Cook Out 400: Nascar Cup Series Race at Martinsville

The Cook Out 400 is going to be the first race held at the Martinsville Speedway. It will be a part of the NASCAR regular season and the last race in the month of March. The Cook Out 400 shares its name with another race at the Richmond Raceway. The races share names due to sponsorship reasons. The official sponsor for both races is the Cook Out restaurant franchise. The Cook Out 400 race at Martinsville is inherently different due to the different conditions of racing. The track is shorter than the Richmond Speedway. It is also the shortest NASCAR Cup Series track.

The Cook Out 400 race at the Martinsville Speedway is arguably one of the oldest races of the Cup Series history. The Cook Out 400 race stands out of other events due to its traditions. The winner of the race does not receive a trophy. Instead, he is awarded with a grandfather’s clock. The Cook Out 400 race at the Martinsville Speedway is going to be the seventh race of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, as per NASCAR’s official website. The Martinsville Speedway will return to action in the NASCAR Cup Series during the playoffs, with the Xfinity 500 race.

Cook Out 400’s history

William Byron won the Cook Out 400 race in 2024. [Credits: Getty Images]

The Cook Out 400 has been a part of the NASCAR Cup Series since 1950. The race was known as the Virginia 500 in its initial days in the NASCAR Cup Series. The event used to be 500 laps long until the 2021 season. The Cook Out 400 race switched to 400 laps after the 2021 season. In 2020, it was hosted as a night race and was the first night event at the Martinsville Speedway.

Cook Out restaurants started sponsoring the race in the 2022 season. In 2014, the lead of the race changed 33 times which is a track record. The race was won by Kurt Busch, also his first win for Stewart-Haas Racing. William Byron is the defending winner of the race for Hendrick Motorsports, as of February 2025.

Cook Out 400 2025 schedule

The Cook Out 400 race is scheduled from Friday, 28th March, to Sunday, 30th March, as per NASCAR’s official website. The race is 400 laps long and will cover a total distance of 210.4 miles. The Cook Out 400 race will be held in three stages. The first stage will be 80 laps long and the second stage will be 100 laps long. The final and deciding stage of the race will be 220 laps long. The Cook Out 400 race is going to be held from 3:00 PM Eastern Time, as per NASCAR’s official website.

Cook Out 400 2025 venue

The Cook Out 400 will be held at the Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia, in the United States. The Martinsville Speedway is categorised as a short track by NASCAR. It is 0.526 miles oval with four turns. The Martinsville Speedway has a paved asphalt surface with concrete to cover the turns. It is the only NASCAR track to feature such a surface. The racetrack has been a part of NASCAR since its inception and was formed one year before NASCAR officially came into existence.

Ross Chastain holds the track record at the Martinsville Speedway. He set a time of 0:18.845 during the 2022 Xfinity 500.

Drivers with the most wins at the Cook Out 400

Richard Petty is the most victorious driver at the Cook Out 400 event. He has posted nine wins throughout his NASCAR career. Petty has also won the race four years in a row from 1967 to 1970. He is the first driver to post four consecutive wins at the track in the Cook Out 400 event. His team, Petty Enterprises, has the most wins in the race with 12 wins.

Also Read: NASCAR Cup Series Standings

Where to watch the Cook Out 400 2025?

The Cook Out 400 race will be broadcasted by FS1, as per NASCAR’s official website. The radio permissions will be handled by MRN and SiriusXM.

Cook Out 2025 timings in different time zones

Also Read: NASCAR Cup Series Results