NASCAR Returns to Richmond Raceway for the Cook Out 400 Weekend

The NASCAR spotlight shifts to Henrico County, Virginia, this weekend as Richmond Raceway hosts the Cook Out 400 and a full slate of racing and fan activities, August 14–16. Fans will see high-intensity short-track battles, championship implications, and community events that make this one of the most engaging stops on the NASCAR calendar.


Weekend Schedule of Events

Thursday, August 14

  • NASCAR Youth Series Presented by Cook Out – Quarter midget racing for ages 5–16 in the Laburnum Lot C area (FREE admission).

Friday, August 15

  • 2:00 p.m. ET – NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Practice & Kennametal Pole Qualifying (FS2)

  • 4:30 p.m. ET – NASCAR Cup Series Practice & Busch Light Pole Qualifying (truTV)

  • 7:30 p.m. ETNCTS Race: eero 250 (FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM) – 250 laps, Regular Season Finale

Saturday, August 16

  • 3:00–6:00 p.m. – Celebrity Chef Brittany Anderson in Torque Club
  • 7:30 p.m. ETNCS Race: Cook Out 400 (USA Network / MRN / SiriusXM) – 400 laps


Weather Forecast (Henrico County, VA)

  • Friday, Aug. 15: Partly cloudy, highs near 88°F, light winds, 10% chance of rain.

  • Saturday, Aug. 16: Mostly sunny, highs around 91°F, light breeze, no significant rain expected.
    (Forecast as of Aug. 14; subject to change.)


Track Facts & Storylines

  • Richmond Raceway is a 0.75-mile D-shaped asphalt oval with a long history dating back to 1953.

  • This weekend marks the 137th Cup Series race at Richmond and only the second year since 1959 that the track hosts just one Cup event.

  • Playoff pressure will be high — several winless stars like Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, and Alex Bowman have past victories here and need another to lock in their postseason spots.

  • The Truck Series Playoffs field will be finalized Friday night after the eero 250. Corey Heim has already secured the regular season championship.


Previous Winners at Richmond

NASCAR Cup Series – Last 5 Richmond Races

  • Aug. 2024 – Chris Buescher (Ford)

  • Apr. 2024 – Denny Hamlin (Toyota)

  • Aug. 2023 – Chris Buescher (Ford)

  • Apr. 2023 – Kyle Larson (Chevrolet)

  • Aug. 2022 – Kevin Harvick (Ford)

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series – Last 5 Richmond Races

  • Aug. 2024 – Ty Majeski

  • July 2023 – Carson Hocevar

  • Aug. 2022 – Chandler Smith

  • Aug. 2021 – John Hunter Nemechek

  • Sept. 2020 – Grant Enfinger


Key Cup Series Notes

  • Only one winner under 30 in the last 13 Richmond Cup races.

  • The last three Richmond Cup races were won by three different manufacturers.

  • Five drivers have earned their first Cup win at Richmond (most recently Kasey Kahne in 2005).

  • Kyle Busch has completed all but one lap in 38 Richmond starts — 14,243 of 14,244 possible.

  • The last three Cup races at Richmond all had a pass for the win in the final 10 laps.


Where to Watch

  • Cook Out 400 (Sat.) – USA Network (7:00 p.m. ET pre-race), MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90

  • eero 250 (Fri.) – FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90


The roar of engines, the pressure of playoff positioning, and the electric night racing atmosphere make Richmond Raceway a can’t-miss stop on the NASCAR schedule.

John Bman
John Bmanhttp://www.tireball.com
Founder and Owner of Tireball Sports.

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