The 2025 Cook Out 400 drops Saturday, Aug. 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, and it’s shaping up to be a big one. Richmond Raceway isn’t your typical short track — it’s got enough speed to feel like an intermediate but still races like a bullring, which makes for tight battles and bold moves over 400 laps. With just two Cup Series races left before playoffs start, it’s now or never for drivers sitting on the outside looking in. You can stream all the action, including Friday’s practice and qualifying on truTV with a 50% off a subscription to Sling TV.

How to watch 2025 NASCAR Cook Out 400

• When: Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: Race on USA Network, qualifying on TruTV
• Stream: Watch with a subscription to Sling TV.
• From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.

Everything you need to know about the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400

What is the broadcast schedule for the 2025 NASCAR Cook Out 400?

Why we like Sling TV for watching NASCAR Cook Out 400

There’s a ton going on this summer — from NASCAR and F1 weekends to concerts, food comps, and wall-to-wall sports — and if you’re trying to stream it all without spending a fortune, Sling’s a solid move. It’s one of the cheapest ways to get access to the big cable and broadcast channels, which is clutch when every major event feels like it’s on a different network.

Sling usually runs $46 per month, but they’re currently offering 50% off your first month, which brings it down to just $23. You can roll with either Sling Orange or Sling Blue — or go all in with both. That combo normally costs $61 a month, but with the discount, your first month drops to $30.50, which is still cheaper than most other live TV streaming services.

And once NFL and college football return this fall, Sling’s gonna be one of the easiest ways to catch the action without wrecking your budget.

Save with Sling

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Sling TV

Sling TV is The Streamable’s choice for cord-cutters on a budget. Sling is a live TV streaming service with multiple channel packages. The $45.99/month Sling Orange plan offers about 30 channels, including Disney Channel and ESPN. The $45.99/month Sling Blue plan offers about 40 channels, including ABC, Fox, and NBC in major markets.

You can combine Orange+Blue for a total of $60.99 / month. Sling also offers many channel add-on packages starting at $6/month.

Save with Sling

$19.99+ / month

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Can you watch the NASCAR Cook Out 400 for free?

Just looking to catch the race and don’t really need a full TV setup? There are a few streaming services with free trials — but heads up, they’re not all the same. DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and YouTube TV all let you test things out for free, but how long those trials last is kind of all over the place. DIRECTV is the most consistent. They usually give you a full five-day free trial, while Hulu typically gives new users three days.

Fubo’s a bit of a wild card. As The Streamable’s David Satin pointed out, figuring out how long your trial actually lasts isn’t super clear, even during sign-up. It could be one day, could be seven… you won’t know until you’re already in.

YouTube TV isn’t much better. They’ll say you get “up to two weeks,” but some folks only get two days, which makes it tricky to plan around.

So if you want the simplest, most reliable way to stream the Cook Out 400 for free, DIRECTV STREAM is your best bet with a guaranteed five-day free trial.

Watch a recap of last weekend’s NASCAR race:

About 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400

The NASCAR Cup Series rolls into Richmond Raceway for the 137th time this Saturday, and this track always brings a different kind of intensity. The Cook Out 400 is a 300-mile shootout over 400 laps on a 0.75-mile D-shaped oval — and while it looks like an intermediate track, it races more like a short track. That combo makes for tight packs, quick restarts, and a whole lot of bumping and banging. With playoff spots on the line and William Byron, Chase Elliott, and Denny Hamlin all locked in a battle at the top of the standings, expect things to get heated fast. Austin Dillon won it here last year, but he’s got some serious company this time around.

How to watch the 2025 NASCAR Cook Out 400 from anywhere

If you’ll be away from home and can’t watch the 2025 NASCAR Cook Out 400 as you normally would, you can still catch all of the action no matter where you are in the world with a VPN. A VPN can be used on your phone, tablet, or computer and make you appear to be back home — even when you’re not — making sure you feel at home no matter where you are. A VPN is a safe and secure way to stay protected online while streaming your favorite sports, movies, and shows on the go. Keep in mind that you will still need to be subscribed to Sling TV in order to stream the race with a VPN.

NordVPN is one of the best providers around, at one of the best prices. I use it every single day to surf the web. Currently, you can get two full years of protection for just $3.59 per month — plus you’ll get three extra months FREE. A high-speed VPN with best-in-class security that can be used on up to 10 devices at once — what more could you ask for? Simply sign up, install the software on your device of choice, and start streaming just as you would back home. It couldn’t be easier!

While NordVPN is our recommendation for the best VPN to use while you are traveling (and my preferred option), there are a number of other high-quality options available depending on what you are looking for.

• Best Features: ExpressVPN | Starting at $5 per month
• Best Budget Option: Surfshark | Starting at $2.50 per month
• Best Free Option: Proton VPN | Free plan available