NASCAR’s Cup Series roars back into action at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night, August 16, with the high-intensity Cook Out 400 under the lights. This year’s edition marks the 137th time the track has hosted a Cup race, and notably, 2025 will be the first time in 67 years that Richmond stages only one weekend for NASCAR’s top division.

A year ago, fans were treated to a dramatic overtime finish as Austin Dillon powered his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to victory.

Heading into this weekend, 13 drivers have effectively secured playoff berths through wins, leaving just three spots realistically up for grabs. Tyler Reddick sits comfortably above the cutline by 117 points and could punch his postseason ticket regardless of Saturday’s result on the 0.75-mile short track.

Behind him, Alex Bowman holds a 60-point cushion, while Chris Buescher clings to the final provisional place, 34 points ahead of his Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing teammate Ryan Preece.

For others, the road is far steeper. Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs, and Brad Keselowski all face a must-win scenario, either at Richmond or in next week’s regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway, to keep their championship hopes alive.

Here is everything you need to know about the Cook Out 400 Richmond race, including the start time for the race.

What time does the NASCAR race start today?Track: Richmond Raceway in Richmond, VirginiaDate: Saturday, August 16, 2025Time: 7:30 p.m. ET or 4:30 p.m. PTLength: 400 laps, 300 miles | Stages: 20 laps, 230 laps

The Cook Out 400 is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET or 4:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, August 16. The race will be held at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia.

 What channel is NASCAR on today?TV Channel: USA Network | TSN, RDS (Canada)Live stream: Fubo (U.S.) | TSN+ (Canada)

The Cook Out 400 Richmond race is available for live TV broadcast on USA Network in the United States. Streaming options are available on Fubo.

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NASCAR radio station for Cook Out 400 Richmond Race

Listen to the 2025 Cook Out 400 Richmond Race and every race of the NASCAR season on SiriusXM.

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NASCAR point standings 2025

Below are the updated standings ahead of NASCAR at Richmond.

RankDriverPoints1William Byron8122Chase Elliott7703Kyle Larson7314Denny Hamlin7275Christopher Bell7276Tyler Reddick7107Ryan Blaney7018Chase Briscoe6749Alex Bowman64410Bubba Wallace618NASCAR Cup Series schedule 2025

(All times Eastern)

DateRaceTrackTimeTV/WinnerAug. 16Cook Out 400Richmond Raceway7:30 p.m.USA, FuboAug. 23Coke Zero Sugar 400Daytona International Speedway7:30 p.m.NBC, FuboNASCAR Cup Series playoff race schedule 2025

(All times Eastern)

DateRaceTrackTimeTV/WinnerAug. 31Southern 500Darlington Raceway6 p.m.USA, FuboSep. 7Enjoy Illinois 300World Wide Technology Raceway3 p.m.USA, FuboSep. 13Bass Pro Shops Night RaceBristol Motor Speedway7:30 p.m.USA, FuboSep. 21NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at New HampshireNew Hampshire Motor Speedway2 p.m.USA, FuboSep. 28Hollywood Casino 400Kansas Speedway3 p.m.USA, FuboOct. 5Bank of America ROVAL 400Road Course3 p.m.USA, FuboOct. 12South Point 400Las Vegas Motor Speedway5:30 p.m.USA, FuboOct. 19NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at TalladegaTalladega Superspeedway2 p.m.NBC, FuboOct. 26NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at MartinsvilleMartinsville Speedway2 p.m.NBC, FuboNov. 2NASCAR Cup Series ChampionshipPhoenix Raceway3 p.m.NBC, Fubo