Christopher Bell wins NASCAR Cup race at Darlington in 2026 Chase

The NASCAR Cup Series competed at Darlington Raceway, and it was a classic. On Sunday, NASCAR returned to the Chase format with the 2026 Southern 500 as the first race. It was a long but exciting event that landed a Joe Gibbs Racing driver in victory lane for the first time during the 2026 NASCAR season.

Christopher Bell and the No. 20 team for Joe Gibbs Racing won the Southern 500, earning their first victory of the 2026 Cup Series season. Bell passed Kyle Larson in the closing laps and held off Ty Gibbs to secure the Cup Series' first victory in the new Chase format since the 2013 season.

It has been a tough season for Bell, who entered Darlington with seven second-place finishes. However, the No. 20 team found victory lane at the perfect time. Bell is now second in the standings with a 12-point deficit to Denny Hamlin. More importantly, Bell secured another Crown Jewel victory in NASCAR.

NASCAR results: Cup Series race at Darlington (September 2026)