After a two-week break for NBC and its cable affiliates, which included coverage of Snoop Dogg and the Olympics, NASCAR’s Cup Series teams returned to the track on Saturday at Richmond International Raceway.
Austin Dillon, seeking a much-needed boost in a challenging season, showcased notable speed during practice and qualifying, finishing fourth overall. However, it was local favorite Denny Hamlin who captured the pole position, continuing his strong performance since his earlier victory at Richmond earlier this season.
The top ten qualifying speeds were as follows:
1. Denny Hamlin: 118.162 mph
2. Chase Elliott: 118.105 mph
3. Martin Truex Jr.: 117.780 mph
4. Austin Dillon: 117.770 mph
5. Josh Berry: 117.601 mph
6. Bubba Wallace: 117.591 mph
7. Christopher Bell: 117.570 mph
8. Tyler Reddick: 117.488 mph
9. Chris Buescher: 117.279 mph
10. Joey Logano: 117.096 mph
The starting lineup for the Cook Out 400 at Richmond is as follows:
Row 1
1. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
2. Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Row 2
3. Josh Berry, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
4. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Row 3
5. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
6. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Row 4
7. Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
8. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
Row 5
9. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
10. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Row 6
11. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
12. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Row 7
13. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
14. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Row 8
15. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
16. Noah Gragson, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Row 9
17. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
18. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
Row 10
19. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
20. Zane Smith, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Row 11
21. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
22. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Row 12
23. Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
24. Corey Lajoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Row 13
25. Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
26. Ryan Preece, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Row 14
27. Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
28. Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Row 15
29. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
30. Ty Dillon, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Row 16
31. Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
32. Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Row 17
33. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
34. Riley Herbst, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Row 18
35. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
36. Justin Haley, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Row 19
37. Parker Retzlaff, No. 66 Power Source Ford
Track Facts for Richmond International Speedway:
Length: Three-quarters of a mile
Shape: D-shaped oval
Surface: Asphalt
Banking: 14 degrees in turns; 8 degrees on the frontstretch; 2 degrees on the backstretch
Fans can watch the Cook Out 400, scheduled for Sunday evening, on USA at 6:30 PM.