NASCAR Cup Series | |
---|---|
Venue | Richmond Raceway |
Location | Richmond, Virginia, United States |
Corporate sponsor | Cook Out |
First race | 1958 |
Distance | 300 miles (482.803 km) |
Laps | 400 [1] Stage 1: 80 Stage 2: 155 Final stage: 165 |
Previous names | Richmond 200 (1958) Capital City 200 (1959–1961) Capital City 300 (1962–1968) Capital City 250 (1969) Capital City 500 (1970–1975) Capital City 400 (1976–1980) Wrangler Sanfor-Set 400 (1981–1985) Wrangler Jeans Indigo 400 (1986–1987) Miller High Life 400 (1988–1989) Miller Genuine Draft 400 (1990–1995) Miller 400 (1996) Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400 (1997–1999) Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 (2000) Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 with the Looney Tunes (2001–2002) Chevy Rock & Roll 400 (2003–2009) Air Guard 400 (2010) Wonderful Pistachios 400 (2011) Federated Auto Parts 400 (2012–2020 & 2022) Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders (2021) |
Most wins (driver) | Richard Petty (7) |
Most wins (team) | Joe Gibbs Racing (8) |
Most wins (manufacturer) | Ford (18) |
Circuit information | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 0.75 mi (1.21 km) |
Turns | 4 |
The Cook Out 400 is an annual NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at the Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia, being the second of two races at the track with the first one being the Toyota Owners 400 in the spring.
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. In 2022, this race was taken out of the playoffs and moved to August. In 2023, the race was moved again to the last weekend in July.
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. [2]
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.[ citation needed ] 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. [3]
Cook Out Restaurants would become the title sponsor of the race in 2023, replacing Federated Auto Parts. [4]
# 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 |
Rusty Wallace | 1989, 1992–1993, 1995 | |
3 | Denny Hamlin | 2009–2010, 2016 |
Kevin Harvick | 2006, 2011, 2022 | |
2 | Speedy Thompson | 1958, 1960 |
Joe Weatherly | 1961–1962 | |
Cotton Owens | 1959, 1964 | |
David Pearson | 1965–1966 | |
Dale Earnhardt | 1987, 1990 | |
Jimmie Johnson | 2007–2008 | |
Matt Kenseth | 2002, 2015 | |
Brad Keselowski | 2014, 2020 | |
Martin Truex Jr. | 2019, 2021 |
# 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 |
Hendrick Motorsports | 1986, 1994, 2000, 2007–2008 | |
RFK Racing | 1998, 2002, 2005, 2013, 2023 | |
4 | DiGard Motorsports | 1975, 1978, 1982–1983 |
Richard Childress Racing | 1987, 1990, 2006, 2011 | |
3 | Cotton Owens | 1964–1966 |
Junior Johnson & Associates | 1976, 1984–1985 | |
Robert Yates Racing | 1996–1997, 2001 |
# Wins | Manufacturer | Years Won |
---|---|---|
18 | Ford | 1960, 1963, 1979–1981, 1988, 1995–1998, 2001–2002, 2005, 2013–2014, 2020, 2022–2023 |
17 | Chevrolet | 1958, 1975–1976, 1978, 1982, 1984–1987, 1990, 1994, 2000, 2006–2008, 2011, 2017 |
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 |
Buick | 1983 | |
Oldsmobile | 1991 |
Kevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car racing driver and commentator. He last competed full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart–Haas Racing. Harvick won the Cup Series championship in 2014 as well as the 2001 and 2006 Xfinity Series championships, and the 2007 Daytona 500.
Martin Lee Truex Jr. is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 19 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing. He is the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion and a two-time Xfinity Series champion, having won two consecutive championships in 2004 and 2005.
Casey Lee Atwood is an American former stock car racing driver. A former competitor in NASCAR competition, he is the youngest pole winner in Busch Series history, earning a pole start at the age of 17.
James Dennis Alan Hamlin is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing. He also co-owns and operates 23XI Racing, another NASCAR Cup Series team, with basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan.
The Pocono Organics CBD 325 was a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held annually at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The race was the first of two NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway, with the other being the Pocono 350, held the next day. First held as a 500-mile (800 km) race during the 1982 season, it served as a replacement for the 400-mile (640 km) race at Texas World Speedway. Starting in 2012, the race distance was reduced to 400 miles.
The HighPoint.com 400 is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. In 2022, it became the only Cup Series race at the track after its other Cup Series race, the Pocono Organics CBD 325, was removed from the Cup Series schedule in favor of a race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. The race has been held sometime in mid-to-late July or early August each year except for when it was held in September, 1974 when it was held in April, and 2020 and 2021 when it was held in June as a doubleheader with the other Cup Series race at Pocono. Denny Hamlin is the defending winner of the event.
Clinton Edward Bowyer is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver and commentator for NASCAR on Fox.
Bradley Aaron Keselowski is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner and an entrepreneur. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing, a team he also co-owns. He was the owner of Brad Keselowski Racing, which fielded two full-time trucks in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
The Pala Casino 400 was a 400-mile (643.737 km) NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. It was the second race of the Cup Series season and has been since 2022 as well as from 2005 to 2010.
The Ambetter Health 400 is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. Daniel Suárez is the defending race winner.
Joseph Thomas Logano is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 22 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske. He previously competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, as well as what is now the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West.
Stock car racing events in the NASCAR Cup Series events have been held annually at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan since 1969. Traditionally, the track held two Cup Series races, one in June, around Father's Day weekend and another in August. The August race was not held in 1973 after track owner Roger Penske replaced the race with a Champ Car event. In 2020, both races were held over a single weekend in August due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the June race was dropped from the schedule as part of a realignment, with its place on the schedule being given to Texas Motor Speedway to host the All-Star Race.
The Toyota Owners 400 is a 400 lap NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at the Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. From 2007 to 2011, former race title sponsor Crown Royal named the race after the winner of an essay contest during Daytona Speedweeks. The winner of the first essay contest was Jim Stewart from Houma, Louisiana, with subsequent contests won by Dan Lowry of Columbiana, Ohio, and Russ Friedman of Huntington, New York, with the 2010 race being named for Army veteran Heath Calhoun of Clarksville, Tennessee. Since 2010 only military service members have been eligible to win the contest. Crown Royal moved the "Your Name Here" sponsorship to the Brickyard 400 beginning in 2012.
William Clyde "Chase" Elliott II is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro for the same team. He won the 2014 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, becoming the first rookie to win a national series championship in NASCAR and the youngest champion in that series.
Alexander Michael Warren Bowman is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro for the same team. He owns a Dirt Midget and Sprint car racing team Alex Bowman Racing. He is known for a record six consecutive front-row starts in the Daytona 500, from 2018 to 2023, winning the pole in 2018, 2021, and 2023.
Carl Michael Edwards Jr. is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, driving the No. 19 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. Prior to that, he drove the No. 99 Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing. He won the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series championship and nearly won the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title, but lost by a tiebreaker to Tony Stewart. Edwards is known for doing a backflip off his car to celebrate his victories. In 2023, he was named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers.
Dylan Jarin Lupton is an American professional stock car racing driver who last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro for Alpha Prime Racing. He has also competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, what is now the ARCA Menards Series East, and the ARCA Menards Series West in the past.
The 2015 Federated Auto Parts 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held on September 12, 2015, at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Contested over 400 laps on the three–quarter (1.2 km) short track, it was the 26th race of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Matt Kenseth won the race, his fourth of the season. Kyle Busch finished second. Joey Logano, Aric Almirola and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounded out the top-five.
The 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series was the 71st season of NASCAR professional stock car racing in the United States, and the 48th modern-era Cup series season. The season began at Daytona International Speedway with the Advance Auto Parts Clash, the Gander RV Duel qualifying races and the 61st running of the Daytona 500. The regular season ended with the Brickyard 400 in September. The playoffs ended with the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead–Miami Speedway on November 17, 2019. Joey Logano of Team Penske entered as the defending series champion.
The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.