NASCAR: Driver Ratings for Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway

Crash NASCAR journalist Chad Smith goes through the field to hand out driver ratings for the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway.
Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing at Richmond
Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing at Richmond

Chris Buescher: 10

An emphatic victory for the driver and ꦍthe team, locking in a Playoff spoꦓt.

Denny Hamlin: 9

Hamlin was in position to steal another victory but a mistake 🅠on the final restart cost him.

Kyle Busch: 8

He started up fr𒀰ont and finished up front but the middle of the race did not go well.

Joey Logano: 7

Seemingly coming out 🌞of nowhere, Logano quietly snuck in for another top-five result.

Ryan Preece: 9

It was an♓ impressive drive from Preece, who was certainly in hಞis element today.

Brad Keselowski: 9

He led a race-high 102 laps and went to 🍎victory lane as an owner, but his mistake on the final pit stop may have cost him the win.

Martin Truex Jr: 9

Martin's🦩 run from the back of the field to🎃 the front was arguably the most impressive drive of the day.

Martin Truex Jr
Martin Truex Jr

Aric Almirola: 8

A strong day for Almirola, who rebounded from an early ꦇpit c🐈ommitment violation.

Austin Dillon: 7

This was a much-needed result for Dillon, after an embarrassing e༺xit last weekend at Pocono.

Kevin Harvick: 7

Probably not🎃 the way he wanted his final race at Richmond to go, but the four-time winner earned another top-ten finish.

Chase Briscoe: 6

All Stewart Haas cars finished inside th⛎e top 11 but Briscoe was the last of the bunch.

Bubba Wallace: 8

It was shaping up to be a strong day foꦉr Wallace, but another costly pit crew mistake ruined that.

Chase Elliott: 7

He was never in contention for the win, but still managed to narrow his points deficit with four races to🍬 go.

Ryan Blaney: 6

Ford was strong but Bl🧜aney was unable to capitalize with just a 14th place finish.

Ty Gibbs: 7

This was a decent showing for the rookie, who reꦐmains in the hunt for one of the final Playoff positions.

Tyler Reddick: 5

It was a tale of two races for Reddick, who led every lap in Stage 1 but made a mistake coming to pit road on his final stop whil𝓰e running in 2nd place, which earned him a penalty.

Alex Bowman: 3

Bowman is in a must-win situation but throwing blocks at hisꦕ teammate while battli🅰ng for the Lucky Dog did not have anyone in the organization smiling.

Kyle Larson: 4

After♏ winning the Spring race at Richmond, Larson (like the entire Hendrick team) was out to lunch tꦕoday.

Christopher Bell: 3

A horrible weekend for Bell, who made a mistakꦜe in qualifying and was penalized during the race, where he was never a faꦦctor.

William Byron: 3

Perhaps the most surprising outcome today was Byron being such a non-factor as Hendrick stru𒀰ggled.

Michael McDowell: 3

Front Row tried to go off-strategy to get McDowe🐲ll some track pos💫ition, but it didn't work out as he clings to the final Playoff spot.

Ross Chastain: 2

Chastain might n💦ot have even been mentioned on the broadcast today, which is becoming a recurring them😼e this season.

AJ Allmendinger: 1

Kaulig decided to gamble on letting AJ racꦆe at Road America on Friday and Saturday, and delivered a dud today as they fall 2꧙2 points below the Playoff cut line.

Daniel Suarez: 1

For the seco💟nd week in a row, Suarez saw his day end with a crash. The Trackhouse driver was never a factor in the race and is now 34 points below the cut line.

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