Richmond Raceway Set for 2026 Cook Out 400 as Betting Markets Favour Hamlin
Defending champion Austin Dillon targets historic three-peat while DFS expert Mike McClure highlights longshot value in predictive model
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Richmond Raceway on Sunday evening for the 2026 Cook Out 400, with the green flag scheduled to drop at 7 p.m. ET. The event marks the first Saturday race of the season under the lights, drawing significant attention from betting markets and analysts alike as drivers compete for position in the standings.
Denny Hamlin enters the weekend as the betting favourite at +460, a position bolstered by his five career wins at the Richmond venue. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Hamlin is followed by Christopher Bell at +500 and Joey Logano at +750, who are both seeking to break recent slumps at the track.
Defending champion Austin Dillon, listed at +1500, is aiming for a third consecutive victory at Richmond. A win would place him alongside Richard Petty as the only drivers in the series’ history to secure at least three straight checkered flags at the venue.
Sports betting analysis from CBS Sports highlights the predictive work of DFS expert Mike McClure, whose model simulates NASCAR action 10,000 times. McClure, who has reportedly identified 30 winners since 2021, advises fading Joey Logano, projecting the driver will not finish in the top five despite his historical success at the track.
Conversely, McClure’s model identifies Tyler Reddick as a strong longshot pick at +1500. The projection cites Reddick’s five wins this season and a pair of top-10 finishes in his past three races as key indicators for value, contrasting with Dillon’s odds which match Reddick’s at +1500.
The predictive model also notes that Logano has not won at Richmond since 2017 and has finished no better than 12th in four of his previous five events. Meanwhile, Reddick has recorded two top-10 finishes at Richmond during his tenure with 23XI Racing, further supporting the model’s recommendation.
Promotional offers from DraftKings and Kalshi are currently available to new users, with DraftKings offering $150 in bonus bets and Kalshi providing up to $500 in trading bonuses. The full list of odds and detailed projections are available through SportsLine, where McClure’s picks are exclusively published.
