NASCAR Cook Out 400 preview: Favorite, underdog, top storylines

On Saturday evening, the NASCAR Cup Series field will contest the penultimate race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series regular season at Richmond Raceway. Here's what you need to know before the 25th race of the 2025 season. 

Favorite: Denny Hamlin 

Hamlin is a five-time Richmond winner and one of the best drivers in the Cup Series at tracks where tire management is key. He came one intentional right-rear hook away from winning at Richmond a year ago, and a fourth-place starting position will certainly be of help to the No. 11 team.

Underdog: Austin Dillon 

Dillon's 2024 win at Richmond certainly didn't come without controversy. But it's worth noting that Richmond has been one of Dillon's best tracks — he has seven top-10s in 21 starts at Richmond. He'll start 11th on Saturday night in a race he needs to win to make the Cup Series playoffs this season. 

Preece, Buescher battling for playoff supremacy 

RFK Racing teammates Ryan Preece and Chris Buescher come into another race battling each other for the 16th and final provisional Cup Series playoff spot. Buescher has a 34-point advantage over Preece, but Preece put his Ford Mustang on the pole on Friday. Buescher, meanwhile, will start 12th, and even if Preece can't snag a playoff spot via a win on Saturday, he has an excellent shot of making up points on Buescher going into the regular season finale at Daytona on Aug. 23. 

Underdogs have plenty of speed

The practice and qualifying charts at Richmond didn't look like their normal selves. Underdogs were littered throughout the speed charts in practice and qualifying. AJ Allmendinger will start third on Saturday, with Michael McDowell starting 10th. In practice, the likes of John Hunter Nemechek, Noah Gragson, Corey Heim, Ty Dillon, Justin Haley and Cole Custer all found themselves inside the top-10, potentially setting the stage for an unpredictable show at the "Action Track" on Saturday. 

The Cook Out 400 will go green shortly after 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, with coverage on USA Network.