Redemption: Dillon wins NASCAR race at Richmond to clinch playoff spot

For the second year in a row, Austin Dillon took the checkered flag at Richmond Raceway. This year, there was no controversy.

Dillon won the Cook Out 400 on Aug. 16 to clinch a berth in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The Richard Childress Racing driver led 107 laps and held off Alex Bowman for his sixth career Cup win and his first since winning this same race one year ago.

Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet was clearly the class of the field, especially in the second half of the race, where both the speed and the setup kept him in command over multiple caution-free long runs. First Ryan Blaney then Bowman tried to chase Dillon down in the closing laps, but Dillon was able to cruise to victory by 2.471 seconds.

It was a far cry from the way this race ended last year.

That one involved an overtime shootout and Dillon initiating contact with both Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to force his way to the front. On the final lap, Dillon hit Logano in the final turn, sending the Team Penske driver crashing into the wall before clipping Hamlin’s rear wheel, causing another crash and taking the Joe Gibbs Racing driver out of contention. While Dillon celebrated that victory, which seemed to lock him into the 2024 playoffs, NASCAR officials launched a review of the finish. Days later, NASCAR stripped Dillon of that playoff berth, deeming he not only violated a section of the rule book but crossed the line of good, hard racing.

Now, with his victory Saturday night, Dillon has a measure of redemption and a chance to compete for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship when the 16-driver, 10-race playoffs begin in two weeks.

“That feels good. I really wanted that one,” Dillon said after taking the checkered flag. “Last year hurt really bad, just going through the whole process. But this one feels so sweet. Man, I love Richmond.”

For Bowman, still winless this season, the runner-up finish was a bit of a glass-half-full, glass-half-empty scenario. His big points day keeps him as the 16th-ranked driver in the standings, above the playoff cutoff line. But a new winner in the regular-season finale next Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway would bump the Hendrick Motorsports driver out of the postseason.

Dillon, who ranked outside of the top 20 entering the Richmond race, was in must-win territory Saturday night. His performance on the Virginia track assured him of a stress-free drive at Daytona next weekend.

NASCAR Richmond results: Cook Out 400

Full results from Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway, with finishing position, starting position, driver, car number and make, laps completed, laps led

1. (11) Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet ….. 400 (107)
2. (9) Alex Bowman, No. 48 Chevrolet ….. 400
3. (20) Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Ford ….. 400 (39)
4. (38) Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford ….. 400
5. (13) Austin Cindric, No. 2 Ford ….. 400 (2)
6. (30) Kyle Larson, No. 5 Chevrolet ….. 400 (9)
7. (21) Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Chevrolet ….. 400 (1)
8. (17) Josh Berry, No. 21 Ford ….. 400
9. (6) Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Ford ….. 400 (2)
10. (4) Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota ….. 400
11. (29) Zane Smith, No. 38 Ford ….. 400
12. (14) William Byron, No. 24 Chevrolet ….. 400
13. (19) Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Toyota ….. 400
14. (27) Shane Van Gisbergen, No. 88 Chevrolet ….. 399
15. (15) Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Chevrolet ….. 399 (10)
16. (28) Kyle Busch, No. 8 Chevrolet ….. 399
17. (10) Michael McDowell, No. 71 Chevrolet ….. 399 (6)
18. (23) Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Toyota ….. 399
19. (33) Ross Chastain, No. 1 Chevrolet ….. 399
20. (16) Ty Dillon, No. 10 Chevrolet ….. 399
21. (8) Christopher Bell, No. 20 Toyota ….. 399
22. (3) AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Chevrolet ….. 399
23. (36) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Chevrolet ….. 399
24. (24) Cole Custer, No. 41 Ford ….. 399
25. (31) Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Ford ….. 399
26. (18) Erik Jones, No. 43 Toyota ….. 398
27. (22) Noah Gragson, No. 4 Ford ….. 398
28. (7) Bubba Wallace, No. 23 Toyota ….. 398 (123)
29. (32) Corey Heim, No. 67 Toyota ….. 398
30. (12) Chris Buescher, No. 17 Ford ….. 398
31. (26) Riley Herbst, No. 35 Toyota ….. 398
32. (37) Cody Ware, No. 51 Ford ….. 397
33. (35) Jesse Love, No. 33 Chevrolet ….. 396
34. (2) Tyler Reddick, No. 45 Toyota ….. 396 (41)
35. (1) Ryan Preece, No. 60 Ford ….. 396 (60)
36. (34) John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Toyota ….. 389
37. (25) Justin Haley, No. 7 Chevrolet ….. 198
38. (5) Chase Elliott, No. 9 Chevrolet ….. 197

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)

1. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford
2. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota
3. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
4. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
5. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
6. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford
7. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
8. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota
9. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
10. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet
11. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
12. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford
13. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford
14. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet
15. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
16. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
17. (21) Josh Berry, Ford
18. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota
19. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota
20. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford
21. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
22. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford
23. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
24. (41) Cole Custer, Ford
25. (7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet
26. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota
27. (88) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet
28. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
29. (38) Zane Smith, Ford
30. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
31. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford
32. (67) Corey Heim, Toyota
33. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
34. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
35. (33) Jesse Love, Chevrolet
36. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
37. (51) Cody Ware, Ford
38. (22) Joey Logano, Ford