The air at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, August 16, hummed with the high tire wear tension of the regular season’s penultimate race, the Cook Out 400. All eyes were on a masterstroke of strategy from driver Chase Elliott. He had been carefully preserving an extra set of tires, a high-stakes gamble he intended to deploy in the final stage to seize a late-race advantage. For a while, his plan seemed flawless as the first stage of the race unfolded without incident. However, the clean racing didn’t last.
A series of three quick cautions created a domino effect, dramatically changing the race’s complexion. On the third restart of the night, disaster struck. Chase Briscoe, jostling for position with Kyle Larson, was forced to check up, which in turn sent him veering directly into the path of Kyle Busch. Briscoe’s car spun in front of the tightly packed field, setting off a chain reaction. The ensuing multi-car pileup on the front stretch collected 13 drivers. The catastrophic wreck ultimately snared Elliott, not only ending his strategic gamble but also his impressive streak of no DNFs for the season. This DNF washed away Elliott’s plans, which he revealed after the race.
The wreck complicated the team strategies on the already tire-heavy Richmond
Motorsports reporter Bob Pockrass took to his social media handle, X, to highlight how an unforeseen turn of events ruined Chase Elliott’s race. Pockrass noted that Elliott had a strategic plan in place but never got the chance to implement it due to a crash, as he wrote, “Chase Elliott liked the style of racing where he had the strategy of potentially having an extra set of tires for the end of the race by going the first stage on one set of tires. He never got to see how it would end up, as getting collected in a wreck ended his day.”
Post the race, Elliott opened up about how the abrasive track wear at Richmond forced everyone to gamble on different tire strategies, which included his own. For the opening stage, he said, “I thought the opening stage was interesting, guys kind of splitting. You know, that was a gamble, right?” However, it’s the aftermath that sent all plans down the drain, as his initial plan of saving those tire sets got ruined due to the haywire. “You come in and you put your set of tires on when you’re down to a set for the race, so now we are starting to get cautious, and you are going to have guys start thinking about how many tires they have left.” Since teams only had a limited number of tire sets, using one too early meant they had to be extra cautious later. This forced everyone to adjust their strategies on the fly, washing away the original game plans they came in with.
Chase Elliott liked the style of racing where he had the strategy of potentially having an extra set of tires for the end of the race by going the first stage on one set of tires. He never got to see how it would end up as getting collected in a wreck ended his day. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/Bzh8SslSKL
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 17, 2025
Elliott’s hopes for the regular-season championship vanished with the wreck. The incident not only ended his night but also put the title squarely within his teammate’s grasp.
With Elliott out, William Byron’s path to the championship became much clearer. Byron’s car had minimal damage from the chaos, and on the restart, he quickly moved up the field. The crash on lap 199 ultimately sealed Elliott’s fate, turning a promising strategic gamble into a heartbreaking end to his title hopes.
As some drivers grapple with the heartbreak of not seeing the checkered flag, another rises in triumph, securing his place in the playoffs and leaving a mark on the season.
Austin Dillon makes his way to the playoffs
Austin Dillon arrived at Richmond Raceway a man burdened by both physical and mental pain. He was nursing a broken rib, a physical toll from the demanding sport, but perhaps more significant was the wounded pride he carried from the previous year’s events.
Just a year prior, Dillon had crossed the finish line first at this very track, only to have his victory and playoff eligibility revoked by NASCAR for his role in a last-lap wreck with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin. The incident left him ostracized and enduring a 37-race winless streak, but he was back to seek redemption. Under the lights at Richmond, Dillon drove with a renewed purpose. He was on a mission to prove his critics wrong and earn his spot in the playoffs the right way. Leading an impressive 107 of 400 laps, he dominated the field with a clean, flawless run.
The triumph was a sweet one, a redemptive victory over his past demons. “Man, that feels good,” he exclaimed after crossing the finish line, “I really wanted that one. Last year hurt really bad just going through the entire process of it, but this one feels so sweet. Man, I love Richmond.” His 2.471-second lead over Alex Bowman was a testament to his commanding performance, which also saw him beat out Blaney, Logano, and Cindric.
With his sixth career victory, Austin Dillon became the 14th driver to secure a spot in the 16-driver Cup playoffs, solidifying his return to the sport’s elite.
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