2023 Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway: Full Weekend Race Schedule
The next race at Richmond Raceway is not scheduled to be a night race, but there will be plenty of fireworks on display. The last short track on the schedule before the Playoffs begin is going to be oozing with opportunities for drivers to dish out some pay back. One driver to keep an eye on is Kyle Larson, who has a score to settle with Denny Hamlin after putting him in the wall at the end of today's race at Pocono. Larson enters the race looking to repeat from his win there earlier this season.
Another driver to watch will be Austin Dillon, who threw a tantrum after making contact with Tyler Reddick in the race. The move spun Dillon hard into the outside wall, and he waiting for Reddick to come by under caution, only to throw his helmet at him and onto the track. The race next weekend should be even more than your typical short track drama. In terms of contenders, there will be plenty of them aiming for a ticket into the Playoffs.
When it comes to all-time wins at Richmond, Kyle Busch has the field covered with six victories. In addition to leading 1,530 laps, the Richard Childress Racing driver has never had a DNF in 35 career starts. Hamlin and Kevin Harvick each have four wins at Richmond, and no driver has led more laps (2,206) there than Hamlin. Harvick finished 2nd and 1st in the two Richmond races last year, and earned another top-five this Spring.
In terms of the best average finishing position, that goes to Christopher Bell. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has finished 4th, 3rd, 6th, 2nd, and 4th in his last five Richmond starts, but he has never won there. Elliott is another driver that has yet to win at the track. The 2020 Cup champion is still in search of a win that will put him in the playoffs this season, but time is running out.
After next weekend, the four remaining races in the regular season will take place at Michigan, the IMS road course, Watkins Glen, and Daytona. Three of those four are Wild Card races, where anything can happen. There are still plenty of surprises on the horizon, as the 2023 Playoff field begins to take shape.
Race weekend schedule (Eastern Standard Time)
Saturday July 29
12:35 - Practice
1:20 pm - Qualifying
Sunday July 30
3:00 pm - Race
