This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Cook Out 400
Location: Richmond, Va.
Course: Richmond Raceway
Format: 0.75-mile oval
Laps: 400
NASCAR Cook Out 400 Race Preview
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to action after a two-week break following a controversial return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. Kyle Larson picked up that victory, his fourth of the season, after a confusing final restart and delayed caution. Ryan Blaney was the most aggrieved as he appeared to be in position to capture the win before the restart and caution benefitted Larson. Drivers will have to put it behind them as they turn their attention to Richmond Raceway and the final four races of the regular season. With four spots still open for a first-time 2024 victor, things are far from over when considering the playoff picture. Only 17 points separate Chris Buescher in 15th from Bubba Wallace in 17th. A first-time season winner this week at Richmond could dramatically change that picture, though. Any prospective winner this week will have to overcome Denny Hamlin, though. The championship contender picked up his fifth victory at the track earlier this season in a race teammate Martin Truex Jr. dominated.
Key Stats at Richmond Raceway
- Number of races: 135
- Winners from pole: 23
- Winners from top-5 starters: 73
- Winners from top-10 starters: 101
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 13
- Fastest race: 109.047 mph
Previous 10 Richmond Winners
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.
2019 spring - Martin Truex Jr.
NASCAR returns to action with short-track excitement to kick off the final four-race run to the playoffs. Richmond's 0.75-mile distance makes track position a key element of success, but every team will have to set their car up to work well in traffic. While qualifying can be an indicator of success, lower starting spots haven't prevented drivers from winning. Four of the last five victors have started outside of the top 10. While most Richmond winners start inside the top 10, having a good car for the race is more important than having the fastest machine in qualifying. Starting near the front makes life easier, though. Winners from outside of the first five rows tend to take many laps to get to the front, and sometimes that comes at the expense of moving off strategy to do so. Like other short ovals, mistakes on pit road can be a big penalty and losing laps to the leaders is the price that is paid. Four fresh tires and the grip that comes along with them can be the deciding factor. While this race can be won through strategy and timing, having a car that works well in traffic, starting up front, and maintaining track position is the most straightforward path to a top finish.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Cook Out 400 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Denny Hamlin - $10,700
Kyle Larson - $10,500
Christopher Bell - $10,300
Martin Truex Jr. - $10,100
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Ryan Blaney - $9,800
William Byron - $9,400
Chase Elliott - $9,200
Joey Logano - $9,100
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Chris Buescher - $8,900
Tyler Reddick - $8,800
Alex Bowman - $8,600
Ty Gibbs - $8,400
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Bubba Wallace - $7,600
Noah Gragson - $6,600
Austin Dillon - $5,800
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - $5,700
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Cook Out 400
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Denny Hamlin - $10,700
Joey Logano - $9,100
Tyler Reddick - $8,800
Bubba Wallace - $7,600
Michael McDowell - $7,100
Noah Gragson - $6,600
Denny Hamlin (DK $10,700, FD $13,500) has been one of the best short-track racers this season. Despite teammate Martin Truex Jr. leading much of the spring Richmond race, Hamlin still walked away with his fifth victory at the track. His short-track ability makes him a favorite again this week at Richmond, and a top performance would serve him well in the final build up to the playoffs. Hamlin is a worthy favorite this week. Two-time Richmond winner Joey Logano (DK $9,100, FD $10,500) also makes a case for roster selection this week. Prior to the recent break, Logano and Team Penske were finding some traction. He had a win and one other top-five in the five races prior to the break and finished second last time at Richmond. Seven of his last eight Richmond finishes were seventh or better, too. Tyler Reddick (DK $8,800, FD $9,000) had an even better streak going before the break. His last five races were all finishes of of sixth or better with three top-three finishes. He only has one Richmond top-10, though. That was the spring race and his recent string of finishes makes him a driver to pay close attention to this week.
Bubba Wallace (DK $7,600, FD $7,000) may also be good value for the cost. He is just outside of the playoff positions with just a seven-point margin to overcome. He has no Richmond top-10 finishes, but three of his last four races at the track were results of 12th or 13th. He led at least one lap in the last three Richmond races, too. Michael McDowell (DK $7,100, FD $6,500) is in a must-win situation to make the playoffs in his final season with Front Row Motorsports. His best finish in the five races before the break was fifth on the streets of Chicago and his first Richmond top-10 finish came last spring when he finished sixth. He led nine laps there last fall, too. Lastly, Noah Gragson (DK $6,600, FD $6,000) could be a lower-priced option with top-15 finish potential. His best series Richmond result was 12th in the spring race after starting 17th. In the Xfinity Series, he also had a win and four other top-10 finishes from seven Richmond races.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Martin Truex Jr. - $10,100
Ryan Blaney - $9,800
Chris Buescher - $8,900
Ty Gibbs - $8,400
Chase Briscoe - $6,900
Austin Dillon - $5,800
While he is in a good position in the playoffs via points, Martin Truex Jr. (DK $10,100, FD $13,000) returns to the scene of a win that got away from him earlier this season. He dominated the spring stop at Richmond with a stage win and 228 laps led, and he won't want to lose out on what could be his final playoffs by not winning this season. Truex is a three-time winner at this track and should be a top selection, but he has yet to win a race this year and has had his fair share of missed chances. Another driver feeling he might be owed something is Ryan Blaney (DK $9,800, FD $12,000). He livid at losing out on the win at Indianapolis. His playoff spot is set and his focus may shift more toward building his package for a title defense run, though. He has three Richmond top-10s and all have come in his last six starts. He finished 19th in the spring race, though.
Chris Buescher (DK $6,900, FD $10,000) is looking to make something happen to secure his playoff position. He enters this race weekend 15th in the standings with a 10-point lead over Chastain in the final transfer spot. Buescher's best Richmond results have come recently, too. He won this race last season and went on to finish ninth in the spring. His three Richmond top-10s have all come in the last four races. Like Buescher, Joe Gibbs Racing's Ty Gibbs (DK $8,400, FD $8,500) is on the hunt for a win that would firm up his playoff position. Gibbs is 14th in the standings behind teammate Truex. He has one top-10 from four Richmond series starts and finished 16th in the spring event. He only had one top finish from the five races leading up to the break, though. This week is as much about a win as it is rediscovering his early season form.
Chase Briscoe (DK $6,900, FD $7,500) is going to need a win in the next four races to find himself a playoff spot. His best finish leading up to the break was a second-place run at New Hampshire. He also finished 15th at Pocono. The odd top-10 and more frequent top-15 finishes are what he should be delivering. That type of finish should be in his wheelhouse this week given his average Richmond finish of 16.1 through seven starts. Austin Dillon (DK $5,800, FD $5,800) should also be seeking respectable finished to end his season on a more positive note. His 13th-place finish at Indianapolis was a good start to that. At Richmond, Dillon can continue that trajectory. He finished 24h in the spring but finished 11th or better in three of the last six races at the track.
