Story perspectives

Ryan Blaney Wins Cook Out 400 Pole With 22.225-Second Lap

8/16/2026

Summary

Story summary

Ryan Blaney (Team Penske) captured pole for the Cook Out 400 with a 22.225-second lap.
Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing) qualified second, 0.050 seconds slower, completing the front row.
Defending Richmond champion Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) will start 16th.
Points leader Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) starts 14th.
The Cook Out 400 runs Saturday, August 15, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET on USA Network on Richmond’s 0.750-mile, 400-lap, 300-mile track in three stages.

History

Historical Context

On February 18 1979 CBS, urged by president Neal Pilson and motor-sports editor Ken Squier, aired the Daytona 500 flag-to-flag, giving Richard Petty his sixth win and drawing a 10.5 rating and about 16 million viewers after a snowstorm kept audiences indoors. That breakthrough sparked nationwide live broadcasts, a trend echoed by the 2026 Cook Out 400 at Richmond, where qualifying speed draws prime-time slots and new sponsorships.

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Story summary

Ryan Blaney (Team Penske) captured pole for the Cook Out 400 with a 22.225-second lap.
Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing) qualified second, 0.050 seconds slower, completing the front row.
Defending Richmond champion Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) will start 16th.
Points leader Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) starts 14th.
The Cook Out 400 runs Saturday, August 15, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET on USA Network on Richmond’s 0.750-mile, 400-lap, 300-mile track in three stages.

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