Joey Logano took control in the final green-flag cycle and beat Chase Briscoe by 0.392 seconds in the Cook Out 400. Briscoe led 171 laps, while Austin Cindric charged from 23rd to third.
Race Summary
Joey Logano spent the closing run erasing Chase Briscoe's advantage, then finished the job through the final green-flag pit cycle. The No. 22 Team Penske Ford moved ahead of Briscoe before their last stops, cycled through the alternate strategies and reached the lead for good with 24 laps remaining. Logano held Briscoe off by 0.392 seconds to win the Cook Out 400.
The victory was Logano's second of 2026, his third at Richmond Raceway and the 39th of his Cup Series career. He started 10th, won Stage 2 and led 95 laps. Briscoe finished second after leading a race-high 171 laps and spending most of the night at the front.
Austin Cindric produced the largest move inside the top five. He started 23rd, scored in both stages and finished third without leading a lap. Denny Hamlin advanced from 14th to fourth, and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five.
Kyle Larson recovered from 30th to sixth. Christopher Bell finished seventh after leading 29 laps, followed by Josh Berry, William Byron and Alex Bowman. Bowman gained 15 positions to complete the top 10.
Pole winner Ryan Blaney controlled the opening stage and led 88 laps. He finished 13th, one lap down, but recorded the race's fastest complete green-flag lap at 22.738 seconds on Lap 2. NASCAR confirmed the result after post-race inspection.
Final Top 10
| Pos | Car | Driver | Start | Laps Led | FJ Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Joey Logano | 10 | 95 | 72.5 |
| 2 | 19 | Chase Briscoe | 2 | 171 | 75.1 |
| 3 | 2 | Austin Cindric | 23 | 0 | 54.0 |
| 4 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | 14 | 3 | 52.3 |
| 5 | 9 | Chase Elliott | 13 | 0 | 44.0 |
| 6 | 5 | Kyle Larson | 30 | 2 | 36.2 |
| 7 | 20 | Christopher Bell | 8 | 29 | 43.9 |
| 8 | 21 | Josh Berry | 3 | 1 | 45.1 |
| 9 | 24 | William Byron | 5 | 0 | 35.0 |
| 10 | 48 | Alex Bowman | 25 | 0 | 32.0 |
Key Takeaways
Logano converted the closing run
Logano did not lead the most laps, but the No. 22 was strongest when the final cycle arrived. He closed the gap to Briscoe, moved ahead before their last stops and cleared the remaining alternate-strategy cars in time to protect the lead through traffic. The win added another Richmond result built on long-run speed and precise pit execution.
Briscoe controlled the largest share of the race
Briscoe led 171 laps, nearly twice Logano's total, and scored in both stages. His 75.1 FantasyJolt points were the highest in the field even though he finished second. The No. 19 was the race's dominant car for long stretches, but Logano took the decisive track position late.
Cindric made the back half of the grid pay
Cindric gained 20 positions and finished third after starting 23rd. His stage points and place differential produced 54 FantasyJolt points at a $9 salary. Larson's move from 30th to sixth and Bowman's climb from 25th to 10th reinforced the value available deeper in the starting order.
Blaney's day carried more value than the finish
The pole winner faded to 13th, but Stage 1, 88 laps led and the fastest-lap bonus kept Blaney fourth in FantasyJolt scoring at 53.8 points. His 22.738-second Lap 2 was the fastest verified complete green-flag lap in the official chart.
Fantasy Recap
Briscoe was the slate's top base scorer with 75.1 points at $12. Logano followed at 72.5 points, while Cindric's $9 salary made his 54-point result the key upper-middle-tier value. Blaney scored 53.8 despite the 13th-place finish, and Hamlin reached 52.3 with a fourth-place result and points in both stages.
Berry added 45.1 points at $9, and Bowman returned 32 points at the same salary. The lower tier belonged to Noah Gragson, who started 35th, finished 18th and scored 23 points for $4. That combination let the perfect lineup stop at $48 without sacrificing a higher multiplier slot.
Carson Hocevar was the slate's sharpest miss. He carried an $11 salary but finished 37th after an engine failure and scored four points. Ty Gibbs started fourth and finished 15th for 26.1 points at $13, while Brad Keselowski fell from ninth to 26th and scored 15 points at $10.
The saved projection lineup scored 244.18 points, capturing 55.8% of the 437.46-point perfect score. Cindric was the biggest projection miss: he entered 18th in the saved projection ranking and finished third in official FantasyJolt scoring.
FantasyJolt Perfect Lineup
| Group | Driver | Salary | Base Points | Multiplied Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Chase Briscoe | $12 | 75.1 | 150.20 |
| B | Joey Logano | $14 | 72.5 | 126.88 |
| C | Austin Cindric | $9 | 54.0 | 81.00 |
| D | Josh Berry | $9 | 45.1 | 56.38 |
| E | Noah Gragson | $4 | 23.0 | 23.00 |
The lineup used $48 of the $50 cap and scored 437.46 points.
Looking Ahead
The Cup Series moves to New Hampshire Motor Speedway next. Logano leaves Richmond with two 2026 victories, while Hamlin holds the points lead with two regular-season races remaining.
By the Numbers
- 95 laps led: Logano's total on the way to the victory.
- 171 laps led: Briscoe's race-high total.
- 0.392 seconds: The winning margin over Briscoe.
- 29 lead changes: Shared among 10 drivers.
- Four cautions: Covering 31 laps.
- 20 positions gained: Cindric's move from 23rd to third.
- 22.738 seconds: Blaney's verified fastest green-flag lap on Lap 2.
- 75.1 FantasyJolt points: Briscoe's race-leading base score.