- What: Richmond Cook Out 400
- When: Sunday, August 11 at 6 p.m. ET
- Where: Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Va.
- How to watch: ESPN2 and WatchESPN
Get yourself ready NASCAR fans, because it's time to get back behind the wheel for some of the best drivers in the world. There was about a two-week hiatus from racing due to the Summer Olympics over in Paris, France, but the good news is that things are back this weekend over in Virginia. We're talking about the Cook Out 400, something fans have been eyeing for a while. Entering the race, Denny Hamlin is a small favorite to win the Richmond Cook Out 400. Will he get the job done?
Hamlin has three wins to his name thus far this season and he's hoping to record No. 4 this weekend. It's important to keep in mind that he won the previous race in Richmond this year, so he'd love to be able to get the job done once again. It's not going to be easy for Hamlin, though, as plenty of over drivers are going to be in the hunt to come out on top. With that said, Hamlin knows he has what it takes to get the job done, but he wants to overcome a rough stretch.
| Cook Out 400 odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamlin to win | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Bell to win | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Larson to win | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Truex Jr. to win | +775 | +775 | +775 |
“It’s been some wonky races,” Hamlin said recently via the NASCAR website. “I mean, there’s been rain that really changed New Hampshire quite a bit from going to what we think is a race-winning car and leading and feeling like we were going to win to not. And then obviously Chicago just turned out the way it did. We were really good in the dry pace. I felt very good with where I was at there — went to rain. And then Nashville, we all saw what happened there at the end."
According to the best sports betting sites, which includes the reliable Bovada sportsbook review, Hamlin holds +500 NASCAR betting odds to win this race. People all over Richmond are going to be excited to see what he and the others are going to be able to get done. It will be interesting to see if Hamlin can win this one or not, but there's a reason he has the top odds. However, we think someone else will be the winner later this week.
We're ready to have a doggone good time now that our campers are here!#CookOut400 #CleanHarbors250 pic.twitter.com/ZQx1pPFPuU
— Richmond Raceway (@RichmondRaceway) August 6, 2024
Christopher Bell is our pick to win the Richmond Cook Out 400
That's right, Christopher Bell is our pick to win the Richmond Cook Out 400. Bell has come close to winning in Richmond before, but he's still looking for that first victory. Throughout his career, he's raced in Richmond eight times, meaning this weekend it will be No. 9 for him. With his experience on the track and his hunger to finally post a win in the city, we have a feeling it's time for him to make that happen.
Yes, Hamlin is the favorite, but Bell is widely respected as being a sensational driver. While Hamlin no question is the favorite for this one, there are plenty of other analysts and experts who are riding pretty darn high on Bell to deliver. It truly would not be a surprise at all to see him take home the glory. He's got a tremendous amount of respect for Hamlin too. What might make the race tough, though, is that crew chief Adam Stevens will be out for a few weeks due to an injury.
HAPPY RACE WEEK!!!#CookOut400 #CleanHarbors250 pic.twitter.com/qI9FSwmYs5
— Richmond Raceway (@RichmondRaceway) August 5, 2024
“I hate that I won’t be at the track for a few weeks, but I will be fully engaged remotely,” Stevens said via a statement. “I am very thankful for the depth and strength of this 20 team and don’t anticipate my physical absence having any effect on our performance. The surgery went well, and I will be back at the track in a few weeks.”
Per the oddsmakers, which includes the BetOnline sportsbooks review, Bell holds +550 odds, which is No. 2 on the list for the weekend. With things being so close, it feels like it's going to be a toss-up between Bell and Hamlin. Things could end up going either way and that would make the race even more exciting. We've gone back and forth on this, but we're sticking to our guns. Bell is our selection for this one.
Several other drivers will in the mix over in Richmond
While a lot of the focus is going to be on Bell and Hamlin, don't forget that several other drivers will be in the mix over in Richmond. The list includes Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and others. Of all those names we just mentioned, Larson is someone we're going to be keeping a close eye on.
Larson is in the hunt to win the NASCAR Series Cup title, which would be a huge honor for him. With the season on the back-end, Larson is actually our pick to win the cup title, but we don't think he'll be victorious in Richmond. With that said, he also has what it takes to pull off the win. He'll be a drive to watch, no doubt about that.
