Category: Nascar

After qualifying 13th, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell (+1600) worked until he took the low line and the race lead at Homestead-Miami, emerging with the win and a place in the Championship Four next to Kyle Larson (+700).

Bell was followed to Victory Lane by Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney (+1200), 23 XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick (+1400), Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron (+750), and Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger (+20000), who completed the top five at Homestead.

Two spots remain in the Championship Four, with one of those spots all but secured by NASCAR Cup Series points leader and Championship favorite William Byron. With one truly free spot available, the pressure increases on the remaining five playoff drivers, each fighting for the final spot for the 2023 Championship finale in Phoenix.

Bangthebook has reviewed the recent performances and exhaustive historical data to find our pick to win the Xfinity 500, with odds provided by BetOnline.

The Top Five Finishers at Martinsville’s Spring Race

Two annual races and a long NASCAR history provide betting insights into potential driver performances around Martinsville’s short track.

Martinsville’s Spring race was won by Championship Four Driver Kyle Larson, with Team Penske’s Joey Logano (+1400), Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. (+900), and Denny Hamlin (+300), and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe (+3300) completing the top five.

Hendrick Motorsports Will Still Be Competitive at Martinsville

While all four of Hendrick Motorsports drivers have winning pedigree at Martinsville, with Chase Elliott (+1600) and Alex Bowman (+4000 at BetOnline) winning in 2020 and 2021, we’re focusing on the team’s two playoff drivers destined for the Championship Four because they’re going to be competitive in the top-ten and fighting for the win.

Kyle Larson is locked into the Championship Four and has an outstanding recent history at Martinsville, having one win and three top-five finishes in five races since February 2020. Larson led the most laps and won stage one at Homestead-Miami before a crash into the pitlane water barrel barrier ended his hopes at a top-20 finish.

William Byron has five top-five finishes in the playoffs, only finishing outside the top ten once in eight playoff races. Byron is strong around Martinsville’s short track, having one win, three top-five, and five top-ten finishes in his last seven races in Virginia.

Denny Hamlin and the Joe Gibbs Racing Contingent

Joe Gibbs Racing has one driver in the Championship Four and two drivers fighting for the final two spots, with only one driver truly in the mix for the win at Martinsville.

Martin Truex Jr.’s Regular Season points win is in the past, and his pole position at Las Vegas was a false dawn of performance. Despite his successful history at Martinsville, having eight finishes outside the top 15 in the last nine races means fading Truex from your betting picks altogether.

Our Toyota betting focus falls on Denny Hamlin, whose history at Martinsville has him the betting favorite and statistically the most likely driver to win his way into the Championship Four and his best chance to win his first career Cup Series Championship.

Hamlin has five wins, 18 top-five, and 24 top-ten finishes in 35 career races, with an average finishing position of 10.3 at Martinsville.

Despite finishing 30th at Las Vegas, Hamlin has one race win, two stage wins, and five top-ten finishes in the 2023 playoffs.

Can a Ford Driver Upset the Field?

Oddsmakers have Ford as a distant third for winning manufacturer. However, Team Penske’s duo of Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney have successful recent histories at Martinsville, which could provide a Ford upset on Sunday.

2022 Cup Series Champion and eliminated playoff driver Joey Logano has scored two top-ten finishes in his last three races. However, Logano has four top-five and seven top-ten finishes in his last seven races at Martinsville.

Blaney is currently third in the points standings, having two top-three and three top-ten finishes in the last four races. A first career win at Martinsville could be on tap for Blaney, who has four top-five and five top-ten finishes in his last seven races on the short track.

BangtheBook’s NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 Betting Pick

Bangthebook is picking Denny Hamlin to win at Martinsville, with Blaney, Bell, Byron, and Logano completing the top five.

Bet on Denny Hamlin to win at Xfinity 500 at BetOnline!

Last week, we chose betting favorite Kyle Larson (+275) to win his way into the Round of Eight. Larson lived up to his favorite status, taking the lead from pole-sitter Christopher Bell (+1200) early and holding Bell back, narrowly landing on Victory Lane.

Bell was followed to the checkered flag by eliminated playoff drivers Kyle Busch (+1600, Richard Childress Racing), Brad Keselowski (+1400, RFK Racing), and Ross Chastain (+1800, Trackhouse Racing), completing the top five. Notably, the top-eleven finishers at Las Vegas were all playoff drivers in the Round of 12.

The Round of Eight continues as the Cup Series moves to the season’s final leg, heading to Homestead-Miami, where Larson and Hendrick Motorsports are favored to win back-to-back races in the Round of Eight and a third consecutive win at Homestead-Miami.

Think the favorite will win the 4EVER 400? You can bet on Kyle Larson at +275 over at BetOnline!

Hendrick Motorsports Playoff Duo Atop the Standings (and Your Betting Picks) Again

Chevrolet is favored to win at Homestead-Miami, so look no further than the Hendrick Motorsports duo atop the Cup Series Playoff standings and among the betting favorites for your pick to win on Sunday.

Despite winning his way into the Championship Four, Kyle Larson has to be among your betting picks for a top-five finish and race win on Sunday: Larson has one win (2022) and five top-five finishes in nine career races at Homestead-Miami.

Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron (+750) dropped to second in the Cup Series Playoff points standings but has a very successful record at Homestead-Miami. Byron has one race win (2021) and two top-ten finishes in five career races at Homestead.

However, Byron is having the best season of his career, having two wins and eight top-ten finishes in the last nine races, meaning he’ll be in the mix for the race win and likely to finish in the top five.

The Toyotas Challengers

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin (+700) has a successful history at Homestead-Miami and headlines Toyota’s challengers. While Hamlin has five top-ten finishes in the seven Cup Series playoff races, he has three career wins, five top-five, and 12 top-ten finishes in 18 career races at Homestead-Miami.

Don’t believe the oddsmakers favored status for Hamlin’s teammate Martin Truex Jr. (+575), who has one win, seven top-five, and 12 top-ten finishes in 18 career races at Homestead-Miami. Truex’s recent performances don’t warrant a pick in the top ten, as his ninth-place finish at Las Vegas was his first top-ten finish since Watkins Glen.

23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick (+575) has two consecutive and four top-ten finishes in the Cup Series playoffs. Reddick is sixth in the points standings and needs stage-winning points and a race win to secure a spot in the Championship Four. He should be in the mix for the win, having two top-five finishes in three career races at Homestead-Miami.

Can Ford’s Playoff Drivers Upset the Field?

Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney (+1800) and RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher (+1600) are Ford’s two remaining Cup Series Championship hopefuls, each without impressive histories at Homestead-Miami.

Blaney has one top-five finish in eight career races, while Buescher’s best finish in seven career races at Homestead-Miami was 13th in 2022.

Another Non-Playoff Winner?

Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger (+15000 at BetOnline) is the only winner of a 2023 Cup Series playoff race not currently fighting in the Round of Eight.

RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski (+1400) has been eliminated from the 2023 playoffs but has four top-five and seven top-ten finishes in 15 career trips to Homestead-Miami, with his best finish being third in 2014-15.

For those looking for a long shot with a real chance to win and a winning pedigree at Homestead-Miami, look no further than Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick (+2000), who has one win, 12 top-five, and 19 top-ten finishes in 22 career starts.

BangtheBook’s NASCAR Cup Series 4EVER 400 Presented by Mobile 1 Betting Pick

Bangthebook is taking Tyler Reddick to upset the Hendrick Motorsports duo and win at Homestead-Miami, with Larson, Byron, Harvick, and Hamlin completing the top five.

Bet on Tyler Reddick to Produce an Upset at 4EVER 400 at BetOnline!

Just because the NASCAR Cup series is in its playoffs doesn’t mean you can discount Just because the NASCAR Cup series is in its playoffs doesn’t mean you can discount non-playoff drivers, especially when a road course is involved.

NASCAR’s road car experts stepped into the spotlight at Charlotte’s Roval, with Kaulig Racing’s road course expert A.J. Allmendinger (+20000) landing on Victory Lane, followed by William Byron, Kyle Busch (+1200), Ty Gibbs (+2800), and Joey Logano (+3300) completing the top five.

Despite the top-five finish, Busch was one of four drivers who were eliminated from the Cup Series Playoffs at the Roval, as the Round of Eight opens with NASCAR’s second trip to Las Vegas, with Chevrolet and Toyota expected to dominate.

William Byron dominated the Spring Las Vegas race for his first win of the season. Byron was followed to Victory Lane by teammates Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman (+3300), making it an all-Hendrick Motorsports top-three, with 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace (+2000) and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell (+1100) in fifth.

Bangthebook reviews the stats, trends, and the Spring Las Vegas Race to find our pick to win the NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400.

Who do you think will win the South Point 400? You can bet on Larson at +450 over at BetOnline!

Henrick Motorsports Playoff Duo Atop Vegas’ Favorites

William Byron (+550) rightfully sits atop the NASCAR Cup Series Championship and is your best bet to win the 2023 Championship. Whether there are chicanes on the track or it’s an oval configuration, Byron has been competitive in all circuit configurations, including his win at Las Vegas’ Spring race.

Byron will be fighting for the win, having three consecutive top-two finishes – including winning at Texas – and five top-ten finishes in six playoff races. Moreover, Byron has three top-ten finishes in his last seven races at Las Vegas.

Kyle Larson (+450) will be looking to battle his teammate for the win in Las Vegas again, having won the Spring race in 2021 and having six top-five and ten top-ten finishes in 14 career races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

However, Larson needs a change in his recent performances, where he followed opening the playoffs with three top-four finishes with three consecutive finishes outside the top ten.

The Toyotas in Contention

First, we’re paying no attention to Martin Truex Jr. (+750 at BetOnline), whose impressive season has unraveled with seven consecutive finishes outside the top 15.

As for Truex’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, both should be in the top ten and fighting for top-five finishes and the race win. However, we’re not favoring Christopher Bell to win at Vegas, but a second top-five finish is likely for Bell.

Denny Hamlin (+550) is nine points behind William Byron for the Cup Series lead and is the most likely driver to follow Byron into the Round of Four and the Cup Series Championship race.

Hamlin was very strong throughout the first six races of the Playoffs, with four top-five finishes – including winning at Bristol – and two stage wins at Darlington, but is coming off a 37th-place finish on Charlotte’s Roval.

23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick finished 15th at the Spring Las Vegas Race, with three top-ten finishes in seven career races at Vegas, which includes taking pole position for the 2022 Fall Las Vegas race.

While he took pole position, the stage one win, and finished sixth at Charlotte’s Roval, we’re looking no further than the Fall playoff race at Kansas – another 1.5 intermediate track – where Reddick won his way into the Round of 12 for evidence that Reddick could land on Victory Lane in Vegas.

BangtheBook’s NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 Betting Pick

While we’re very high on Byron and Reddick’s chances to win at Las Vegas, Bangthebook is taking Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson to win the South Point 400 and first race in the NASCAR Cup Series Round of Eight.

Bet on Kyle Larson to Win the South Point 400 race at +450 over at BetOnline!

A photo-finish at Talladega ruled Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney as the winner, while Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick’s close second place quickly turned into a disqualification after failing a post-race inspection.

Harvick’s loss was Cup Series Championship leader William Byron’s gain, as Byron moved up to second, followed By Denny Hamlin in third, Spire Motorsports’ Corey Lajoie’s second fourth-place finish of the season, and Team Penske’s Austin Cindric in fifth.

The Playoff drivers have Charlotte’s Roval as their last chance to make the cut for the Round of Eight, where Chevrolet and Toyota are expected to battle for the race win. Bangthebook has our top-five finishers for Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400, with odds provided by BetOnline.

Think the favorite will win the Bank of America Roval 400? You can bet on Elliott at +550 over at BetOnline!

Heavy Betting Odds Favorite Hendrick Motorsports

Every weekend, one of Hendrick Motorsports’ big three are considered favorites to win. At Charlotte’s Roval, all three Drivers’ are in the oddsmaker’s top four to win on Sunday, each with their unique claim to being the favorite.

Non-playoff Driver Chase Elliott (+550) has won twice on the Roval (2019-20) and has driven very well during the playoffs, scoring four top-ten finishes in the last five races, with his previous top-five finish coming at Daytona’s Fall race. Elliott is one of NASCAR’s road course stars, having three top-five finishes on road courses in 2023.

2021 Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson (+900) won at Charlotte’s Roval in his Championship-winning season. Larson is currently seventh in the Cup Series standings, earning all three of his playoff top-five finishes in the Round of 16 while completely dropping out of the top-15 in the last two races. He has three top-ten finishes on road circuits this season.

However, William Byron (+650) is the leading Hendrick Motorsports driver in 2023, currently sitting atop the Cup Series standings, with a confirmed spot in the Round of Eight. However, Byron will need his best career performance on the Roval, having two top-ten finishes in five career races.

Byron has two wins and six top-ten finishes in the last seven races and is favored to potentially add to his Round of Eight lead with a win in Charlotte.

The Toyota Picks: Reddick, Bell, Hamlin

As Ford fades after a dominant weekend at Talladega, the spotlight shifts to Toyota, and we’ve got three drivers we’re focusing on as potential winners.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin (+1600 at BetOnline) might not be favored to win, but his current form suggests otherwise. Hamlin is currently second in the Cup Series championship, has four consecutive top-five finishes, and has three top-ten finishes on road circuits in 2023.

Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Reammate Christopher Bell (+1600) won the 2022 edition of this race and has two top-ten finishes in three career races on the Roval. Bell is currently in third in the Cup Series standings but has only two top-ten finishes on road course this season, with his best finish being second at Watkins Glen.

Our favored Toyota to win is BangtheBook’s favorite NASCAR road course racer, 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick (+750). Reddick won at Circuit of the Americas and looked strong at the other road course until NASCAR fate dropped him down the order.

Reddick is currently outside of the top eight and has finished outside the top ten in the last three races, but could use the Roval – where he has one top-five and two top-ten finishes in three career races.

BangtheBook’s NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America Roval 400 Betting Pick

Bangthebook is taking Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson to win at Charlotte’s Roval, with Elliott, Reddick, Byron, and Hamlin completing the top five.

Bet on Kyle Larson to Deliver at Charlotte’s Roval +900 over at BetOnline!

23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace proved that it’s difficult to be the fastest driver, dominating an entire weekend and landing on Victory Lane last week in Texas.

Wallace was the fastest qualifier, won both stages, and led the most laps until Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron saw an opening, taking the race lead and winning at Texas, with Wallace dropping to third. Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain finished second, while Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin completed the top five.

However, this weekend is different; this weekend is Talladega, where there have been seven different race winners in the last seven years, and Ford’s likely to have multiple drivers fighting for the race win.

BangtheBook has your betting needs covered with our YellaWood 500 at Talladega betting preview, with odds provided by BetOnline.

Check out the full YellaWood 500 odds over on Bookmaker

A Ford-Heavy Field of Favorites

RFK Racing

RFK Racing have been the best-performing Ford team across the season, with both Brad Keselowski (+1100) and Chris Buescher (+1200) likely to make the Round of Eight cut, which strong performances at Talladega would help cement.

Buescher is third in the standings and has two top-five finishes in four playoff races. In his last seven races at Talladega, Buescher has one top-five (third at the Spring 2023 race) and three top-ten finishes.

Keselowski is the betting favorite with good reason: Keselowski has six wins, ten top-five, and 14 top-ten finishes at Talladega in 29 career races. He’s a two-time winner of the Fall race at Talladega (2014, 2017) and has one win and three top-five finishes in his last seven races at Talladega, including fifth-place at NASCAR’s Spring Talladega stop.

Team Penske

2022 Cup Series Champion Joey Logano (+1200) was eliminated in the Round of 16, while teammate Ryan Blaney (+1200) is currently 11th in the Cup Series standings and needs a big result to save his playoff hopes.

However, both Team Penske Drivers have previous success at Talladega and could land the team on Victory Lane for the first time since Charlotte.

Logano has two top-ten finishes in the last five races. However, Logano won this race in back-to-back years (2015-16), taking three wins, nine top-five, and 11 top-ten finishes in 29 career starts at Daytona.

Blaney finished second in the Spring Race at Talladega and has won the Fall race in 2019. In 18 career starts, Blaney has two wins, five top-five, and seven top-ten finishes at Talladega.

The Toyota Picks: Hamlin and Wallace

Toyota isn’t expected to win at Talladega, but if a Toyota is going to pull the upset and win, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin (+1400) and 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace (+1400) are the oddsmakers favorites.

Hamlin scored his third consecutive top-five playoff finish at Texas, continuing his season-long, Championship-caliber performance. Having won the 2020 Fall race at Talladega, Hamlin’s past success suggests he can pull the upset, with two wins and ten top-five finishes in his career, taking one win and three top-five finishes in the last seven races.

Bubba Wallace has one win at Talladega (Fall 2021), but that is his only career top-ten finish at Talladega in his career.

Byron and Busch: Chevrolet’s Top Picks in the Talladega Mix

Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch (+1800) is currently 12th and facing playoff elimination but will be looking to replicate his Spring win at Talladega this weekend. Busch has two wins, eight top-five, and ten top-ten finishes in 36 career races at the track.

Current Cup Series points leader, Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron (+1200), will be among the betting favorites for the remainder of the season, with three top-ten finishes in four playoff races and a ticket to the Round of Eight. Byron has two top-five and three top-ten finishes in his last seven races at Talladega.

BangtheBook’s NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 at Talladega Betting Pick

Bangthebook is taking RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski to win at Talladega, with Hamlin, Byron, Blaney, and Buescher completing the top five.

Bet on the YellaWood 500 at Bookmaker!

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin (+475) has had an excellent NASCAR career, but he’s in the best racing form of his career and has his best shot at winning his first Cup Series Championship in 2023.

Hamlin asserted his right to a place in the Round of 12 by winning at Bristol, scoring his third race win. After Hamlin took the checkered flag, Kyle Larson (+475), Christopher Bell (+900), Chris Buescher (+1400), and Ty Gibbs (+3300) rounded out the top five at Bristol.

While we started the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 16 drivers, Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway is the first race in the Round of 12 with the Championship standings reshuffled. Bangthebook has your NASCAR betting needs covered in our AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 betting preview, with odds provided by BetOnline.

Check out the full AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive odds over on Bookmaker

The Chevrolets: Larson, Byron, and Busch

Hendrick Motorsports

William Byron’s (+750) regular season and two playoff top-ten finishes have him tied atop the Cup Series standings with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr.

In his last four races at Texas, Byron has one top-five and two top-ten finishes, with his best finish being second in 2021 and behind his championship-favorite teammate.

The winner of the 2021 race was Kyle Larson, who is one of three drivers with past wins at Texas who won his way into the Round of 12.

Larson’s playoff push has been outstanding, finishing in the top five in each race, scoring one race win and two top-three finishes. In his career at Texas, Larson has one win, four top-five, and six top-ten finishes in 15 career races.

Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch

Outside of the Hendrick Motorsports duo, Chevrolet’s best chance to win at Texas is Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch (+1200).

Busch has four wins and 14 top-five finishes at Texas Motor Speedway in 32 career starts, with his Fall win at the track coming in 2020. However, Busch’s recent performances haven’t been stellar, with two top-ten finishes in his last seven races.

The Toyotas: Hamlin, Bell, and Reddick

Joe Gibbs Racing

Joe Gibbs Racing has three drivers atop the Cup Series Drivers’ standings, but we’re fading current co-top seed Martin Truex Jr. as his recent four races have been disappointments, with 18th place being his best finish.

However, teammate Christopher Bell has been rapid in the playoffs, capturing three consecutive pole positions and scoring two top-ten finishes, including winning both stages and leading the most laps at Bristol before finishing third. In four career Cup Series races at Texas, Bell has two top-five finishes and an average finishing position of 15.3

More impressive than Bell is Denny Hamlin. Hamlin’s playoff push is only rivaled by Larson, having two top-three finishes in the Round of 16, leading the most laps, and winning both stages at Darlington before dropping to a 25th-place finish. Hamlin has three career wins – with a Fall win back in 2011 – and seven top-five finishes in 32 career races at Bristol.

23 XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick

Tyler Reddick (+700) is the third playoff driver who won their way into the Round of 12 – alongside Larson and Hamlin – and has prior success at Texas, winning this race in 2022. Reddick has two top-two finishes in the playoffs but finished a disappointing 15th at Bristol. He has one win, two top-five, and three top-ten finishes in four career races at Texas.

Can Any Ford Pull an Upset?

With three Fords left in the Round of 12, we don’t like Ford’s chances of winning at Texas. However, RFK Racing and Team Penske could each pull off the upset if the circumstances and situations present themselves.

Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney (+1200) races well at Texas, having two top-five finishes in his previous four races and eight in 14 career races. Blaney has only one top-ten finish in the 2023 Playoffs.

RFK’s Chris Buescher’s history at Texas isn’t great, having zero top-ten finishes in 13 career races. However, this season could be where Buescher breaks through, considering he has three top-five finishes in the last four races.

BangtheBook’s NASCAR Cup Series AutoTrade EchoPark Automotive 400 Betting Pick

Bangthebook is taking 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick to win at Texas, with Hamlin, Larson, Bell, and Buescher completing the top five.

Bet on the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive at Bookmaker!

Races, Grand Prix, and Championships are won using courage and an eye for opportunity. Tyler Reddick saw an opportunity, dared to go for it, and dove down the inside, stealing the win at Kansas from Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones, claiming a spot in the Round of 12 and jumping to second in the Cup Series Championship standings.

Reddick led a top-five at Kansas, rounded out by Hamlin, Jones, Kyle Larson, and Team Penske’s Joey Logano (+1400).

With Tyler Reddick and Kyle Larson guaranteed spots in the Round of 12, the Cup Series returns to Bristol for the final chance for drivers to make the cut with Martin Truex Jr., who started the playoffs as the co-top seed, facing elimination. Bangthebook has our picks to win and finish in the top five at the NASCAR Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

Check out the full Bass Pro Shops Night Race odds over on Bookmaker

The Return of the Hendrick Motorsports Three-Headed Hydra?

All three Hendrick Motorsports drivers are among the favorites to win at Bristol, with Chase Elliott (+1000) joining current Championship leader Kyle Larson (+550) and William Byron (+750) as the top Chevrolet contenders to win and challenge for the top five.

Larson has one race win (2021) and two top-five finishes since the playoffs began – an identical record to his last two races at Bristol. Larson is the betting favorite and will be in the mix for the win in the dying laps.

Byron has two top-five finishes in the last four races at Bristol, with an average finishing position of 13.0. While he’s coming off a disappointing 15th-place finish at Kansas, Byron has two top-five and three top-ten finishes in his last four races, which includes a win at Watkins Glen.

Chase Elliot has four top-ten finishes in the last five races but may be receiving a boost in his chances to win last year’s results at this race, where he finished second. Elliott has one top-five and two top-ten finishes since February 2020 at Bristol, with an average finishing position of 14.0.

Denny Hamlin and Joe Gibbs Racing

Denny Hamlin (+800) is leading Joe Gibbs Racing’s playoff push as Martin Truex Jr. (+1600) has faded into potential playoff elimination after two races in the Round of 16, finishing outside the top 15.

Hamlin is currently third in the NASCAR Cup Series Standings and has two stage wins and a second-place finish since the playoffs began. With a strong history and two previous wins at Bristol (2012, 2019), Hamlin has five top-three finishes in the previous eight races and will be fighting in the top five.

Teammate Christopher Bell (+800) has the same odds as Hamlin and has one top-five and two top-ten finishes in the last four races at Bristol. Bell finished eight at Kansas, his third top-ten finish in the previous five races. Notably, Bell won Brsitol’s Spring Dirt Race.

RFK Racing

BangtheBook likes both RFK Racing drivers to compete for the win on Saturday, each having won at Bristol previously.

Brad Keselowski (+850) won this race in 2011 but has one race win and two top-ten finishes in the four races at Bristol since February 2020, with an average finishing position of 13.5. Keselowski has two top-ten finishes in the Round of 16.

Chris Buescher (+1200) won this race in 2022 and has a very similar recent record at Bristol as teammate Keselowski: he has one race win and two top-five finishes, with an average finishing position of 13.8. Buescher finished 27th at Kansas but has five top-ten finishes (four top-three) in the previous seven races.

23 XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick

Tyler Reddick’s playoff performance so far in 2023 deserves a spotlight. Reddick (+1400) has finished in the top two in both playoff races. Reddick only has one top-five finish and an average finishing position of 19.8 in the previous four races at Bristol but finished second in the Spring on the Dirt.

BangtheBook’s NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race Pick

Bangthebook is taking RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski to win at Bristol, with Larson, Buescher, Reddick, and Hamlin to complete the top five.

Bet on the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bookmaker!

Kyle Larson walked into Darlington as the betting favorite, walked out having won the Cook Out Southern 500 – a race he’s dreamt of winning, and guaranteed himself a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series round of eight. Larson took the checkered flag ahead of Tyler Reddick, Chris Buescher, teammate William Byron, and Ross Chastain, who rounded out the top five.

As usual, Larson is among the betting favorites as the Cup Series returns to Kansas Speedway for the second time for the Hollywood Casino 400. Bangthebook focuses on the contenders likely to challenge for a top-five finish while finding our pick to win round two of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Check out the full Hollywood Casino 400 odds over on Bookmaker

Will Hendrick Motorsports Go Two-for-Two in the Playoffs?

William Byron (+700) leads the Cup Series Championship standings, leading teammate Kyle Larson (+500) by one point heading into Kansas.

Byron scored his second top-five finish in the last three races at Darlington, giving him five wins and ten top-ten finishes this season. Byron has consistently been at the front at Kansas, having an average finishing position of 8.3, with six top-ten finishes in his last seven races and third being his best finishing position.

However, Kyle Larson’s recent record at Kansas is outstanding. Larson has one race win, three top-five, and four top-ten finishes in his last five races at Kansas, with an average finishing position of 6.4.

At the Spring race at Kansas, Larson finished second, while Byron finished third.

Larson’s win at Darlington was his third of the season, giving him 11 top-five finishes, and Hendrick Motorsports has two drivers who could win at Kansas to bring home the Cup Series Championship.

The Toyota’s Fighting the Hendrick’s Duo

23XI Racing

Tyler Reddick’s (+850) second-place finish at Darlington was his second top-five finish in the last four races, three of which were top-ten finishes. Reddick finished ninth at Kansas’ Spring Race, one of two top-ten finishes in the last seven races at the track.

Reddick might have the best chance to win the Cup Series Championship for 23XI Racing, but teammate Bubba Wallace (+1200) won the 2022 edition of this race and finished fourth at the Spring race. Wallace has a real chance to win back-to-back races at Kansas.

Joe Gibbs Racing

Denny Hamlin (+475) enters Kansas as the betting favorite, looking to sweep Kansas in 2023. While always competitive, Hamlin won the Spring race at Kansas and has two race wins and five top-five finishes in the last seven races at the track.

Martin Truex Jr. (+550) needs to channel his 2017 Fall win at Kansas and avoid falling further down the Championship standings by having two consecutive finishes outside the top ten. Truex finished eighth at the Spring Race and in the top ten in each of the last seven races at Kansas, scoring two top-five finishes and an average finishing position of 6.3.

Will Buescher or Logano Bring Ford Back to Victory Lane?

RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher (+1600) has back-to-back top-five finishes – giving him four top-five finishes in the last six races – and has been the best Ford driver recently. However, he’s struggled at Kansas, finishing 17th in the Spring and only having three top-ten finishes in 15 career races at Kansas Speedway.

2022 Cup Series Champion, Team Penske’s Joey Logano (+2200), has won the Fall race at Kansas three times and could use adding a fourth win if he intends on making it out of the round of 16. Logano has eight career top-five finishes in 28 races at Kansas Speedway, with an average finishing position of 14.6 in his last seven appearances.

BangtheBook’s NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 Pick

Bangthebook is taking William Byron to win the Hollywood Casino 400, giving Hendrick Motorsports two consecutive playoff wins.

Bet on the Hollywood Casino 400 at Bookmaker!

RFK Racing and Chris Buescher’s pre-playoff cutoff charge culminated in his third race win and fourth top-ten finish in the last five races, claiming the checkered flag at Daytona in overtime.

While Buescher had secured his playoff spot by winning at Richmond, his Daytona win ended Chase Elliott’s (+1600) playoff hopes, while a 12th-place finish at Daytona was good enough for 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace to secure the final playoff sport.

The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs open at one of the series’ most enduring tracks, Darlington Raceway, with William Byron and Martin Truex Jr. as co-top seeds with 2036 points focused on extending their championship lead.

Bangthebook has our pick to win at Darlington, plus some top-five and top-ten picks in our NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500 betting preview.

Check out the full Cook Out Southern 500 odds over on Bookmaker

Is Ford’s Best Chance to Win RFK Racing or Team Penske?

While not discounting Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick (+1400) – who is the 15 seed in the playoffs, Ford’s best chance to win at Darlington is split between four drivers from two teams: RFK Racing and Team Penske.

RFK Racing

RFK Racing has three drivers in the playoffs, with Chris Buescher (+1600) stealing the spotlight with three race wins and four top-ten finishes in the last five races. Buescher has 12 top-ten finishes this season.

Buescher’s teammate Brad Keselowski (+1800) might not have a race win in his 11 top-ten finishes in 2023, but he has previous success at Darlington, winning the Fall race in 2018.

Team Penske

We’re not high on Team Penske’s duo in the playoffs.

2022 Cup Series Champion Joey Logano (+1800) finished 18th in the Spring at Darlington but is coming off a fifth-place finish at Daytona – one of four top-ten finishes in the last seven races.

Ryan Blaney (+1800) finished 36th at Daytona but looks to improve on his ninth-place finish at Darlington – one of Blaney’s 12 top-ten finishes this season.

Hendrick Motorsports and the top Chevrolet Contenders

Hendrick Motorsports

Hendrick Motorsports has two drivers in the mix for the Drivers’ Championship, and while William Byron (+800) is the co-top seed with 2036 points, all focus is on Kyle Larson (+500).

Larson won the Xfinity Series’ Spring stop at Darlington, following that performance with a second-place finish on the Cup Series. Larson has 12 top-ten finishes this season but only scored two top-ten finishes in the previous five races.

For Byron’s part, he won the Spring stop at Darlington and is coming off a second consecutive top-ten performance, one of five race wins and 13 top-ten finishes this season.

Both playoff-bound Hendrick Motorsports drivers are among BetOnline’s favorites and should be in your picks for a top-five and top-ten finish while receiving strong consideration as your pick to win at Darlington.

Ross Chastain and Kyle Busch

Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain (+850) won a stage but finished 29th at Darlington’s Spring race, only having one top-ten finish in the previous nine races, and someone we’re picking for a top-ten finish, but not the race win.

Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch (+1100) won at Darlington back in 2008 and finished seventh in the Spring race at Darlington. However, Busch only scored two of his 14 top-ten finishes in the previous seven races.

Toyota’s Two Chances to Win

There’s only six Toyota rides on the Cup Series, and five made the Cup Series playoffs. However, Toyota’s best chances at Darlington ride with a duo from Joe Gibbs Racing.

Joe Gibbs Racing

Denny Hamlin (+700) has the most Fall wins at Darlington on the Cup Series, winning three times while scoring five top-ten finishes in the last seven races.

Martin Truex Jr. (+500) shares co-top seed honors with Byron, won at Darlington in 2016, has five top-ten finishes in the previous seven races, and should be among your potential picks to win at Darlington and finish in the top ten.

BangtheBook’s NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 Pick

BangtheBook is taking to Martin Truex Jr. to win at Darlington.

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Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron ended a streak of five consecutive sub-14th place finishes to win at Watkins Glen, with pole-sitter Denny Hamlin finishing second and Christopher Bell, A.J. Allmendinger, and Ty Gibbs completing the top five.

With road courses firmly in the rearview, the NASCAR Cup Series focuses on the impending playoffs and racing under the lights at Daytona International Raceway, where a Chevrolet or Ford has won 13 of the last fifteen Summer races.

Daytona is the last chance for Drivers’ to make the playoffs, putting a premium on every point bubble drivers can collect. Bangthebook looks at the favorites likely to challenge for the race win, giving you our picks to win and finish in the top five in our Coke Zero Sugar 400 betting preview, using odds exclusively provided by BetOnline.

Check out the full Coke Zero Sugar 400 odds over on Bookmaker

Two Teammate Tandems of Ford Contenders

Two Ford teams have drivers who’ve either previously won this race or should challenge for the win at Daytona.

RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski (+1000) won at Daytona in 2016, won stage one, and led the most laps before finishing 22nd at the NASCAR season-opening race in Daytona. Keselowski has nine top-ten finishes this season and could challenge for his first win in 2023.

Keselowski’s RFK teammate Chris Buescher (+1600) finished fourth at the Spring Daytona race and has two race wins and three top-five finishes in the past four races, including back-to-back wins. Buescher should be at the front and in the mix to win on Saturday night.

Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney (+1200) and reigning Champion Joey Logano (+1200) finished ninth and tenth at Watkins Glen, with Blaney winning the Summer Daytona race in 2021.

Logano finished second, while Blaney finished eighth in the season-opening race. In his last seven races at Daytona, Blaney has three top-five and five top-ten finishes, while Logano only has one top-ten finish and an average finishing position of 17.6.

Team Hendrick Motorsports’ Three-Headed Hydra

Herickick Motorsports’ three-headed NASCAR hydra – Chase Elliott (+1200), Kyle Larson (+2000), and William Byron (+2200) – are always among the betting favorites and in contention to win any race, with Byron having won at Daytona in 2020.

Daytona is Elliott’s last chance to win his way into the playoffs, and he will have to do it at Daytona, where he has two top-five and four top-ten finishes, with an average finishing position of 15.1 since February 2022.

However, the Hendrick Motorsports’ hydra may struggle at Daytona, with Larson posting the best finish of the three in the season-opening race. Often overlooked fourth-man Alex Bowman (+2500) finished fifth and was Hendrick’s best finisher in the season opener.

Will a Toyota Break Through?

A Toyota has not won the Summer Daytona race since Erik Jones’ (+2500) win in 2018. After all, it’s Joe Gibbs Racing’s tremendous trio occupying three of the top-four positions in the Drivers’ Championship.

Joe Gibbs Racing

Martin Truex Jr. (+2600) is looking to capture the Regular Season championship and will have to do it at a track he’s lacked success, finishing outside the top-ten to start the season, having two top-ten finishes in the last seven races at Daytona.

Christopher Bell (+2500) finished third in the season opener – his only top-ten finish in the last seven races at Daytona – and is coming off his sixth top-five finish of the season.

However, the oddsmakers’ favorite to win is Denny Hamlin (+1000), who captured pole position and finished second at Watkins Glen and has one race win and three top-five finishes in the last seven races at Daytona.

23XI Racing

Neither 23XI Racing Driver had a great season-opening race, with Tyler Reddick (+2200) finishing 39th and Bubba Wallace (+1800) finishing 20th. With Daytona being a weak track for Toyota in general and 23XI more specifically, we’re not favoring either 23XI driver to end Toyota’s winning drought at Daytona.

BangtheBook’s NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 Betting Pick

BangtheBook is taking RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher to win at Daytona.

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