Denny Hamlin leads FantasyJolt's verified 37-driver Cook Out 400 board after practice, qualifying, and the official Richmond starting grid.
Richmond now has a verified 37-driver Cup starting grid for the 400-lap Cook Out 400. FantasyJolt imported 37 practice rows and 36 timed qualifying rows, then reran the projections against the complete official field. #51 Cody Ware (P37) did not post a timed qualifying row and is represented by the official grid position only.
#11 Denny Hamlin leads the post-qualifying FantasyJolt board from P14 at $15 with +475 winner odds. The current projection combines that track position with the imported session data; it is no longer using a baseline expected start.
The premium group is #11 Denny Hamlin (P14, $15), #20 Christopher Bell (P8, $14), #22 Joey Logano (P10, $14), #12 Ryan Blaney (P1, $14). At Richmond, that group has to balance clean-air potential against the limited place-differential room available near the front.
The next tier is #54 Ty Gibbs (P4, $13), #19 Chase Briscoe (P2, $12), #24 William Byron (P5, $12). These drivers offer a lower salary entry point while keeping a top-seven projection after the grid refresh.
The strongest current values at $10 or below are #6 Brad Keselowski (P9, $10), #7 Daniel Suarez (P20, $8), #21 Josh Berry (P3, $9), #17 Chris Buescher (P19, $10). Their official starting spots now define the available place-differential upside instead of leaving it to a pre-qualifying estimate.
The practical FantasyJolt build is to pair one premium anchor with drivers whose grid position leaves enough room to advance without sacrificing too much short-track pace. Inspection and substitute-driver updates remain the final pre-race checks.
Race Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Race | Cook Out 400 |
| Series | NASCAR Cup Series |
| Track | Richmond Raceway, Richmond, VA |
| Course | 0.75-mile Asphalt short-track |
| Start | Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 6:00 PM CDT |
| Distance | 400 laps, 300 miles |
| Field | 37 verified starters |
| Session coverage | 37 practice, 36 timed qualifying |
Top 10 FantasyJolt Projections
| Rank | Driver | Start | Proj. Finish | Proj. Points | FJ Salary | Win Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #11 Denny Hamlin | 14 | 8.5 | 56.0 | $15 | +475 |
| 2 | #20 Christopher Bell | 8 | 11.8 | 49.6 | $14 | +550 |
| 3 | #22 Joey Logano | 10 | 11.9 | 49.0 | $14 | +700 |
| 4 | #12 Ryan Blaney | 1 | 12.1 | 44.9 | $14 | +750 |
| 5 | #54 Ty Gibbs | 4 | 12.9 | 45.3 | $13 | +900 |
| 6 | #19 Chase Briscoe | 2 | 13.6 | 40.8 | $12 | +1800 |
| 7 | #24 William Byron | 5 | 14.3 | 39.5 | $12 | +1400 |
| 8 | #23 Bubba Wallace | 7 | 15.6 | 38.3 | $11 | +1400 |
| 9 | #6 Brad Keselowski | 9 | 16.2 | 34.2 | $10 | +4500 |
| 10 | #7 Daniel Suarez | 20 | 16.9 | 34.1 | $8 | +9000 |