2024 NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 Preview
Photo: MotorsportsWire.USAToday.com
After two weeks of rest, the NASCAR Cup Series is back on the road to the Playoffs as they stop in Richmond, Virginia this Sunday. Coverage of the ‘Cook Out 400’ begins at 6PM EST on USA.
Last year’s race was settled between Denny Hamlin and Chris Buescher, with Buescher getting the upper hand in that battle. It was Buescher’s first win of the 2023 season.
Best Bets for Cup
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Best Bets for Cup |
Christopher Bell +400 | Top 5 -250 | Top 10 -500
Christopher Bell enters this weekend as the favorite and despite not having a win at Richmond, this tends to be one of his better tracks on the schedule. He’s gathered, four Top 5s and six Top 10s in eight Cup starts at the 0.75 mile oval. He’s won earlier in the year at Phoenix and New Hampshire, two tracks with similar characteristics to Richmond.
Denny Hamlin +500 | Top 5 -250 | Top 10 -500
Denny Hamlin heads back to his home track where he’s looking to add another win to his resume. In the NextGen era, Hamlin has two wins and four Top 5s in five starts at Richmond, including a win earlier in the Spring. He enters -43 points behind for the regular season title, which carries 15 bonus points into the Playoffs. Hamlin should be fast this Sunday.
Martin Truex Jr +500 | Top 5 -120 | Top 10 -400
Martin Truex Jr has three wins at Richmond, but hasn’t won in the NextGen car. Truex swept Richmond in 2019 and won in the Fall of 2021, and led 228 laps en route to a 2nd place finish earlier in the Spring this year, where he was leading before an untimely caution came out with two laps to go. Truex Jr will look for vengeance from last time.
Kyle Larson +650 | Top 5 -110 | Top 10 -300
Kyle Larson has regained the regular season points lead after winning the Brickyard 400 back in July. Larson has had success in the past at Richmond, winning twice in 2017 and 2023, and finished 3rd earlier in the Spring this year. Larson will look to keep his winning ways fluid at Richmond this weekend.
Joey Logano +1000 | Top 5 +130 | Top 10 -275
Joey Logano has had a good track record at Richmond with two wins to his name, however he hasn’t reached victory lane since 2017. Regardless, Logano finished 2nd in the Spring race earlier this year, his fourth straight Top 10 finish at the 0.75 mile oval. He’ll have some Ford power this weekend.
Chase Elliott +1200 | Top 5 +180 | Top 10 -225
Chase Elliott is still searching for his first win at Richmond, where he’s finished inside the Top 5 in two of the four NextGen races at the 3/4 mile oval. Elliott has an average finish of 11th on the year, the best out of anyone in the Cup Series, his consistency will continue this Sunday night.
Josh Berry +2800 | Top 5 +350 | Top 10 +100
Josh Berry has his 2025 plans formulated, joining Wood Brothers Racing. Until then, he’ll be looking to get Stewart-Haas Racing another win before departing, which could happen this weekend at Richmond. Berry finished 2nd while filling in for an injured Chase Elliott in 2023, and finished 11th in the Spring after starting 30th. Berry also finished 7th at Iowa and 3rd at New Hampshire, tracks that suit the short track racer.