Cook Out 400
Location: Richmond, Va.
Course: Richmond Raceway
Format: 0.75-mile oval
Laps: 400
NASCAR Cook Out 400 Race Preview
With two races remaining in the regular season the battle for the final playoff spots is heating up. Shane van Gisbergen dominated the field again for another road course win last week at Watkins Glen, which left the playoff protagonists to settle things amongst themselves. Of those not already locked in, Tyler Reddick will be sleeping most comfortably. He sits three spots above the cut line with just two races remaining and needs only 30 points to clinch his playoff spot this week at Richmond. He is the only driver that can control his own destiny, though. Alex Bowman would be next in line but can't clinch a spot without help, and that leaves Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece in an intramural battle on the boundary. Buescher currently sits in the 16th and final playoff position with a 34-point advantage over Preece. However, everything could change with a new winner, and with a short track and superspeedway closing out the regular season, anything can happen.
Key Stats at Richmond Raceway
- Number of races: 136
- Winners from pole: 23
- Winners from top-5 starters: 73
- Winners from top-10 starters: 102
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 13
- Fastest race: 109.047 mph
Previous 10 Richmond Winners
2024 fall - Austin Dillon
2024 spring - Denny Hamlin
2023 fall - Chris Buescher
2023 spring - Kyle Larson
2022 fall - Kevin Harvick
2022 spring - Denny Hamlin
2021 fall - Martin Truex Jr.
2021 spring - Alex Bowman
2020 - Brad Keselowski
2019 fall - Martin Truex Jr.
Richmond Raceway hosts the penultimate race of the regular season with three playoff spots left to be claimed. The circuit's 0.75-mile tri-oval is very familiar to teams and drivers, but this will be the first race of the 2025 season at the venue. Fantasy players looking for similar tracks for comparison purposes need only look back a few weeks to Iowa Speedway. William Byron won that race with Chase Briscoe's Toyota in second, and Ford drivers came home third through fifth. At Richmond, Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota have won two races each from the six run since the introduction of the next generation car. While qualifying can be an indicator of success, lower starting spots haven't prevented drivers from winning. Only two races since 2022 have been won by someone starting inside the top 10, and having a good car for the race is more important than having the fastest machine in qualifying. In the race itself, four fresh tires and the extra grip they offer can be the deciding factor. This race can be won through strategy, but fast practice times should be one of the better indicators of potential success this week
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Cook Out 400 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Denny Hamlin - $11,000
Christopher Bell - $10,800
Kyle Larson - $10,500
Chase Elliott - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Joey Logano - $9,700
Chase Briscoe - $9,500
Chris Buescher - $9,000
Tyler Reddick - $8,700
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Kyle Busch - $8,500
Ross Chastain - $8,300
Alex Bowman - $7,800
Ryan Preece - $7,600
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Bubba Wallace - $7,500
Ty Gibbs - $7,000
John Hunter Nemechek - $6,200
Noah Gragson - $5,800
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Cook Out 400
Denny Hamlin - $11,000
Chase Briscoe - $9,500
Kyle Busch - $8,500
Ryan Preece - $7,600
Bubba Wallace - $7,500
Noah Gragson - $5,800
This week's race is a perfect opportunity for Denny Hamlin (DK $11,000, FD $14,000) to stop his current slide of results and gain some valuable momentum ahead of the playoffs. He has been one of the best at Richmond with five victories and an incredible 20 top-five finishes from 36 career starts. He finished first or second in the last three Richmond races and should be a top choice this week. Teammate Chase Briscoe (DK $9,500, FD $12,000) is poised to grab a best-ever finish at Richmond. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is the best he has been all season and heads into this race with three runner-up finishes from the last five races. He is getting the most out of his equipment and team, and Richmond is a place that combination have had a lot of success at in the past. Hamlin and Briscoe seem to be a winning combination for fantasy rosters this week.
While Kyle Busch (DK $8,500, FD $7,800) may not be having the season he would like, Richmond presents an opportunity. He is a six-time winner at the track and started on the front row with his Richard Childress Racing team in both races at the track in 2023. His best result since joining the organization was third in the fall of 2023. Selecting him does come with risk given his rough season to date, but Richmond is a track he can exceed his usual 2025 expectations. Unlike Busch, Ryan Preece (DK $7,600, FD $6,500) still has a shot at making the playoffs without a victory. He and the team will be gobbling up all the points they possibly can while simultaneously aiming for the victory. A top finish should certainly be within reach, too. He finished fifth at Iowa and also has a best finish of fifth at Richmond from 2023.
With finishes of sixth at Iowa and fourth last time at Richmond, it could be hard to ignore Bubba Wallace (DK $7,500, FD $8,000) this week. Yes, his fourth-place finish last fall at this track was his only top finish there in 13 career tries, but he also enters this week's race four straight finishes of eighth or better from the last four races. Wallace has a head full of confidence and plenty of wind in his sails to be a top-10 contender again this week. Further back, Noah Gragson (DK $5,800, FD $4,800) is our final selection. The Front Row Motorsports driver is on a long stretch of poor finishes, but Richmond is a place he has exceled at in the past. He had five top-10 finishes at the track in the Xfinity Series, including a victory, and finished 12th in the spring race there last season. Gragson needs a positive race and fantasy players are getting a lower price, which helps make room for other top drivers at the top of the lineup. That could be a combination that pays off Saturday night.
NASCAR Cup Series Best Bets for the Cook Out 400
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 6:00 PM ET Friday
Race Winner - Denny Hamlin +370
Top-Five Finish - Chase Briscoe +120
Top-10 Finish - Carson Hocevar +150
Group Winner - Kyle Busch +230, Ty Gibbs +265, Bubba Wallace +265, Austin Dillon +265
Even coming off of back-to-back finishes outside of the top 20, it is hard to pass up Denny Hamlin at Richmond with odds approaching +400. He is a five-time winner at this track and finished first or second in each of his last three tries. Hamlin also won at Martinsville earlier this year and was second at Bristol. He is one of the best short-track racers in the series and a trip to Richmond gives him a chance to add another victory to his tally before the playoffs commence. He is a deserved favorite to win this week's race, and the odds are not prohibitive for those hoping to choose him. Another positive choice this week appears to be Chase Briscoe for a top-five. He enters this week's race with two top-fives from the last two races and four from the last five. He doesn't have a Richmond history of distinction, but his team does. Martin Truex Jr. was often a top choice at Richmond and teammate Hamlin is one of the best. Briscoe's current form coupled with the JGR success at Richmond makes him a likely to extend his run of top-five finishes this week. Those looking for a bit more leeway in terms of finishing position may want to consider choosing Carson Hocevar for a top-10 finish Saturday night. The Spire Motorsports driver has six top-10 finishes so far this season and a finish of eighth at Iowa. He also has a top-10 finish at this particular track from last spring, and he won the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race here in 2023.
Among the group matchups, this week's race could be the time to go for Kyle Busch. His season has not been an encouraging one, but Richmond has been a good spot for him. He won six series races at the track and has a best finish with his current team of third in 2023. Last year, he faced similar struggles as 2025 but still managed to finish 12th in the fall race. Austin Dillon won that particular race but isn't likely to repeat this time. Ty Gibbs finished 16th and 22nd at the track last season, which makes it seem like Busch should have the upper hand on both of those drivers. The toughest competition for Busch in this grouping could come from Bubba Wallace, who is on a run of four consecutive top-10 finishes heading into the weekend. However, Busch's Richmond experience and success still stand a good chance of overcoming that. A top finish this week would be a bright spot in a tough season and it is a track where one should be within his reach.
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