Cook Out 400 Predictions: Who Benefitted from Olympic Break?

• Chris Buescher stakes out his line of defense at Richmond Raceway.

• Kyle Busch or Martin Truex Jr. - who’s ready for a breakout victory.

• Denny Hamlin comes to his home track after welcome time to reset.

Cook Out 400 Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Head to BetMGM to place your bets! If you want to try BetMGM, you can take advantage of a special offer: Receive up to $1500 in Bonus Bets. Just use our exclusive promo code WSNSPORTS.

Our Picks for the Cook Out 400

• Denny Hamlin to win the race at (+475) via BetMGM

• Chris Buescher to finish in the top three at (+500) via BetMGM

• Kyle Busch to finish in the top five at (+400) via BetMGM

Cook Out 400 Predictions

Chris Buescher Starts Three-Pronged Defense at Richmond Raceway

There are four races left in the NASCAR Cup Series season, and NASCAR Cup Series drivers will see their last short track before the Playoffs on Sunday at Richmond Raceway. 

Ford driver Chris Buescher is the defending winner of this race. In fact, because of the way the Cup schedule is constructed this season, Buescher is the defending winner of the next three events—at Richmond, Michigan and Daytona.

Buescher has some extra motivation. He’s 15th in the current Playoff standings, just 17 points ahead of Bubba Wallace in 17th. Given that only 16 drivers will qualify for the postseason, Buescher needs a strong performance to provide some breathing room.

A successful defense of last year’s victory certainly would be helpful, but we don’t think Buescher will win on Sunday. He’s a good pick to finish in the top three, though, at (+500) courtesy of bet MGM.

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Which Winless Superstar Will Have a Breakout Performance on Sunday?

Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. are running out of time. Neither has won a race this season - a source of considerable frustration for both drivers.

Suffering though a miserable year, Busch has endured a series of calamities, leaving him 112 points below the current Playoff cut line and almost certainly needing a win to qualify for the postseason.

Busch also needs a victory to extend his record streak of 19 straight seasons with at least one triumph. 

Truex announced his retirement from full-time racing, effective at season’s end. He has 14 races left to go out a winner.

Busch is the leading active winner at Richmond with six victories, and though we’d like to back him at a whopping (+3000) via betMGM, we just can’t go that far, given the struggles of the No. 8 team with NASCAR’s short-track package. 

For sentimental reasons, we recommend a small bet on Busch to finish fifth or better at (+400), hoping the two-week break for the Olympics gave Busch and his team time to work out most of their issues.

Even though Truex has won three times at Richmond over the past five seasons, we don’t like him at betMGM’s short odds of (+550), given better choices elsewhere.

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Denny Hamlin Is Well-Equipped to Deal with New Variables at Home Track

There are multiple reasons why Denny Hamlin is our choice to win Sunday’s Cook Out 400.

First, he’s racing at his home track, and no one knows .75-mile Richmond Raceway like the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Second, Hamlin is a proven winner at the venerable short track. With five victories, he’s second only to Kyle Busch among active drivers.

Third, Hamlin won the spring race at Richmond, beating Joey Logano to the finish line by .269 seconds in overtime.

Fourth, NASCAR is introducing a softer option tire for this race, providing a strategic choice for drivers and their crew chiefs. No one manages tires better than Hamlin, and an additional variable could play to his advantage.

Finally, Hamlin needed a break to clear his head after a string of substandard performances leading up to the Olympic hiatus. We expect him to pick up his fourth victory of the season at Richmond, at (+475) via betMGM.

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How to Watch the Cook Out 400

• What: Cook Out 400 NASCAR Cup Series Race

• Where: Richmond Raceway

• When: Sunday, August 11, 6 p.m. ET

• How to Watch: USA