track to turn in the fastest lap of the crown jewel race. In his 114th lap on track, Berry clocked a lap of 29.038 seconds to claim the bonus point for the Xfinity Fastest Lap.
It is Berry's first Xfinity Fastest Lap award of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. He will head to World Wide Technology Raceway 19 points shy of the cutoff mark in the Round of 16, tied with Alex Bowman in the final spot in the Playoff standings.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series headed west to Portland International Raceway for the Pacific Office Automation 147. Connor Zilisch won the race and picked up his third Xfinity Fastest Lap of the 2025 season.
Zilisch leads the Xfinity Series regular season standings by 20 points following his eighth win of the season. On Saturday, Zilisch turned a lap of 74.552 seconds on the 1.97-mile road course to earn the Xfinity Fastest Lap award.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series joined the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington on Southern 500 weekend. Corey Heim scored the victory, but Chandler Smith set the Xfinity Fastest Lap before an early incident.
Smith clocked in at 30.129 seconds on lap two while leading the first 10 laps of the event. However, the Georgia driver found the outside wall on lap 11 and suffered a cut tire as a result. Damage from the incident ended Smith's race after just 14 laps.
Smith now sits two points below the cutline after one race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs.
The NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series visit "The Gateway to the West" next weekend, competing at World Wide Technology Raceway. The NASCAR Xfinity Series races on Saturday, September 6 in the Nu Way 200 Sauced by Blues Hog, while the NASCAR Cup Series takes the track in the Enjoy Illinois 300 on Sunday, September 7.
-Photo credit: Harrelson Photography Inc., NKP for Ford Performance
