Winners and losers from an action-packed NASCAR Cup race at Richmond

There have been 24 lead adjustments at Richmond Raceway in a 400-lap occasion that featured nonstop motion. The tire falloff made for an interesting race with a number of methods all through the sphere. And in the long run, the NASCAR Cup Collection had its 14th totally different winner of the 2025 season as Austin Dillon locked himself into the playoffs.

Here is a take a look at the largest winners and losers from Richmond:

WINNER: Austin Dillon erases the stain of 2024 Richmond controversy

Getting into Richmond this weekend, everybody was speaking concerning the notorious end from one yr in the past, the place Dillon deliberately wrecked two drivers to win, and was later kicked out of the playoffs for it. The one approach to overcome that was to come back again right here and win it once more, however few thought that it was doable. And but, the driving force of the No. 3 Chevrolet led over 100 laps and captured the checkered flag (cleanly), securing himself a spot within the playoffs. It was the most effective race of Dillon’s profession, managing tires nicely and executing completely. And, he did it whereas recovering from a damaged rib!

LOSER: RFK Racing faces a dire playoff scenario

Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

Photograph by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photos

There have been excessive hopes for RFK at Richmond. Brad Keselowski almost gained the final brief observe race on the schedule, and Ryan Preece began from pole place. Chris Buescher additionally held the sixteenth and closing playoff spot. Sadly, after 400 laps of racing, all three RFK drivers are actually in a must-win scenario getting into the common season finale at Daytona. Buescher completed thirtieth, Preece thirty fifth, and whereas Keselowski earned a high ten, that does not assist their scenario. At finest, they will hope one among their three vehicles win at Daytona, or all of them will probably be eradicated.

WINNER: Goodyear for bringing a tire with important falloff

Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Photograph by: Samuel Corum / Getty Photos

After a irritating race at Iowa, Goodyear stepped as much as the plate and introduced a tire with important falloff to Richmond. The end result? Essentially the most thrilling brief observe race of the yr, masking the various shortcomings of the Subsequent Gen automotive and giving the followers motion from begin to end. The race turned a chess match as groups selected how you can use their eight units of sticker tires, resulting in fixed passing and a plethora of methods. 

LOSER: 23XI’s unbelievable run falls aside

Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota

Photograph by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photos

At one level, 23XI Racing was operating 1-2 at Richmond. Tyler Reddick gained Stage 1 and Bubba Wallace gained Stage 2, combining to guide 164 of 400 laps. However like RFK, no matter may go unsuitable did go unsuitable. Reddick bought spun out in the midst of the race, whereas Wallace misplaced a wheel in a late-race pit cease. Ultimately, Wallace completed a disappointing twenty eighth and Reddick was thirty fourth. Reddick remains to be in a reasonably stable place to make the playoffs on factors, however he didn’t clinch a spot like he had hoped to do.

WINNER: SVG continues to enhance on ovals

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Photograph by: Samuel Corum / Getty Photos

Whereas there’s a slice of the NASCAR world that does not need to respect the greatness of SVG on highway programs, or the unbelievable process he is endeavor at 36 years outdated to study ovals, he continues to point out unbelievable enchancment. At Richmond, he beat teammate Ross Chastain and earned a 14th-place end, matching his finest oval results of the yr. And with the playoffs simply across the nook, that form of tempo plus his bonus factors could be sufficient to hold him by way of the Spherical of 16.

LOSER: Kyle Busch and an evening to overlook

Richmond

After topping the velocity charts in follow, there have been excessive hopes for Busch at Richmond. However whereas his teammate gained the race, he was fortunate to complete inside the highest 20. The automotive was uncontrolled in the beginning of the race, and he bought caught dashing on pit highway. Afterward, he was on the epicenter of a significant wreck in Flip 3, and unintentionally hooked Chase Elliott into the wall after the actual fact as he was attempting to drive by way of the smoke. 

WINNER: William Byron clinches the common season title

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photograph by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Photos

With Elliott’s Richmond DNF, which Byron had a entrance row seat for, the No. 24 was capable of clinch the common season title with one race to spare. He now has 15 bonus factors in his pocket, which can go a great distance in his efforts to win the NASCAR Cup title for the very first time. Nonetheless, the common season champion has but to go on to win the large prize in three earlier years of the Subsequent Gen period, however possibly Byron will break the streak.

LOSER: Alex Bowman faces an uncomfortable week at Daytona

Watch: Alex Bowman ‘did not get any breaks’ with runner-up end

Bowman was pissed off with lapped visitors within the closing laps at Richmond, the place he completed second to Dillon. It was an awesome end result, however when you take a look at the playoff image, you will perceive why he was so pressured. Dillon’s victory places him on the bubble for Daytona, so any new winner from beneath the cut-line will knock him out of the championship hunt. And being Daytona, that could be a very probably consequence.

WINNER: Joey Logano rebounds from follow wreck and qualifying woes

Joey Logano, Group Penske Ford

Photograph by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photos

Logano’s weekend began with a wreck in follow, attributable to a flat proper entrance tire. The workforce scrambled to restore the No. 22 automotive in time for qualifying, however he needed to abandon his lap as a consequence of a extreme tire rub. Regardless of all that, Logano fought by way of the sphere after beginning thirty eighth. He completed fourth as a part of a triple high 5 for Group Penske.

LOSER: Unforced errors damage Carson Hocevar’s high 5 run

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Photograph by: Samuel Corum / Getty Photos

Within the closing stage of the race, Hocevar was in place to probably end inside the highest 5 at Richmond. Sadly, he missed pit highway whereas attempting to make a late-race cease underneath inexperienced. To make issues worse, the workforce dropped the jack prematurely on two separate pit stops. Ultimately, Hocevar completed fifteenth.