NASCAR at Darlington 2020: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

The 16-driver field is set, and the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are about to begin. And what better way to get things started than a race under the lights at Darlington Raceway on Labor Day weekend?

There are four rounds to the playoffs, consisting of 10 total races. The first round features a trio of races at Darlington, Richmond and Bristol, after which the field will then be cut down to 12 drivers.

On Sunday night, the Cup Series returns to Darlington for the first time since May, when a pair of races was held there in a four-day span. It's been an unorthodox season because of the coronavirus pandemic, and when it was resumed following a two-month hiatus in mid-May, the schedule was modified, which led to three races being held at Darlington this year for the first time in the track's history.

Here's everything you need to know about Sunday's race, the opener of this year's playoffs.

NASCAR at Darlington Information

Date: Sunday, Sept. 6

Start Time: 6 p.m. ET

TV: NBC Sports Network

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live

Starting Lineup

Odds to Win

Kevin Harvick +285 (bet $100 to win $285)

Denny Hamlin +300

Chase Elliott +800

Martin Truex Jr. +800

Kyle Busch +1100

Brad Keselowski +1100

Joey Logano +1600

Ryan Blaney +2000

Erik Jones +2000

Kurt Busch +2500

Aric Almirola +2800

Alex Bowman +2800

Jimmie Johnson +2800

William Byron +4000

Complete list of odds available at DraftKings

Preview

Throughout the 26-race regular season, Cup Series drivers had numerous ways to earn playoff points. They got one playoff point for winning the first or second stage of a race, as well as five for winning a race. Those who finished in the top 10 in the regular-season standings also earned points. Stage and race wins will continue to award playoff points during the playoffs.

As the playoffs get underway, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin are the top two drivers in the standings. Harvick has 57 playoff points, while Hamlin has 47. No other driver has more than 29 playoff points.

Harvick won seven races during the regular season, while Hamlin won six, and they each collected seven stage wins, tied for the most in the Cup Series. Both drivers were also victorious at Darlington earlier this year, as Harvick won The Real Heroes 400 on May 17 and Hamlin notched a victory in the Toyota 500 on May 20.

Back at Darlington, Harvick and Hamlin should again be among the top contenders to win. Hamlin is starting on the front row in second, while Harvick will start eighth.

There are 10 races in the playoffs, and the field will continue to get smaller at the end of each round. The first three rounds each consist of three races, and there will only be four drivers remaining for the championship race at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 8.

If Harvick and Hamlin continue to perform the way they have through the first 26 races, there's no reason to think they won't be among the four battling for the title in two months.

"There's a lot of work that has to get done to get us to that point, but that's probably the right thing when you think about how a championship should be crowned," Hamlin said, according to Chase Wilhelm of NASCAR.com. "Our format is a little different and you have to go out and win that final one. I don't think that we will race each other any different than what we have all season long. The only time it would ever change would be in that final race."

Harvick is a former Cup Series champion, but his lone title came back in 2014. Hamlin has never won the championship, although he has 43 career wins during his strong career. Both drivers have had success at Darlington, where Hamlin is a three-time winner (two coming in the past five races at the track) and Harvick is a two-time winner.

Chase Elliott is starting on pole and sits fifth in the standings entering the playoffs, so he could challenge Harvick and Hamlin as he looks for his first Cup Series win at Darlington. Brad Keselowski, who is third in the standings with 29 playoff points, won the lone 2018 race at Darlington and will be starting in fifth, so expect him to also be a top contender.