Pearce Dietrich gives his top NASCAR bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 at Richmond.
It’s a short track Saturday night for the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend. A nearly sold-out crowd will be on hand for a Richmond night race that will be determined by tire wear and the timing of cautions. Here are the best bets for the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 at Richmond.
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Race Winner — Cook Out 400
The challenge is deciphering Saturday’s practice session. The Cup Series held a daytime practice for a night race. Group A fired off faster on the clean track and posted the fastest laps. Both groups experienced significant falloff, but Group A’s fast laps at the start skewed the data. When both groups qualified, Group B was better suited for the rubbered-up racetrack. Group A appears faster than it is on the practice charts, while Group B qualified better than expected. Beyond the daytime practice and data skew, significant tire falloff is a factor. Tire wear isn’t usually a major puzzle, but it is this week because teams have a limited set of tires. Brad Keselowski told NASCAR reporters that this race could come down to chance. Pit strategy—whose success depends on when the yellow flag flies—will separate the leaders from the lappers.
Josh Berry did not fire off fast. His best lap, top-five average and top-10 average were slow on Saturday. As the run progressed, Berry’s name climbed the leaderboard. He was strong on the 15-lap run, better on 20 laps, and great on the 25-lap average chart. Most of the best averages were aided by fast laps early in the run, but Berry’s performance was boosted by strong late-run laps. He managed tire wear well, which will decide Saturday’s Richmond night race. Berry is a legendary late-model racer, and those racing series are determined by tire management. If Berry can leverage this skill, it opens the door to significant strategy swings that could cycle him to the front.
Race Winner — Cook Out 400
Qualifying didn’t work out for Kyle Busch. All Group A drivers faced the same challenge. His practice speeds might seem inflated, but Busch looked comfortable and confident on Saturday. That goes a long way for a driver like Rowdy. RCR won this race last fall, so Busch should feel confident. His car appears fast, and he managed falloff better than anyone. The No. 8 RCR Chevy led the field in every practice category. That cannot be dismissed.
It’s easy to count out Busch most weeks. He hasn’t been winning lately because his car has been slow. RCR hasn’t had the equipment. Busch has the skill, but even the best drivers need top-tier cars. RCR built a race-winning car this time.
Tire wear and caution flags will shake things up on Saturday night. The favorites don’t have a massive edge, and the long shots are likely too far back. The bets in the middle of the pack might be the sweet spot.