Your watchlist, historical context, and race-week curiosities.
Your Drivers' Outlook
The narrative arc, drivers to watch, and race-weekend color.
Schedule, predictions, entry list, track history, fantasy, and betting angles.
TV & Start Time
What channel is the Cook Out 400 on?
The Cook Out 400 airs on USA on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET, broadcast from Richmond Raceway. The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule splits between FOX, FS1, TNT, NBC, USA, and Amazon Prime Video.
What time does the NASCAR Cup race start this race weekend?
The Cook Out 400 ran on Saturday, August 15, 2026 with a 7:00 PM ET green flag on USA.
NR-Rating Track Rankings
| # | Driver | Elo Rating | Last Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Larson | 1656 | P6 |
| 2 | Ryan Blaney | 1646 | P13 |
| 3 | Denny Hamlin | 1642 | P4 |
| 4 | Joey Logano | 1605 | P1 |
| 5 | Christopher Bell | 1595 | P7 |
| 6 | Chase Elliott | 1582 | P5 |
| 7 | William Byron | 1560 | P9 |
| 8 | Ty Gibbs | 1557 | P15 |
| 9 | Chase Briscoe | 1556 | P2 |
| 10 | Brad Keselowski | 1535 | P26 |
NR-Rating Predictions
Predictions powered by NR-Rating model (MAE: 8.5 positions)
Prediction Scorecard
Anduril 250: Model picked Chase Elliott at P1 → Actual P12
(1/5 top-5 hits)
37% top-5 hit rate across 13 races
History at Richmond Raceway
Cup Series data from 1949-2026 (17 races)
Recent Results
| Year | Race | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Cook Out 400 | Joey Logano |
| 2025 | Cook Out 400 | Austin Dillon |
| 2024 | Cook Out 400 | Austin Dillon |
| 2024 | Toyota Owners 400 | Denny Hamlin |
| 2023 | Cook Out 400 | Chris Buescher |
All Results at This Track
Laps Led Leaders
| Driver | Total Laps Led |
|---|---|
| Martin Truex, Jr. | 1346 |
| Denny Hamlin | 776 |
| Brad Keselowski | 628 |
| Joey Logano | 583 |
| Kyle Busch | 512 |
Track Type Tendencies
Richmond Raceway is a short track where driver skill and aggression take center stage. Passing requires contact, tempers run hot, and strategy around restarts and pit timing can make or break a race.
Short tracks historically produce the most lead changes and the closest finishes.
Fantasy
High laps-led totals at this track
Strong avg finish but no wins: lower ownership