Austin DIllon (No. 3) eyes towards another Richmond Raceway redemption in Saturday night’s Cook Out 400. (Photo: Daniel Rankin | The Podium Finish)
RICHMOND, Va. — Austin Dillon is heading back to Richmond Raceway this weekend with a chance to not only reclaim the glory of last year’s Cook Out 400 but also secure a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, a feat that slipped from his grasp following a controversial finish in 2024.
Dillon, the defending winner, captured last year’s Richmond victory in dramatic fashion, taking the lead late and passing Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano with a dominant car. But his triumph was overshadowed by a bump-and-run maneuver on Logano that wrecked the two-time Cup champion and left Dillon’s playoff hopes dashed. NASCAR’s penalty stripped Dillon of his postseason berth despite taking home the trophy.
“It was still a big day and I’ll always remember it as one of my favorite wins,” Dillon said. “We got the trophy, just not the NASCAR Playoffs spot. That part was a struggle, and I hate it for Richard Childress Racing (RCR), but this year going back I definitely want to go out there and try to win again, but this time lock ourselves into the Playoffs. We had a dominant car last year and really came on strong at the end. We had a multiple-second lead and passed two of the best to do it, so that’s pretty cool.”
The No. 3 team arrives in Richmond with momentum from recent races, including strong performances at Iowa Speedway and Watkins Glen International. Dillon and his crew chief Richard Boswell have spent the week in the simulator fine-tuning their setup and race strategy, hoping to translate virtual gains to the track.
“I’m pumped to get to Richmond Raceway,” Dillon said. “I’ve been excited about that one all year. I just want to get there and see if we can be as successful as last year. We had a two second lead with however many laps remaining in the race, drove past Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano, and the car was just really solid.
“Unfortunately, an untimely caution put us in a difficult position. We worked a little bit this week in the simulator just to see how it correlated, and I thought it correlated very well. We will go there and give it our best shot. We feel like it could be a good opportunity to put us into the NASCAR Playoffs with just two races remaining until the cutoff.”
That preparation was rewarded with the 11th fastest time in practice, 10th quickest in a 10-lap consecutive average, and qualifying 11th for Saturday’s 400-lap race.
Austin Dillon ruminates before his qualifying run for Saturday night’s Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway. (Photo: Daniel Rankin | The Podium Finish)
This season has been challenging for Dillon. Through 23 races, he has yet to capture a win and has recorded four top-10 finishes, with an average finish hovering just above 20th place. The season’s ups and downs have kept Dillon on the edge of the playoff cutoff, making a strong performance at Richmond essential. Despite the season’s struggles, he remains confident in his team’s ability to compete.
“Iowa Speedway was a good chance for us to get to run around some of the guys at the front, and make decisions, and have a pit crew making competitive stops around the front because when we get to Richmond, I feel like we should be able to compete in the top five and have another shot to win,” Dillon said.
Historically, Dillon’s Richmond record has been mixed. In 21 Cup Series starts at the track, he has one top-five finish, three top-10s, and an average finish just shy of 16th. While last year’s dominant performance showcased his potential, Dillon has yet to consistently contend at the 0.75-mile short track. His strategy in 2025 will focus on controlling track position and capitalizing on late-race opportunities.
“As a team, we did a really good job prepping for that race from a simulation standpoint,” Dillon said. “I think when we have really good SIM weeks, we run better at the track. Some days I can tell you ‘oh I don’t know,’ because it didn’t feel good at the SIM – it just didn’t feel realistic, or the things we were doing don’t correlate to at-track so you have to go back to history.
“That was probably the biggest thing – a good SIM session. We were good there the year before as well, we just didn’t get to show it. We were the first car out and it was super hard to pass. We actually ran the second or third-fastest lap of the race last year, so we had a baseline that we could work off of, just like we have for Richmond Raceway this year.”
Dillon will have to navigate the Richmond field carefully, balancing aggression with strategy. Short tracks like Richmond often reward patience and precise pit calls, and Dillon’s crew has been working to maximize their efficiency under pressure. A win would not only bring redemption but would also solidify Dillon’s place in the Playoffs with only two races remaining in the regular season.
“It’s nice that Richmond Raceway and Daytona International Speedway are the two tracks that we have left,” Dillon said. “I’m pretty confident at both of them. We’re going to give it our all and try to build momentum and keep building it. Truthfully, we want to win to get into the NASCAR Playoffs, but also we need to move ourselves into a better place in the point standings because we’ve had a lot of unfortunate events go on that kept moving us down in the point standings. We want to be a top-20 team no matter what, so we have to work our way to the front with the remaining races.”
The No. 3 car will face stiff competition from seasoned Richmond contenders like Hamlin, Logano and teammate Kyle Busch. Likewise, Busch, who has consistently run well at the Virginia short track, will provide a measuring stick for Dillon and his team, whose focus has been on translating simulation and practice sessions into on-track speed.
Austin Dillon hopes to parlay two consecutive top 15 finishes into another Cook Out 400 win at Richmond Raceway. (Photo: Daniel Rankin | The Podium Finish)
Fans and analysts alike will be watching Dillon closely, not only for his performance on Saturday night but for how he handles the lingering shadow of last year’s controversial finish. While some may remember the bump-and-run on Logano, Dillon emphasizes the race’s positive aspects and the opportunity to race aggressively yet fairly this season.
“Going back, I definitely want to go out there and try to win again,” Dillon said. “We had a dominant car last year and really came on strong at the end. That’s the way we approach it — solid prep, good strategy, and putting ourselves in position to win. That’s the focus this week.”
The Cook Out 400 promises to be a high-stakes race, as the final regular-season event at Richmond before the playoff cutoff. A strong showing from Dillon could shift momentum for the remainder of the season and mark a turning point for the No. 3 team. His aggressive yet calculated approach could see him return to Victory Lane and finally clinch a playoff berth.
Dillon’s path to the playoffs isn’t guaranteed, but his combination of past Richmond experience, recent strong runs, and preparation in the simulator provide reason for optimism. With Richmond’s history of unpredictable racing and the tight points race, every lap and pit call will be crucial in determining whether Dillon can turn last year’s controversy into redemption.
Saturday night’s race is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET start at Richmond Raceway. Fans and competitors alike will be keenly observing Dillon’s performance, wondering if the defending winner can recapture his winning form and punch his ticket into the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
