Richmond Raceway hosts Cook Out 400 as Austin Dillon seeks three-peat

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Richmond Raceway for the Cook Out 400 on Saturday, August 15. The event marks the 80th anniversary of the Virginia-based short track.

Austin Dillon and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) enter the race as the defending back-to-back winners at Richmond. Dillon secured his 2024 victory following a controversial late-race contact with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin, while his 2025 win was a dominant performance where he led 107 laps. Despite the recent success, RCR crew chief Richard Boswell emphasized the need for minor technical improvements to maintain an advantage as competitors study their previous setups.

Other key storylines involve the NASCAR playoff race. RFK Racing drivers face varying levels of pressure: Chris Buescher holds a comfortable position above the cutline, while Ryan Preece and Brad Keselowski are fighting to secure spots in the upcoming Chase field. Preece sits 17th in points, trailing the cutoff by 29 points, and Keselowski is 19th, trailing by 49 points.