After a two-week break during the Olympics, NASCAR is back as the world’s greatest drivers will compete for supremacy at Richmond Raceway in the Cook Out 400 at 6 p.m. on Sunday. And with just four races to go before the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs begin, teams will utilize any advantage they can get to leave Richmond with the checkered flag.
Most notable to this weekend will be the introduction of the Option tire. For the first time in a points-paying event, the Cook Out 400 will feature two Goodyear tire options available to teams: a baseline “Prime” tire that has a harder rubber compound with potentially less grip but more longevity, and a new “Option” tire that has a softer rubber compound with more short-term grip and speed, but less longevity. The “Prime” tire will be marked with traditional yellow lettering on the sidewalls, while the “Option” tire will be designated with red lettering.
Teams will be allotted six sets of Prime tires and two sets of Option tires for the race, including one Prime set carried over from qualifying. Teams will also have an extended practice session, with one set of each tire type available to use during that 45-minute stint. The availability of only two sets of Option tires over the course of 400 laps is expected to place an emphasis on strategy, for when teams might opt to utilize them.
“As we continue the cooperative effort of the industry on short track package adjustments, we felt like Richmond was an excellent opportunity to build upon the results of the Option tire used at the All-Star race,” said Goodyear Director of Racing Greg Stucker. “We expect the Option tire to provide a significant lap time gain over the Prime, but fall-off will be greater, and tire management will be important in taking advantage of it at the right time.”
Drivers and crew chiefs alike will look to make the most of this new competition element, particularly those still looking to lock themselves into playoffs. One of those drivers is last year’s Cook Out 400 winner Chris Buescher.
A three-time winner in 2023, the pilot of the No. 17 RFK Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse has yet to secure a victory this year and sits only 17 points above the playoff cutline. However, Richmond was the site of his first victory last season and the beginning of a massive hot streak where he tallied three straight wins on ovals (Richmond, Michigan, and Daytona). He’ll look to do the same on Sunday night and join his teammate, Brad Keselowski, with a 2024 win and playoff berth.
Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain will also look to clinch his way into the playoffs at Richmond, a track where he only has one top-10 at in the NextGen era. Sitting just seven points above the cutline and currently the last driver in on points, the two-time winner in 2023 will at the very least want to create as much of a point-differential as possible between him and the next driver: Bubba Wallace. The No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota Camry XSE led 80 laps in last year’s Cook Out 400, as Wallace will look to put together another good run to place himself back inside the 16-driver playoff picture.
All three will have a tough task ahead of them in trying to hold off two of the most successful drivers at the 0.75-mile short track. The track’s most recent winner in the Toyota Owners 400 and Chesterfield, Va., native Denny Hamlin will look to become the first driver to sweep both races at Richmond since his teammate Martin Truex Jr. did in 2019. And two-time Richmond winner Kyle Larson carries tons of momentum as the current points leader and the most recent race winner at Indianapolis Motor Speedway prior to the Olympic break.
The Cook Out 400 will take place under the lights at 6 p.m. on Sunday, August 11, as NASCAR’s best will hope to solidify their chances at making the playoffs. The race will be broadcast live on USA Network, MRN, and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
The NASCAR Weekend at Richmond Raceway presented by Who’s Your Driver will also feature the Clean Harbors 250 at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 10, serving as the conclusion to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series regular season.
Fans are encouraged to secure their tickets now at www.richmondraceway.com.
Richmond Raceway PR
