# Cook Out 400 (Richmond)

The Cook Out 400 is an annual NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at the Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia, through 2024 being the second of two races at the track with the first one being the Toyota Owners 400 in the spring. In 2025, this became the track's only annual race, with the spring race date being given to the new race in Mexico.
This race was previously the final race before the Cup Series playoffs (previously "the Chase") began since NASCAR implemented them for the 2004 season until 2018 when it was moved into the playoffs (replacing the race at Chicagoland which was moved to June). The Brickyard 400 became the last race before the playoffs in 2018, replacing Richmond, and was again in 2019 and then the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona became the last race of the playoffs in 2020 and still is today, excluding 2024. In 2022, the race was taken out of the playoffs and moved to August. In 2023, the race was moved again to the last weekend in July.
Austin Dillon is the defending winner of this event, having won it in 2024.

## History

Starting in 1991, the race was moved from Sunday afternoon to Saturday night. It became the second night race on the NASCAR schedule, following Bristol which took place a few weeks earlier.
From 2000 to 2009, the race was sponsored in some form by Chevrolet. For 2001 and 2002, the race sponsorship was in conjunction with Warner Bros., with Looney Tunes characters featured in several cars' paint jobs. For the 2003–2009 races, the race was known as the Chevy Rock and Roll 400, and various cars promoted various rock music acts. The 2010 race saw the sponsorship move from Chevrolet to the Air National Guard, a branch of the United States Air Force. The race was sponsored by Roll Global through its Wonderful Pistachios brand, a division of Roll Global subsidiary Paramount Nuts in 2011. On May 2, 2012, Federated Auto Parts and Richmond International Raceway announced that Federated Auto Parts would become the race's sponsor starting in 2012.
The most notable year of this race is arguably the 2013 race, which was marred by a team orders scheme (referred to as Spingate) designed to manipulate the outcome of the race and Chase positions in the final ten laps after Clint Bowyer intentionally spun out to allow Brian Vickers to pit after a restart from the caution so that Martin Truex Jr. could secure a spot in the Chase, and a separate manipulation where David Gilliland was asked to slow down to allow Joey Logano to pass so that Logano could secure a spot in the Chase. NASCAR penalized the teams involved in the scheme (Michael Waltrip Racing, Penske Racing, and Front Row Motorsports) which therefore eliminated Truex from that year's Chase, while Jeff Gordon was given a thirteenth slot (in a usually twelve-driver battle) in the Chase as a compensation. (Gordon would have been 10th in points and made it in on points instead of Logano if Logano had not passed Gilliland. Had this manipulation have not occurred, Logano would have been 11th in points but still gotten into the Chase by being in one of two wild card positions outside the top 10 in points, which is why he wasn't kicked out of the Chase like Truex. Gordon would have not qualified for a wild card spot due to being winless.) Carl Edwards would win that year's race.
When the race was run in close proximity to (and it occasionally being run on) Patriot Day (9/11), the Pledge of Allegiance was included as part of the opening ceremony. The 2021 race, which took place on the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, was called the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders.
Cook Out Restaurants would become the title sponsor of the race in 2023, replacing Federated Auto Parts.

## Past winners

| Year | Date | No. | Driver | Team | Sponsor | Manufacturer | Race Distance | Race Distance | Race Time | Average Speed (mph) | Report | Ref |
| Year | Date | No. | Driver | Team | Sponsor | Manufacturer | Laps | Miles (km) | Race Time | Average Speed (mph) | Report | Ref |
| 1958 | September 14 | 46 | Speedy Thompson | Speedy Thompson | N/A | Chevrolet | 200 | 100 (160.934) | 1:43:40 | 57.878 | Report | |
| 1959 | September 13 | 6 | Cotton Owens | W.H. Watson | Thunder Chicken | T-Bird | 200 | 100 (160.934) | 1:39:22 | 60.362 | Report | |
| 1960 | October 23 | 21 | Speedy Thompson | Wood Brothers Racing | N/A | Ford | 200 | 100 (160.934) | 1:34:08 | 63.739 | Report | |
| 1961 | September 10 | 8 | Joe Weatherly | Bud Moore Engineering | N/A | Pontiac | 200 | 100 (160.934) | 2:01:36 | 61.677 | Report | |
| 1962 | September 9 | 8 | Joe Weatherly | Bud Moore Engineering | N/A | Pontiac | 300 | 150 (241.401) | 2:18:30 | 64.981 | Report | |
| 1963 | September 8 | 11 | Ned Jarrett | Charles Robinson | Burton-Robinson | Ford | 300 | 150 (241.401) | 2:15:04 | 66.339 | Report | |
| 1964 | September 14 | 5 | Cotton Owens | Cotton Owens | N/A | Dodge | 300 | 150 (241.401) | 2:25:16 | 61.955 | Report | |
| 1965 | September 18 | 6 | David Pearson | Cotton Owens | Southeastern Dodge Dealers | Dodge | 300 | 150 (241.401) | 2:27:35 | 60.983 | Report | |
| 1966 | September 11 | 6 | David Pearson | Cotton Owens | Dodge | Dodge | 300 | 150 (241.401) | 2:23:07 | 62.886 | Report | |
| 1967 | September 10 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Plymouth by Petty | Plymouth | 300 | 150 (241.401) | 2:36:10 | 57.631 | Report | |
| 1968 | September 8 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Plymouth by Petty | Plymouth | 300 | 187.5 (301.752) | 2:11:20 | 85.659 | Report | |
| 1969 | September 7 | 22 | Bobby Allison | Mario Rossi | N/A | Dodge | 462* | 250.404 (402.986) | 3:16:32 | 76.388 | Report | |
| 1970 | September 13 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Southern Chrysler & Plymouth | Plymouth | 500 | 271 (436.132) | 3:19:34 | 81.476 | Report | |
| 1971 | November 14 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Southern Chrysler & Plymouth | Plymouth | 500 | 271 (436.132) | 3:23:11 | 80.025 | Report | |
| 1972 | September 10 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | STP | Plymouth | 500 | 271 (436.132) | 3:34:14 | 75.899 | Report | |
| 1973 | September 9 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | STP | Dodge | 500 | 271 (436.132) | 4:13:17 | 63.215 | Report | |
| 1974 | September 8 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | STP | Dodge | 500 | 271 (436.132) | 4:12:22 | 64.43 | Report | |
| 1975 | October 12 | 88 | Darrell Waltrip | DiGard Motorsports | Terminal Transport | Chevrolet | 500 | 271 (436.132) | 3:18:34 | 81.886 | Report | |
| 1976 | September 12 | 11 | Cale Yarborough | Junior Johnson & Associates | Holly Farms | Chevrolet | 400 | 216.8 (348.905) | 2:46:47 | 77.993 | Report | |
| 1977 | September 11 | 5 | Neil Bonnett | Jim Stacy | Jim Stacy Racing Team | Dodge | 400 | 216.8 (348.905) | 2:41:18 | 80.644 | Report | |
| 1978 | September 10 | 88 | Darrell Waltrip | DiGard Motorsports | Gatorade | Chevrolet | 400 | 216.8 (348.905) | 2:43:19 | 79.568 | Report | |
| 1979 | September 9 | 15 | Bobby Allison | Bud Moore Engineering | Hodgdon/Moore | Ford | 400 | 216.8 (348.905) | 2:41:23 | 80.604 | Report | |
| 1980 | September 7 | 15 | Bobby Allison | Bud Moore Engineering | Mike Curb/Hodgdon | Ford | 400 | 216.8 (348.905) | 2:43:10 | 79.722 | Report | |
| 1981 | September 13 | 15 | Benny Parsons | Bud Moore Engineering | Melling Tool | Ford | 400 | 216.8 (348.905) | 3:05:50 | 69.998 | Report | |
| 1982 | September 12 | 88 | Bobby Allison | DiGard Motorsports | Gatorade | Chevrolet | 400 | 216.8 (348.905) | 2:37:06 | 82.8 | Report | |
| 1983 | September 11 | 22 | Bobby Allison | DiGard Motorsports | Miller High Life | Buick | 400 | 216.8 (348.905) | 2:43:08 | 79.381 | Report | |
| 1984 | September 9 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Junior Johnson & Associates | Budweiser | Chevrolet | 400 | 216.8 (348.905) | 2:53:57 | 74.78 | Report | |
| 1985 | September 8 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Junior Johnson & Associates | Budweiser | Chevrolet | 400 | 216.8 (348.905) | 2:58:54 | 72.508 | Report | |
| 1986 | September 7 | 25 | Tim Richmond | Hendrick Motorsports | Folgers | Chevrolet | 400 | 216.8 (348.905) | 3:05:24 | 70.161 | Report | |
| 1987 | September 13 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Wrangler Jeans | Chevrolet | 400 | 216.8 (348.905) | 3:03:56 | 67.074 | Report | |
| 1988* | September 11 | 28 | Davey Allison | Ranier-Lundy | Havoline | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:07:57 | 95.77 | Report | |
| 1989 | September 10 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Kodiak | Pontiac | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:23:40 | 88.38 | Report | |
| 1990 | September 9 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | GM Goodwrench | Chevrolet | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:08:21 | 95.567 | Report | |
| 1991* | September 7 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Racing | Skoal Bandit | Oldsmobile | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:57:35 | 101.361 | Report | |
| 1992 | September 12 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing | Miller Genuine Draft | Pontiac | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:51:59 | 104.661 | Report | |
| 1993 | September 11 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing | Miller Genuine Draft | Pontiac | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:00:09 | 99.917 | Report | |
| 1994 | September 10 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Kellogg's | Chevrolet | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:52:59 | 104.156 | Report | |
| 1995 | September 9 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing | Miller Genuine Draft | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:52:19 | 104.459 | Report | |
| 1996 | September 7 | 28 | Ernie Irvan | Robert Yates Racing | Texaco/Havoline | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:50:40 | 105.469 | Report | |
| 1997 | September 6 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | Quality Care/Ford Credit | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:45:04 | 109.047 | Report | |
| 1998 | September 12 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Exide Batteries NASCAR Select | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:15:41 | 91.985 | Report | |
| 1999 | September 11 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | The Home Depot | Pontiac | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:53:04 | 104.006 | Report | |
| 2000 | September 9 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | DuPont | Chevrolet | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:00:14 | 99.871 | Report | |
| 2001 | September 8 | 28 | Ricky Rudd | Robert Yates Racing | Texaco/Havoline | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:09:11 | 95.146 | Report | |
| 2002 | September 7 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Racing | DeWalt | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:09:54 | 94.787 | Report | |
| 2003 | September 6 | 12 | Ryan Newman | Penske Racing | Alltel | Dodge | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:09:35 | 94.945 | Report | |
| 2004 | September 11 | 19 | Jeremy Mayfield | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge Dealers/UAW | Dodge | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:01:55 | 98.946 | Report | |
| 2005 | September 10 | 97 | Kurt Busch | Roush Racing | Crown Royal | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:02:37 | 98.567 | Report | |
| 2006 | September 9 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing | GM Goodwrench/The Barenaked Ladies | Chevrolet | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:57:37 | 101.342 | Report | |
| 2007 | September 8 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Lowe's | Chevrolet | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:16:03 | 91.813 | Report | |
| 2008 | September 7* | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Lowe's | Chevrolet | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:14:13 | 92.68 | Report | |
| 2009 | September 12 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | FedEx Express | Toyota | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:06:20 | 96.601 | Report | |
| 2010 | September 11 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | FedEx Office | Toyota | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:52:55 | 104.096 | Report | |
| 2011 | September 10 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing | Budweiser | Chevrolet | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:20:12 | 89.91 | Report | |
| 2012 | September 8/9* | 15 | Clint Bowyer | Michael Waltrip Racing | 5-Hour Energy | Toyota | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:59:58 | 100.019 | Report | |
| 2013 | September 7 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Roush Fenway Racing | Kellogg's Frosted Flakes/Cheez-It | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:51:23 | 105.028 | Report | |
| 2014 | September 6 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Miller Lite | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:51:55 | 104.702 | Report | |
| 2015 | September 12 | 20 | Matt Kenseth | Joe Gibbs Racing | Dollar General | Toyota | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:59:22 | 100.353 | Report | |
| 2016 | September 10 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | FedEx Ground | Toyota | 407* | 305.25 (491.252) | 3:31:33 | 85.778 | Report | |
| 2017 | September 9 | 42 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Target/Coca-Cola | Chevrolet | 404* | 303 (487.631) | 3:02:52 | 99.417 | Report | |
| 2018 | September 22 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | M&M's | Toyota | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:54:30 | 103.152 | Report | |
| 2019 | September 21 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Bass Pro Shops/Tracker ATvs & Boats | Toyota | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:57:27 | 101.437 | Report | |
| 2020 | September 12 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Western Star/Alliance Truck Parts | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 2:56:42 | 101.868 | Report | |
| 2021 | September 11 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Bass Pro Shops Red, White, & Blue | Toyota | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:03:06 | 98.307 | Report | |
| 2022 | August 14 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Mobil 1 | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:03:27 | 98.11 | Report | |
| 2023 | July 30 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Fastenal | Ford | 400 | 300 (482.803) | 3:02:13 | 98.783 | Report | |
| 2024 | August 11 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Bass Pro Shops | Chevrolet | 408* | 306 (492.459) | 3:03:19 | 100.155 | Report | |
| 2025 | August 16 | | | | | | | | | | Report | |
* 1969: Race shortened from 500 laps due to rain.
* 1988: Track reconfigured to 0.75 miles.
* 1991: Race moved to a Saturday night event.
* 2008: Race postponed from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon due to rain.
* 2012: Race started late due to rain; race finished on Sunday approximately 1:30am.
* 2016, 2017 and 2024: Race extended due to an overtime finish.

### Track length notes

* 1958–1967: 0.5 mile course
* 1968: 0.625 mile course
* 1969–1987: 0.542 mile course
* 1988–present: 0.75 mile course

### Multiple winners (drivers)

| # Wins | Driver | Years Won |
| 7 | Richard Petty | 1967–1968, 1970–1974 |
| 5 | Bobby Allison | 1969, 1979–1980, 1982–1983 |
| 4 | Darrell Waltrip | 1975, 1978, 1984–1985 |
| 4 | Rusty Wallace | 1989, 1992–1993, 1995 |
| 3 | Denny Hamlin | 2009–2010, 2016 |
| 3 | Kevin Harvick | 2006, 2011, 2022 |
| 2 | Speedy Thompson | 1958, 1960 |
| 2 | Joe Weatherly | 1961–1962 |
| 2 | Cotton Owens | 1959, 1964 |
| 2 | David Pearson | 1965–1966 |
| 2 | Dale Earnhardt | 1987, 1990 |
| 2 | Jimmie Johnson | 2007–2008 |
| 2 | Matt Kenseth | 2002, 2015 |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski | 2014, 2020 |
| 2 | Martin Truex Jr. | 2019, 2021 |

### Multiple winners (teams)

| # Wins | Team | Years Won |
| 8 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 1999, 2009–2010, 2015–2016, 2018–2019, 2021 |
| 7 | Petty Enterprises | 1967–1968, 1970–1974 |
| 6 | Team Penske | 1992–1993, 1995, 2003, 2014, 2020 |
| 5 | Bud Moore Engineering | 1961–1962, 1979–1981 |
| 5 | Hendrick Motorsports | 1986, 1994, 2000, 2007–2008 |
| 5 | RFK Racing | 1998, 2002, 2005, 2013, 2023 |
| 5 | Richard Childress Racing | 1987, 1990, 2006, 2011, 2024 |
| 4 | DiGard Motorsports | 1975, 1978, 1982–1983 |
| 3 | Cotton Owens | 1964–1966 |
| 3 | Junior Johnson & Associates | 1976, 1984–1985 |
| 3 | Robert Yates Racing | 1996–1997, 2001 |

### Manufacturer wins

| # Wins | Manufacturer | Years Won |
| 18 | Ford | 1960, 1963, 1979–1981, 1988, 1995–1998, 2001–2002, 2005, 2013–2014, 2020, 2022–2023 |
| 18 | Chevrolet | 1958, 1975–1976, 1978, 1982, 1984–1987, 1990, 1994, 2000, 2006–2008, 2011, 2017, 2024 |
| 9 | Dodge | 1964–1966, 1969, 1973–1974, 1977, 2003–2004 |
| 8 | Toyota | 2009–2010, 2012, 2015–2016, 2018–2019, 2021 |
| 6 | Pontiac | 1961–1962, 1989, 1992–1993, 1999 |
| 5 | Plymouth | 1967–1968, 1970–1972 |
| 1 | T-Bird | 1959 |
| 1 | Buick | 1983 |
| 1 | Oldsmobile | 1991 |