#NASCAR / #ARCA Race Recap (Richmond Raceway / Illinois State Fairgrounds)
Winners: Austin Dillon (Cup); Corey Heim (Trucks); Brent Crews (ARCA) plus Craig Lutz (Modified)
NASCAR Cup
Austin Dillon Defends Richmond Win, Shakes Up Playoff Picture with Key Cup Victory
Austin Dillon claimed his sixth career NASCAR Cup Series race trophy, earned a 2025 playoff bid and just as importantly, enjoyed some sweet redemption in Saturday night’s Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway.
Dillon led 107 laps on the night, including the final 49 to claim the victory and automatic berth in the 16-driver playoff field — vaulting from a 28th-place position in the championship standings before the green flag to a championship berth at the checkered flag in a clutch effort from the 2018 Daytona 500 winner and his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team.
It was the most laps Dillon had led all season and marks the third time he’s won a race in the closing weeks of the regular season.
It was a huge statement for Dillon, 35, who won this race last year, but was later ruled ineligible to participate in the playoffs after receiving a penalty from NASCAR for aggressive driving in the final laps at the historic 0.75-mile Richmond track.
“Man, that feels good, got to thank the good Lord above,” said Dillon, who finished a healthy 2.471 seconds ahead of playoff contender, Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, who leaves Richmond now holding the last championship points position with one regular season race remaining next week at the always-unpredictable Daytona International Speedway.
“I really wanted that one,” Dillon said after an emotional hug from his brother Ty, who finished 20th on Saturday. “Last year hurt really bad, just going through the whole process of it. But this one feels so sweet. Man, I love Richmond.
“God has timing. His timing is the best timing. … It’s just so special. Every one of these means so much to me. My grandfather [NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress], for all that he’s put up in believing in me, because there’s been a lot of ups and downs, could have been easy for him to change the drivers in this 3-car. Today it feels really darn good.”
Alex Bowman finished second; Ryan Blaney placed third; Joey Logano came in fourth and Austin Cindric completed the top five.
Pole: Ryan Preece
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Next Race: The Cup Series will return on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at 7:30 pm ET for the ‘Coke Zero Sugar 400’ at Daytona International Speedway.
NASCAR Xfinity
The Xfinity Series Did Not Race this Weekend
Next Race: The Xfinity Series will return on Friday, August 22, 2025 at 7:30 pm ET for the ‘Wawa 250 Powered By Coca-Cola’ at Daytona International Speedway.
NASCAR Trucks
Corey Heim Surges to Richmond Win to End Regular Season
Corey Heim earned a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ best seventh victory of the season in the eero 250 at Richmond Raceway Friday night, but this first short-track victory for the Regular Season Champion took a fast Toyota truck, some real perseverance and a bit of racing good fortune.
The 23-year-old Georgia native started from pole position in the series’ regular-season finale on the historic three-quarter mile venue, but he quickly had to deal with his front-row starting mate, Ty Majeski, who pressed him all night. Majeski swept both stage wins and his race-best 143 of the 250 laps out front was more laps led than he turned in the entire season.
Ultimately, Majeski’s shot at his first win of the year suffered a setback when he was collected in an incident with his ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton while leading late in the race.
Although Majeski recovered and raced forward, Heim, who led 75 laps himself in the No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota, got to the front when it mattered most and drove away — taking the lead for good with 20 laps remaining and then holding off the reigning series champ Majeski by 0.923 seconds at the checkered flag.
With the victory, Heim becomes the youngest driver in series history to get 18 career wins, breaking Kyle Busch’s record.
“Felt like we were the best truck at [short tracks] Martinsville and North Wilkesboro, but they got away from us and we kind of got this one back,” Heim said of his short track struggles this season. “I didn’t feel like we were the best truck tonight. I feel like the 98 [Majeski] was really stout, but obviously had a run-in and got some damage.
“Being there when it counted was the first goal and we were and just able to execute from there.”
Ty Majeski finished second; Layne Riggs placed third; Sammy Smith came in fourth and Corey LaJoie completed the top five.
Pole: Corey Heim
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Next Race: The Truck Series will return on Saturday, August 30, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET for the ‘Sober or Slammer 200’ at Darlington Raceway.
MODIFIEDS
Craig Lutz Earns a ‘Special’ Modified Tour Victory with Flawless Execution at Richmond Raceway
Thursday’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 at Richmond Raceway delivered Craig Lutz multiple opportunities to experience joy.
After five straight NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour finishes outside the top five, the No. 46 Goodie Racing crew unloaded a rocket ship at Richmond. Lutz posted the second-best lap in the afternoon’s first practice, and he paced the second session. He qualified fourth despite a mistake on his hot lap. In the race, his team employed a strategy that placed him amongst a handful of contenders on the lead lap in the closing stages.
That’s when Lutz found himself running down race and Modified Tour points leader Austin Beers.
That’s when the joy reached a climax.
“Seeing the gap close and knowing you have the better car … it’s awesome,” Lutz said. “As a driver, that’s the best feeling ever, especially in the closing laps.”
“It’s so hard,” Lutz said. “You do this, and the end goal is to win races, and you put so much time and effort into all you do. All the money it takes. All the frustration, all the time. So when you do win, it’s that much more special. Especially when the field is so close. Everyone has the same car, same motor, same package, so when you do win, it’s just that much more special.”
Austin Beers finished second; Patrick Emerling placed third; Trevor Catalano came in fourth and Corey LaJoie completed the top five.
Pole: Justin Bonsignore
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ARCA
Brent Crews Secures Another Dominant Victory at the Springfield Mile
Almost exactly two years ago, Brent Crews picked up his maiden ARCA Menards Series checkered flag on the historic Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Although he was 15 at the time, Crews showcased veteran composure that afternoon by leading 64 laps from the pole and winning by 20 seconds.
The final margin of victory for Crews in Sunday’s Allen Crowe 100 at Springfield was not quite as substantial, but the young prospect was just as efficient.
Once Crews overtook Brenden “Butterbean” Queen for the lead early, the driver of the No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Toyota was unstoppable as he picked up his third national ARCA Menards Series victory of 2025 and fourth overall on the platform.
“This is one of my favorite races on the schedule,” Crews said. “I won Springfield two years ago, and then I won at [the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds] last year, so I’ve had a lot of success on the dirt.
“We had an absolute hot rod today, and it was a blast to drive. I wish we were able to get some practice and qualifying in, but I felt like that kind of worked out to our advantage.”
Lavar Scott finished second; Kelly Kovski placed third; Brenden Queen came in fourth and Sean Corr completed the top five.
Pole: Brenden Queen
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Next Race: The ARCA Series West will return on Friday, August 29, 2025 at 4:00 pm PT for the ‘Portland 112’ at Portland International Raceway.
