Posted on by Staff Report

Three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Matt Crafton will retire from full-time racing after the 2025 season, ThorSport Racing announced Monday.

Crafton, who won titles in 2013, 2014 and 2019, is in the midst of his 25th consecutive full-time season in the Truck Series. Since making his first career start in 2000, Crafton has collected 15 wins, 135 top fives and 331 top 10s in 585 starts. Now 49 years old, Crafton finished inside the top 10 in driver standings in 17 consecutive seasons from 2007 through 2023.

MORE: Truck Series schedule

Crafton piloted ThorSport’s No. 88 truck in all but one season — the 2004 campaign, when he drove the No. 6 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick, Inc. Crafton remains the only driver to win consecutive titles in the 30-year history of the Craftsman Truck Series. Crafton has carried the colors of primary sponsor Menards since 2002, a 23-year partnership that has defined much of Crafton’s legacy in the Truck Series.

Ty Majeski, who currently serves as Crafton’s teammate at ThorSport, will take over the No. 88 Ford beginning in 2026. Majeski, the defending series champion, currently drives the No. 98 entry and has competed full-time for ThorSport since 2022, collecting six wins, 33 top fives, 54 top 10s and 1,559 laps led in that span. Majeski also made four starts for the team in a part-time campaign in 2021 in which he collected two additional top 10s.

“I am honored to take over the No. 88 Menards truck for ThorSport Racing in 2026,” Majeski said in a statement posted to his X account Monday night. “In 2021, Duke, Rhonda, and Allison Thorson took a big chance on me when my NASCAR career could’ve been over. I am so thankful for their support and this opportunity.

“The 88 Menards truck has been a staple in the NASCAR Truck Series for many years with Matt Crafton. Their partnership, together, yielded many wins with 3 championships and my goal is to continue the legendary legacy they have already built.”

Majeski has finished no worse than eighth in the final driver standings in each of his three full seasons with ThorSport, qualifying for the Championship 4 in both 2022 and 2024 before collecting the title in 2024.

After missing the 2025 playoffs, Crafton sits 16th in points, 127 points back of teammate Ben Rhodes for the 11th position, the highest a non-playoff driver can finish at year’s end.

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series hits the starting line Feb. 14, 2026, and airs exclusively on The CW Network.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 18, 2025) — In an evolution of O’Reilly Auto Parts’ long-standing relationships throughout the sport, NASCAR and O’Reilly Auto Parts today announced a multiyear partnership — one that will make the leader in the automotive replacement parts industry the title sponsor of what is now known as the NASCAR Xfinity Series. This landmark partnership aligns two American-born powerhouses, each with a rich legacy of fueling performance and passion from the grassroots up. The multi-dimensional sponsorship also includes promotional opportunities and brand integrations in partnership with The CW Network, the exclusive broadcast home of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will officially debut on Jan. 1, 2026, ushering in a bold new chapter for the series crowded with NASCAR’s future stars. The agreement marks the fourth entitlement sponsorship in the series’ history, following a dynamic 11-year tenure with Xfinity that elevated the series to new heights with unprecedented fan engagement, innovation and exposure. The series’ history also includes a seven-year run with Nationwide Insurance and a foundational relationship with Anheuser-Busch, still a current NASCAR partner at the Premier level.

“Like the great sport of NASCAR, O’Reilly Auto Parts was born in America and built on the hard work and drive of passionate people,” NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell said. “This new partnership allows us to continue to fuel that passion for the next generation of NASCAR’s stars and fans while celebrating the journey we’ve been on together for decades.”

Founded in Springfield, Missouri, in 1957, O’Reilly Auto Parts has grown from a single store to an automotive parts icon with over 6,400 locations across 48 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Canada. The company’s more than 92,800 dedicated team members are committed to excellent customer service, backed by a robust network of 31 distribution centers.

While the title sponsorship may be new, O’Reilly Auto Parts’ involvement in NASCAR is anything but. The company has long supported the sport through race sponsorships across multiple series. From the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 at the Daytona Road Course in 2021, to title sponsorships at Texas Motor Speedway, and the Craftsman Truck Series’ O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio in 2022, the brand has maintained a deep connection with fans and drivers alike.

“Our company is rooted in the same values that define NASCAR — teamwork, enthusiasm and dedication,” O’Reilly Auto Parts President Brent Kirby said. “You’ll see those in action when our customers walk through our doors. We know they need fast service, and Team O’Reilly will get them the parts they need quickly, with excellent customer service. We welcome all fans to stop by our stores and see how our team can help keep them running.”

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will be available exclusively to race fans across the country on The CW. In its first year on the broadcast network, the series is seeing year-over-year viewership growth, currently up +17% in total viewers compared to last season and pacing to be the most watched series since 2018. The series is currently averaging 1.1 million total viewers, with 19 out of 23 races drawing over one million total viewers.

“The success of NASCAR on The CW has shown that millions of fans will consistently tune in for these adrenaline-fueled races every week,” said Brad Schwartz, President, The CW Network. “This exciting new partnership with O’Reilly Auto Parts gives us the opportunity to expand that reach even further by tapping into our mutually strong presence in local communities nationwide and continuing to grow our passionate audience in the years to come.”

“Partnering with NASCAR and The CW at this level enables us to further deepen our connection to one of the most loyal fanbases in all of sports,” said Hugo Sanchez, O’Reilly Auto Parts vice president of advertising and marketing. “This agreement builds on our long-term involvement in NASCAR and our dedication to the fans who love cars as much as we do.”

Posted on by Nate Ryan

Let’s start by dispensing with the notion that Austin Dillon ever will be known as the imitator of “The Intimidator.”

The current driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet has six victories in 433 Cup starts and never will be confused with seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt and his 76 wins in NASCAR’s premier series.

RELATED: Race results | Full recap

“I could win 50 races, and they’ll say my grandpa gave me the ride,” said Dillon, who was tabbed by grandfather Richard Childress for the No. 3’s return 11 years ago. “They’re not wrong. He did. He did a great job putting me in it. Hopefully, I’m paying off on his investment at some point.”

Saturday night at Richmond Raceway, Dillon could lay claim to having matched a NASCAR Hall of Fame icon in at least one category — becoming the second Richard Childress Racing driver to win consecutive Cup races on the 0.75-mile oval (which Earnhardt did in 1990-91 and on the track’s previous configuration in ’87).

And unlike last year, when he overdid an Earnhardt impersonation by wrecking Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the last lap, Dillon epitomized savvy driving (“probably the calmest I’ve ever been in the car”). The win felt more a validation of his ability than redemption for last year’s controversy, which cost him playoff eligibility with a NASCAR penalty for rough driving.

Dillon left no doubt this time at Richmond that he will make his sixth playoff appearance while building Earnhardt-esque confidence that he can make his deepest championship run yet despite being 25th in the points standings. (The win was his first top five this season.)

“We were very flawless tonight,” Dillon said. “At times I don’t think we were the fastest car, but we out-executed people.

“If you want to call it swagger, I’m all about it. Growing up in the Truck Series and Xfinity Series, I felt like I had maximum swagger. You get to Cup level, it just humbles you. It’s a whole other department of winning. Now I’m more thankful than anything. It’s not like, ‘Kiss my butt, I won.’ It’s more like, ‘Man, that was awesome.’ … I’m the guy that got to wheel it tonight.”

He set a personal best by leading 107 of 400 laps (including the final 49), nearly doubling his previous high. It was the most laps led by the No. 3 since Earnhardt led 107 in his watershed 1998 Daytona 500 victory. That was one of many underlying connections at Richmond to Earnhardt, the hard-nosed superstar who routinely shrugged off broken bones to crawl behind the wheel.

Dillon won despite a broken right rib (which he sheepishly admitted to sustaining in a fall off a ladder) that has bothered him for three weeks. There were no ill effects as he patiently stalked Ryan Blaney and cleanly outdueled the 2023 Cup champion to take a pivotal lead just before making his final pit stop.

“Anybody that says Austin doesn’t deserve to be at this level, look at the 30 or 40 laps he raced side by side with Ryan Blaney,” crew chief Richard Boswell said. “He raced door to door with a Cup champion. He beat him. Yeah, we need to run better. We need to be more consistent. But anybody that says he just can’t do it is not looking at the facts.”

Team owner Richard Childress, who unconditionally defended the numerous transgressions of Earnhardt through the years, steadfastly brushed off many attempts to frame his grandson’s win as redemptive rather than remarkable.

“To get it done, he did a great job,” Childress said. “Redemption, you can call it, whatever. But tonight, Austin Dillon won the race. He won the race last year. It was just under different circumstances.”

Austin Dillon performs a burnout after winning at Richmond in 2025.
Patrick Vallely | For NASCAR Digital Media

In the latter stages of his life, Earnhardt drove for Childress while forming and owning a Cup team. Dillon, 35, has been taking a larger role in the front office moves at RCR.

Since 2022, he also has been the freewheeling general manager of the Carolina Cowboys in the Professional Bull Riders Teams Series (he completed the first major trade in league history during its inaugural draft), learning about the hard conversations that come with managing strong-willed personalities.

It’s been good preparation for going toe-to-toe with Childress, who will turn 80 next month and remains as feisty as when he started in racing more than 50 years ago.

“We have knockdown, drag-outs between the two of us,” Dillon said. “We get into arguments to the point of frustration. It’s very hard when he’s your grandfather to have an argument with him. There’s certain directions we have to go to move this boat forward. I’m constantly pushing him. My brother has stepped in now and is trying to help as well. Between the two of us, we want to try to take some of the load off of him as we go.

“But he’s very loyal to a fault almost. He really takes great care of those that are around him. We just push him to try and make a change at some point.”

The best personnel change at RCR recently is the addition of Boswell, who was hired after taking Chase Briscoe to the 2024 playoffs in Stewart-Haas Racing’s final season. It was Boswell’s assertive call to pit with 59 laps remaining (and four laps ahead of Blaney) that effectively sealed the Richmond win.

“Richard Boswell is a heck of a leader; a good get for us in the offseason,” Dillon said. “He built an excellent team for us. Multiple times I told him this year, if I can’t go fast with the team I have right now, I need to think about doing something else and moving to another role.

“I think I have a great team, probably one of the strongest we’ve built. It’s a testament to guys coming to RCR because they know we want to make this organization as strong as some of the top teams. We scrap and claw and figure out ways to win.”

Dillon has a knack for clutch victories. Aside from winning the season-opening Daytona 500 in 2018, his other five wins in Cup have come after entering a race below the playoff cutline. Childress noted Dillon has 22 victories across NASCAR’s top three national circuits (along with Xfinity and Truck titles).

“Austin has earned his way,” Childress said. “He won races in everything he’s ever driven. They’re going to give you criticism because he is my grandson. But we take it. It’s just the way life is. You can’t be burdened down by what people say. Do what you do and move forward. He’s won his share.”

Of course, he never will win as many as Earnhardt, but Dillon says that’s OK.

He’s won enough to matter.

“I think I get the credit I deserve,” Dillon said. “We’re kind of like a fighter. We don’t go away. I think a lot of people think that guy is going to go away at some point. I like that underdog mentality.”

Posted on by Zack Albert

RICHMOND, Va. — Alex Bowman’s late-race pursuit of Austin Dillon’s lead and the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs spot that would accompany it ran out of time and laps Saturday night at Richmond Raceway. Also in short supply, he said, were fellow competitors who might cut him some slack as he carved through traffic.

Bowman finished one spot shy of what would have been a season-altering victory. What he needed was simple.

“Just favors,” Bowman said, “but sometimes you get them and sometimes you don’t.”

Bowman’s runner-up result in Saturday night’s Cook Out 400 wound up 2.471 seconds behind Dillon, who clinched one of the dwindling few remaining postseason berths with a repeat Richmond triumph. The driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet heads to next week’s Cup Series regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway clinging to the 16th and final spot on the provisional playoff grid.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Richmond

Bowman rounded into contention in a race marked by tire management, and the final exchange of pit stops proved pivotal. Dillon’s No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevy crew brought him in for new rubber on Lap 341 of 400, briefly handing the lead to Ryan Blaney with Bowman right behind. Those two pitted four laps later, hoping that the slightly fresher tires would provide an advantage.

The breaks Bowman was hoping for would have helped, but he jammed up behind slower cars as he gave chase, burning up his rear tires in the process. “The team, clearly we’re not very popular through the garage with that last run,” Bowman joked in TV interviews afterward, and he delivered a specific radio rant after rookie Jesse Love, in a Childress team car and who was among those holding him up as the laps ticked down to 10 to go.

“Well, the 33 (Love) was really fast and then stopped right in front of me for a while, which I don’t know. Maybe his stuff fell off really quick, right?” Bowman said. “I was just really frustrated on the radio. And sometimes that push-to-talk button just lets you vent a little bit. I think we just needed to be better.”

Blake Harris, the No. 48 crew chief, shared his driver’s lament.

“I mean, we got a couple out there that for whatever reason, it wasn’t a matter of not letting us go, they completely blocked us for two laps,” Harris told NASCAR.com. “Unfortunately, that’s what cost us a shot. I felt pretty good about our pit strategy. We were on par to get there. Obviously, the way it worked out, had we pitted earlier and had to make up less distance, I don’t know. I just felt like we were kind of in a sweet spot for the speed of our car, and just didn’t work out.”

Dillon’s breakthrough into the win column shifted the Cup Series Playoffs bubble heading to the unpredictable high banks of Daytona, where the real possibility of another first-time winner next weekend could give the postseason grid one last jolt. Bowman sits 60 points above the elimination line — the same margin he had entering Richmond — but fell from 15th to 16th on the list, in danger of being bumped outside the playoff picture.

Bowman initially projected that Daytona would be a must-win scenario for the No. 48 team, but rough days for his fellow bubble dwellers may not make that so. Tyler Reddick led 41 laps in a show of early speed, but the 23XI Racing driver took the brunt of a stack-up with Daniel Suárez and Ty Gibbs. He finished 34th, and is just 29 points ahead of Bowman as the top points-earner without a win this year. Chris Buescher entered Richmond plus-34 over the cut line, but a 30th-place outcome and Dillon’s win dropped him to minus-60 as the first driver out.

MORE: Cup Series standings | Race Rewind: Richmond

The No. 48 radio crackled post-race to tell Bowman that next week, points racing wouldn’t be an objective. Winning their way in would be a primary focus. However, at minimum, one driver will make the Cup Series Playoffs field on the basis of points. If a new winner emerges and Reddick falters again, that one driver could be Bowman.

“We came in here, really, with our focus on the 17 (Buescher) and the 60 (Ryan Preece) as far as points were concerned,” Harris said. “So as soon as I looked, immediately I knew. I was watching where he was running. We had to outpoint them by about 30 points coming in here to be ahead of that cut line and not have to worry about somebody outpointing us in Daytona. What I didn’t miss at that moment was we’re within 29 of the 45 (Reddick) now. So if there’s a new winner, and it’s not us, it’s certainly mathematically possible to get him. So, we will be points racing. I was more focused on the 17 and getting those guys, and really made some ground up on the 45, so I think even if we go have a clean day and there’s a new winner, it’s not out of the element to be able to do it either way.”

Bowman might have some semblance of help in Daytona’s draft from his three Hendrick Motorsports teammates, all of whom are already locked into the playoff field. In terms of catching one of the breaks he’d hoped for at Richmond, Bowman wasn’t counting on any on-track courtesy from the rest of the field.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do aside from go to try to win the race,” Bowman said. “Yeah, we’ll do the best we can at that and know that we’re going to get zero favors. But that’s life.”

Posted on by Alex Cadavid

With a weekend that had plenty of old-school feel to it, Austin Dillon was the one who shined the brightest in a short-track showdown under the lights. The Richard Childress Racing driver guided the iconic No. 3 ride to Victory Lane at Richmond Raceway with ease after leading 107 laps and earning redemption to return to Cup Series Playoffs.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

With one race left in the regular season, let’s take a look at three drivers moving in the right direction and three drivers on their back foot before another Saturday night thriller at Daytona International Speedway (7:30 ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Peacock).

THREE UP ⬆️

1. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford

Started: 20th

Finished: 3rd

What happened: Overall, it was a banner day for Team Penske with the 2023 Cup Series champ carrying the flag, scoring his first top-five finish at Richmond. Blaney was a force all evening, scoring points in both stages and coming alive in the second half of the race to challenge Dillon for the win. In the end, he couldn’t make up the gap to catch Dillon in the final stint, settling for his ninth top five of the season.

What’s next: Blaney has proven to be a master on drafting tracks, and he does have a summer win at Daytona from 2021. With how much pace the whole organization is showing right now, Penske is peaking at the right time before the playoffs, and Blaney has a chance to end the regular season on a six-race top-10 streak.

Ryan Blaney drives at Richmond.
Samuel Corum | Getty Images

2. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford

Started: 38th

Finished: 4th

What happened: The defending champ had a mountain to climb before the green flag dropped, with a tire failure in practice sending him into the wall and not setting a lap in qualifying. He admitted it was a frustrating night post-race, but Logano kept his head down and didn’t lollygag as he charged up to fourth by midway through Stage 2. His speed held true once the checkered flag flew, which resulted in his fifth top 10 at Richmond over the last six races there.

What’s next: With a season that’s now only produced seven top-10 finishes through 25 races, this was the perfect tone-setting weekend for Logano and Co. to execute through adversity and build momentum before the playoffs picking up their first top five since Nashville, and we know how dangerous it is to give the No. 22 crew momentum at this point of the year.

Joey Logano climbs into Ford at Richmond.
Patrick Valley | For NASCAR Digital Media

3. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Started: 27th

Finished: 14th

What happened: Van Gisbergen chipped away at spots all night and slowly got more comfortable as the race went on. Plus, the Kiwi stayed clean once chaos did strike in the middle portions of the race. The result ties his best finish on ovals since the Coca-Cola 600 and his sixth top 20 at such tracks.

What’s next: With the second-most playoff points already in hand, this solid run at Richmond gives a shot in the arm to van Gisbergen as he continues to progress on ovals. The momentum should boost his confidence for the postseason, where every lap of experience matters and each clean finish could mean the difference in advancing.

Shane van Gisbergen climbs into car.
Samuel Corum | Getty Images

THREE DOWN ⬇️

1. Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford

Started: 1st

Finished: 35th

What happened: RFK Racing had a dismal day after showing blazing speed on Friday, highlighted no more clearly than by polesitter Preece. Preece appeared to have the car early to sail into his first career Cup Series win and lock into the playoffs. Instead, the No. 60 team opted for a different strategy and saved fresher tires for later in the race. The gamble didn’t pay off as Preece faded throughout the 400-lapper before being plagued by brake issues.

What’s next: Some good news is that the Fords show speed at drafting tracks and Preece has had great qualifying efforts two out of his last three visits to Daytona. It’s going to take a mighty effort in close-quarter racing next Saturday for the Connecticut wheelman to keep his playoff hopes alive.

ryan preece at richmond raceway
Samuel Corum | Getty Images

2. Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford

Started: 12th

Finished: 30th

What happened: Buescher never found the pace to contend and leaned on an alternate strategy to try and gain track position. The move didn’t stick, and he steadily slipped back from the top 15 during the race.

What’s next: He came in as the last driver clinging to the playoff bubble, but Austin Dillon’s win pushes him below the elimination line, a full 60 points back of Alex Bowman for the provisional final spot in the 16-driver postseason grid. That effectively leaves Daytona as a must-win with his postseason hopes against the wall.

Chris Buescher drives at Richmond.
Patrick Vallely | For NASCAR Digital Media

3. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota

Started: 2nd

Finished: 34th

What happened: Reddick flexed early on, winning the opening stage and leading 41 laps at a track where he only has two top 10s. Unfortunately, contact from the lapped car of Ty Gibbs cost the No. 45 driver a chance to remain upfront and vie for his first win of the season as Reddick spun and never recovered.

What’s next: His points cushion to the playoff elimination line is still solid, and though he didn’t clinch a spot with a race to spare, Reddick just needs to avoid calamity in the final tilt of the regular season and focus on getting off to a strong start in the Cup Series Playoffs.

Tyler Reddick drives at Richmond.
Patrick Vallely | For NASCAR Digital Media
Posted on by Staff Report

With a 12th-place finish, William Byron clinched the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Championship on Saturday at Richmond Raceway. It marks the first Regular Season Championship for the 27-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina, who banks an additional 15 playoff points to his 17 earned through the first 25 races this season. He needed to finish Saturday’s race at least 62 points ahead of second in the standings to secure the crown.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

“It’s really the best 12th-place finish I’ve ever had,” Byron said in his post-race press conference. “We came in here and really just did a solid job. We qualified solid. We always want more, but this is definitely our toughest race track. We just kind of came in here, had a solid plan and executed it.

“This team has worked extremely hard. All the guys have worked hard through the summer months. Feel like this has been the best summer we’ve ever had speed-wise. Had a lot of tough things happen throughout probably really early July. We had a lot of speed, but some crashes in practice and qualifying. Just some car issues and things that happened. Just really, really cool.”

MORE: Every Regular Season Champion

Byron benefited from Stage 2 trouble with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott. At Lap 198, Elliott received race-ending damage after getting caught up in an 11-car melee triggered from contact between Kyle Busch and Chase Briscoe entering Turn 3. Entering Richmond, Elliott had completed all but one lap this season and finished inside the top 20 in every race until last week at Watkins Glen International.

Byron received minor damage in the crash, nearly making it through the incident unscathed before contacting the spinning Elliott, hurting the splitter and door. He fought uphill the rest of the night, making it back into the mix before burning off his tires in the final run of the night.

“I was kind of losing my mind there for a minute,” Byron explained about the crash.”It never helps getting damage like that. I felt like, I mean, it was another example of making something out of nothing. We put on that set of tires, and we kind of burned that set of tires, got some track position from that. We got back to the top 10. Then that kind of set us up for a really good Stage 3. All of a sudden, we were in the top five. We just had that bad run where we just couldn’t hang on to all four tires really.”

MORE: Cup Series standings | Race Rewind: Richmond

The No. 24 driver opened the season with a bang, winning his second consecutive Daytona 500 in February. He took over the points lead in March at Circuit of The Americas after finishing second, surrendering the top spot just once between then and mid-July.

Byron had some summer woes, running out of fuel in the closing laps at Michigan International Speedway while in pursuit of victory, kick-starting a stretch of five finishes of 27th or worse over the next seven races.

However, a win at Iowa Speedway and a fourth-place finish at The Glen turned the Rudy Fugle-led team around with a return to Daytona coming next Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Peacock).

“I think just finally some things went our way,” Byron said regarding the mid-summer turnaround. “I think honestly, we’ve been doing a really good job on strategy, execution. We’ve brought good speed in August. I’d say our speed was the best in mid to late June. I would say in May, we were super fast. Then June, we were really fast. I crashed probably our best car at Pocono. Then July we just had some really bad finishes, really bad things happened to us. Ran out of fuel a couple times.

“I think we buckled down and really got back to the team we’re capable of being. Pretty impressive, August probably. Probably our best August we’ve ever had, just executing, thinking outside the box, bringing fast cars.”

Byron’s Regular Season Championship checks the first box as the iRacing turned Hendrick phenom looks toward his third consecutive Championship 4 appearance and first Bill France Cup.

Posted on by Holly Cain

RICHMOND, Va. – Austin Dillon claimed his sixth career NASCAR Cup Series race trophy, earned a 2025 playoff bid and just as importantly, enjoyed some sweet redemption in Saturday night’s Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway.

Dillon led 107 laps on the night, including the final 49 to claim the victory and automatic berth in the 16-driver playoff field — vaulting from a 28th-place position in the championship standings before the green flag to a championship berth at the checkered flag in a clutch effort from the 2018 Daytona 500 winner and his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team.

It was the most laps Dillon had led all season and marks the third time he’s won a race in the closing weeks of the regular season.

It was a huge statement for Dillon, 35, who won this race last year, but was later ruled ineligible to participate in the playoffs after receiving a penalty from NASCAR for aggressive driving in the final laps at the historic 0.75-mile Richmond track.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

“Man, that feels good, got to thank the good Lord above,” said Dillon, who finished a healthy 2.471 seconds ahead of playoff contender, Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, who leaves Richmond now holding the last championship points position with one regular season race remaining next week at the always-unpredictable Daytona International Speedway.

“I really wanted that one,” Dillon said after an emotional hug from his brother Ty, who finished 20th on Saturday. “Last year hurt really bad, just going through the whole process of it. But this one feels so sweet. Man, I love Richmond.

“God has timing. His timing is the best timing. … It’s just so special. Every one of these means so much to me. My grandfather [NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress], for all that he’s put up in believing in me, because there’s been a lot of ups and downs, could have been easy for him to change the drivers in this 3-car. Today it feels really darn good.”

While encouraged by his strong showing, the runner-up Bowman was also frustrated that lapped traffic in the closing laps impeded him from making more of a final run at Dillon. He now sits in the final playoff transfer position by 60 points over RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher.

“A couple favors,” Bowman responded when asked what more he needed to be able to contend with Dillon. “I sure complained about it on the radio, but that’s just part of what we do, so … vented a little bit, but had a really good Ally 48 [car] in the last run. Just broke the tires off too much in lap traffic. Didn’t get any breaks. That made me kind of work the rears harder than I need to.

“Just need to be a little better through there to get to him. I certainly think we had the better car. Unfortunately, didn’t get there. [Crew chief] Blake [Harris] and all the guys did a great job. Just came up a little bit short.”

Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron formally clinched the Regular Season Championship with his 12th-place finish – a huge upward swing in momentum considering he was collected in the race’s only major incident, a 10-car crash on Lap 198 of the 400-lap race. He said his No. 24 Chevrolet suffered only some light splitter damage in the incident and was able to regain track position steadily through the night.

“We had honestly some really good runs tonight,” said Byron, who claimed his second consecutive Daytona 500 win in this year’s season-opener and has led the points standings for 20 of the first 25 weeks of the season.

“Feels great. Really the best 12th-place finish I’ve ever had. We came. In here and just did a solid job. We qualified solid, but this is definitely our toughest race track. We had a solid plan and executed and it feels good. This team has worked hard.”

SHOP: Winner gear

A Team Penske Ford Mustang trio rounded out the top-five finishing positions. Ryan Blaney, the 2023 series champion, was third — the first time in his stellar career he’s had a top-five run at Richmond. His teammate, reigning series champion Joey Logano, turned in an impressive fourth-place finish after starting last (38th) in the field. Austin Cindric completed the impressive team effort.

“I always look at different ways to get around here every time I come back,” Blaney said of the Richmond oval. “I don’t think it’s a secret. I struggle really bad here. We work really hard to try to figure out how can we improve, like how can I improve, how can we work on the car to figure out what will mesh.

“Just a big effort by all the 12 boys, big group effort. Definitely think we’re creeping up on it. Hopefully, we can keep going.”

Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez, Wood Brothers Racing’s Josh Berry — a Penske partner team, RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski and the hometown favorite, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, rounded out the top-10.

If there is no new winner at Daytona next week, both 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick and Bowman stand to transfer into the playoffs on points. Reddick, who won the opening stage and led 41 laps early, finished 34th, four laps down after his car was hit in tight racing. He is 15th in the playoff standings, with an 89-point edge above the playoff cut line.

Reddick’s 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace, who won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway three weeks ago, led a race-best 123 laps and won the second stage, but a pit road mishap derailed his run up front. He finished 28th, two laps down.

Byron’s Hendrick teammate, Chase Elliott — Byron’s closest challenger for the Regular Season Championship title and the 15 playoff bonus points payday — was involved in an 11-car accident mid-race and suffered his first DNF of the season.

“It’s just unfortunate, we had a good start to the race,” said Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. “We kind of got on the wrong end there in the beginning and lost some track position. We got behind the No. 19 (Chase Briscoe) and got a penalty. I thought we were in a pretty good spot right there. We finally got on some better tires and we were making our way through there well, so I was excited to see where that was going to go, but unfortunately, we didn’t get the chance.”

The incident and Elliott’s 38th-place finish, coupled with Byron’s 12th-place run, sealed the title for Byron.

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to action next Saturday night under the lights at the iconic Daytona International Speedway in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Peacock). Harrison Burton is the defending race winner. Five of the last seven winners of the Daytona summer race were celebrating their first win of the year.

NOTE: Inspection in the Cup Series garage concluded without issue, confirming Dillon as the winner. No cars will return to the NASCAR R&D Center for further inspection.

Posted on by Staff Report

A nudge from Kyle Busch into Chase Briscoe triggered a multicar crash shortly after a Stage 2 restart during Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway.

As cars battled three-wide down the backstretch at Lap 198, Busch contacted Briscoe’s right-rear entering Turn 3 at the 0.75-mile short track, sending Briscoe spinning across the track and into traffic. The wreck involved 11 different cars, including Denny Hamlin, who had lost track position after consecutive slow pit stops, in addition to Justin Haley, Brad Keselowski and others.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

Trying to escape the melee, Chase Elliott, who entered Saturday’s penultimate regular-season race second in points, was hit in the right-rear corner by Busch just as Elliott cleared the bulk of the carnage. Elliott contacted the outside wall nose-first, ending the 2020 champion’s race early for his first DNF of the season.

Entering the evening, Elliott had completed all but one lap in 2025 and had scored inside the top 20 in each race up until Watkins Glen on Aug. 10. The Dawsonville, Georgia native was scored in last and earned just one point.

Elliott, along with Haley, were checked and released from the care center.

“We’d all stacked up in the wreck there, and I guess he, I’m sure [Busch] just didn’t know I was coming by on the bottom,” Elliott said after being released from the infield care center. “Really awkward because we were kind of done wrecking, I hate that. Had the wreck missed, I thought, and was just trying to kind of get by the last of it there at the end, and Kyle must have maybe got some damage and was just kind of pointed back toward the bottom, and there was a couple of us coming by down there.”

Elliott qualified fifth for Saturday’s 400 lapper in the “River City” and finished 13th in Stage 1 before an interference penalty on pit road with Briscoe sent him to tail end of the longest line.

MORE: Cup Series standings | Race Rewind: Richmond

“It’s a really tough position, especially when you’re directly behind a car that’s pitted right behind your stall, because the front-tire carriers are carrying two tires, and you get in a position where it’s like if I get too far over to the right, I’m going to be stopped and now he’s not going to be able to get out of his box,” Elliott explained regarding the penalty. “Obviously, I’m not trying to hit his guys. I would never intentionally do that or try and make them get further left. That’s not my intent at all. I just don’t want to get in a position where I’m angled so far in, that now I’ve blocked him in and we have a bad angle for our stop. So all I was trying to do is just take as much room as I could to get back straight and not cause another issue at the end of the pit stop.”

Points leader William Byron received damage, contacting Elliott’s car during the wreck, but continued on. Byron finished 12th, clinching his first career Regular Season Championship.

Elliott leaves Richmond sitting second in points, five markers ahead of Denny Hamlin for third with valuable playoff points still on the line next Saturday at Daytona (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on by Track Release

RICHMOND, Va. (Aug. 16, 2025) — Richmond Raceway knew the return of Saturday night NASCAR Cup Series racing was going to be popular. It was so popular, in fact, that tonight’s Cook Out 400 is officially sold out.

Lori Collier Waran, president of Richmond, announced the sellout during the driver/crew chief meeting for Saturday night’s race.

RELATED: Story lines to follow during tonight’s race | Cup Series schedule

“Our fans have long told us that Saturday night NASCAR Cup Series racing and Richmond Raceway are a perfect combination, so this announcement is a testament to them,” Waran said. “We are grateful for their enthusiasm and support, which is going to make tonight’s Cook Out 400 a celebration we’ll long remember.”

NASCAR fans who missed their chance to see Saturday’s action at Richmond Raceway have one more chance to see NASCAR’s top stars compete in the Commonwealth this year. NASCAR returns to Martinsville Speedway Oct. 23-26, as all three national series will set their Championship 4 fields. Fans are encouraged to visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com now to get their tickets while supplies last.

Posted on by Staff Report

The No. 22 Team Penske Ford and No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford will drop to the rear of the field before the start of Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) because of unapproved adjustments.

The No. 22 machine, piloted by Logano, did not make a qualifying lap during Friday’s session at the Virginia short track due to hard contact with the wall after a front-tire issue befell the team during practice. The No. 34, meanwhile, initially qualified 31st; FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass reported that that team had made adjustments to the throttle body.

RELATED: Cup Series lineup | At-track photos

Two regular-season races remain before the 16-driver Cup Series Playoffs field is established. Logano clinched a postseason berth thanks to his victory at Texas Motor Speedway in May. Gilliland and the No. 34 team currently rank 31st in the playoff standings, 242 points below the elimination line.