Dale Earnhardt Jr reflects on JR Motorsports’ journey to 100th win
NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. was proud, not only of his 19-year-old Pennzoil 250 winning driver Connor Zilisch but his entire JR Motorsports team as they celebrated their 100th win.
It’s nearly time for playoff racing in NASCAR. The Cup Series enters its penultimate regular-season race this weekend at one of the oldest ovals on the calendar: Richmond Raceway.
It’s a welcome return to oval racing for every Cup Series driver not named Shane van Gisbergen. The Trackhouse Racing driver continued his dominant form on road courses this season with a win last week at Watkins Glen International.
That marked his fourth win of the season – all on road or street courses – and further cemented his status as NASCAR’s top road course ace. His victory also tied him with Denny Hamlin for the most in the Cup Series this season.
Now, NASCAR goes from the sweeping corners of Watkins Glen to the flat short oval in Richmond, Virginia. It’s one of the tougher tracks when it comes to tire wear with similar characteristics to what the drivers faced in Iowa just a few weeks ago.
With just two races to go before the 10-race postseason begins, there are three spots remaining in the 16-driver playoff field. That’s good news for Tyler Reddick; the 23XI Racing driver has yet to win this season but is currently the first driver in the playoff field on points. Reddick sits ahead of Alex Bowman and Chris Buescher, while Ryan Preece, who the pole for Saturday night’s race, is the first driver on the outside of the bubble in 17th.
Reddick has never won at Richmond but holds a 117-point advantage over the cutoff line and needs to earn just 30 points to clinch a playoff berth. Buescher, meanwhile won at Richmond in 2023, and Bowman took the checkered flag in 2021.
Who will celebrate in the Virginia capital this time? Here’s everything you need to know to get ready for the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 16:
What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Richmond start?
The Cook Out 400 is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 16, at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia.
What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup race at Richmond?
The Cook Out 400 will be broadcast on USA Network. Pre-race coverage will start at 7 p.m. ET.
Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Richmond?
Yes, the Cook Out 400 can be streamed on HBO Max, Sling TV and Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.
Watch the NASCAR Cup race at Richmond on Fubo
How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Richmond?
The Cook Out 400 is 400 laps around the 0.75-mile track for a total of 300 miles. The race will have three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 70 laps; Stage 2: 160 laps; Stage 3: 170 laps.
Who won the NASCAR Cup race at Richmond last year?
In one of the more controversial finishes in 2024, Austin Dillon won the Cook Out 400 in overtime last year. The race of attrition turned into a two-lap shootout in overtime to decide the winner. On the final lap, Dillon turned Joey Logano in the final turn before clipping Hamlin’s rear wheel and taking him out of contention. He kept the win but NASCAR denied his playoff berth from it days later due to his actions.
What is the lineup for the Cook Out 400 at Richmond?
(Car number in parentheses)
(60) Ryan Preece, Ford(45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota(16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet(11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota(9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet(6) Brad Keselowski, Ford(23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota(20) Christopher Bell, Toyota(48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet(71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet(3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet(17) Chris Buescher, Ford(2) Austin Cindric, Ford(24) William Byron, Chevrolet(77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet(10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet(21) Josh Berry, Ford(43) Erik Jones, Toyota(19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota(12) Ryan Blaney, Ford(99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet(4) Noah Gragson, Ford(54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota(41) Cole Custer, Ford(7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet(35) Riley Herbst, Toyota(88) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet(8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet(38) Zane Smith, Ford(5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet(34) Todd Gilliland, Ford(67) Corey Heim, Toyota(1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet(42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota(33) Jesse Love, Chevrolet(47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet(51) Cody Ware, Ford(22) Joey Logano, Ford