Bobby Travis · NASCAR/IndyCar-Korrespondent
On Virginia's tight oval, the entire field is packed tighter than a yard line on a football field, and Daniel Suárez has staked his claim at the front.
Richmond Raceway is one of those ovals where a tenth of a second can mean ten starting positions, and that was on full display during the first practice session for the Cook Out 400. Daniel Suárez brought his Spire Chevrolet around the three-quarter-mile circuit in 22.889 seconds to top the session, just ahead of Erik Jones and Austin Cindric. The times were so tight that a single bad exit from turn four could drop you several spots in the field.
Spire Motorsports Shows Strength with Three in Top 13
For Suárez, the fastest time is far more than just a footnote. His Spire team fielded three cars in the top 13, with Michael McDowell placing 12th and Carson Hocevar right on his heels at 13th. On a short oval like Richmond where drafting plays almost no role and brake points and mechanical grip reign supreme, that's a signal Spire is showing up this weekend with more than one quick car.
Erik Jones confirmed his Legacy Motor Club team's strong form with second place, just a thousandth of a second behind Suárez. Austin Cindric rounded out the top three for Team Penske, showing the Ford contingent is competitive on this short oval, even though his two Penske teammates Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney ended up well back in the order.
Tight Field, Big Names Struggling
What makes this session remarkable is how compact the times really are. Between Suárez in first and Josh Berry in tenth, just eleven hundredths of a second separated them, a gap that could easily translate into tight pack racing and chaotic restarts when cautions inevitably fall on Sunday. Denny Hamlin slotted in solidly at sixth, with Tyler Reddick and Brad Keselowski close behind.
It was a different story for some of the championship's household names. Chase Elliott couldn't crack the top 30 in opening practice, posting a 23.409-second lap more than half a tenth slower than Suárez's best. William Byron at 18th and Kyle Larson at 15th hadn't yet found the balance Hendrick Motorsports typically runs at short tracks. Christopher Bell, usually a fixture at short tracks for Joe Gibbs Racing, wound up all the way back in 34th.
What It Means for the Rest of the Weekend
First practice on an oval like Richmond rarely tells the whole story about race pace, at least not with how critical vehicle balance becomes over a longer run, and a short session simply can't fully show that. Still, the timing sheets offer an early hint at who's comfortable with their setup and who has work ahead before qualifying and the Cook Out 400 itself arrive.
For Suárez and Spire, the fastest time sends a message to the established powers. For Elliott, Byron, Larson, and Bell, it's back to work during the remaining prep time, because on a track where position battles are fierce and restarts come fast, a lost tenth can mean the difference between a front-row start and being several rows back.
