NASCAR Darlington predictions 2026, expert picks for Southern 500 Cup race

The NASCAR Chase begins with the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sept. 5 at Darlington Raceway.The Labor Day weekend tradition is quite the task to open the 10-race run to the Cup Series championship. The 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval is a demand for pit crews, cars and drivers.Denny Hamlin enters the Chase as the top seed, 25 points ahead of Ryan Blaney.Here are The Tennessean's expert picks for Saturday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona:NASCAR predictions for Darlington Cup Series race: Here's who win