The night before the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway took on added weight when Ryan Preece stormed to the front of the grid. With playoff spots dwindling and desperation in the air, Preece delivered a near-perfect lap to secure the pole. His drive to the top of the charts underscored both speed and timing, setting up a night where the championship picture could change dramatically at the historic Virginia short track.
Key Highlights
Ryan Preece claimed the pole with a 22.244-second lap at 121.381 mph
Tyler Reddick missed the top spot by just .087 seconds
AJ Allmendinger earned his best Richmond start in third place
Chris Buescher, holding the final playoff spot, starts 12th
Joey Logano will start last after a qualifying incident
Preece Finds Speed at the Right Time
The No. 60 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford came alive at the perfect moment, delivering Preece only his second career pole. His first came last season at Martinsville, another Virginia short track. This time, with the playoffs looming, the stakes could not be higher.
“That Ford Mustang was really sporty. I felt good about it in practice and it showed up for qualifying. We have a great starting spot and tomorrow we’ve just got to go execute and hopefully we can win this race.” – Ryan Preece
Preece currently trails teammate Chris Buescher by 34 points for the final playoff spot, adding urgency to his Richmond run. Starting out front provides the clean air advantage he craves.
“At a place like this, I would rather be out front. … I’d rather be the one leading. Tomorrow is about getting out front, getting the clean air and setting my pace.” – Ryan Preece
Rivals Crowd the Top Five
Tyler Reddick will roll off second after falling just short of pole speed. For Reddick, the position offers breathing room, as he only needs to gain 30 points to secure a playoff berth if there are no new winners. AJ Allmendinger, meanwhile, delivered a breakthrough effort for Kaulig Racing, qualifying third with his fastest Richmond time yet.
Denny Hamlin, racing in front of his Virginia fans, settled for fourth, followed closely by Chase Elliott in fifth. Behind them, RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski will start sixth, and 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace seventh. Christopher Bell lines up eighth, while playoff hopeful Alex Bowman starts ninth. Michael McDowell rounds out the top ten.
Trouble for Logano and Practice Leaders
For Joey Logano, the day unraveled. After a practice incident left his Ford scarred, his team managed hasty repairs. But the attempt at a qualifying run ended with a visible tire rub, forcing Logano to abort. He will start last in the 38-car field.
Elsewhere, Kyle Busch showed strong practice speed, topping the charts with a 118.172 mph lap and sweeping the long-run averages. John Hunter Nemechek, Denny Hamlin, Noah Gragson and Corey Heim completed the practice top five. But qualifying told a different story, with Busch only managing 28th on the grid.
Full Starting Lineup for Richmond
| Pos | Car | Driver |
| 1 | 60 | Ryan Preece |
| 2 | 45 | Tyler Reddick |
| 3 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 4 | 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 5 | 9 | Chase Elliott |
| 6 | 6 | Brad Keselowski |
| 7 | 23 | Bubba Wallace |
| 8 | 20 | Christopher Bell |
| 9 | 48 | Alex Bowman |
| 10 | 71 | Michael McDowell |
| 11 | 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 12 | 17 | Chris Buescher |
| 13 | 2 | Austin Cindric |
| 14 | 24 | William Byron |
| 15 | 77 | Carson Hocevar |
| 16 | 10 | Ty Dillon |
| 17 | 21 | Josh Berry |
| 18 | 43 | Erik Jones |
| 19 | 19 | Chase Briscoe |
| 20 | 12 | Ryan Blaney |
| 21 | 4 | Noah Gragson |
| 22 | 99 | Daniel Suarez |
| 23 | 54 | Ty Gibbs |
| 24 | 41 | Cole Custer |
| 25 | 7 | Justin Haley |
| 26 | 35 | Riley Herbst |
| 27 | 88 | Shane Van Gisbergen |
| 28 | 8 | Kyle Busch |
| 29 | 38 | Zane Smith |
| 30 | 5 | Kyle Larson |
| 31 | 34 | Todd Gilliland |
| 32 | 67 | Corey Heim |
| 33 | 1 | Ross Chastain |
| 34 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek |
| 35 | 33 | Jesse Love |
| 36 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 37 | 51 | Cody Ware |
| 38 | 22 | Joey Logano |
News in Brief: 2025 Cook Out 400 Starting Order
Ryan Preece delivered his second career pole and first since 2023 by qualifying fastest for the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway. His RFK Ford edged Tyler Reddick by just .087 seconds, giving him valuable track position as he battles for a playoff berth. AJ Allmendinger, Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott complete the top five. Chris Buescher starts 12th, holding the last playoff spot, while Joey Logano starts last after a qualifying issue. Saturday’s Cook Out 400 airs at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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