Tag: NASCAR

NASCAR Cup Series Crayon 301

Posted on by Ryan Knuppel

The NASCAR Cup Series moves from a larger speedway to the one-mile oval at New Hampshire for the Crayon 301 this weekend, with the Cup Series playoffs rapidly approaching. While William Byron won his fourth race of the season, two drivers earned their first top-three finishes this season in Atlanta. However, New Hampshire has been dominated by Ford and Toyota recently, and our betting preview is filled with their drivers.

BangtheBook reviews the field, recent performances, and the current odds to find the best bets in our NASCAR Cup Series Crayon 301 betting preview.

Check out Nascar Cup Series odds on BetUS

Toyota versus Ford

While not all sportsbooks have betting lines for winning manufacturers, New Hampshire has been dominated by two teams recently: Toyota and Ford. Ford had won four consecutive races (2018-2021) before Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell won last season’s race.

Toyota (2013, 2015-2017, 2022) and Ford (2014, 2018-2021) have won the last ten races in New Hampshire, with each manufacturer having won five races.

Joe Gibbs Racing

Joe Gibbs Racing was the team responsible for the last four Toyota wins in New Hampshire and has three drivers among the betting favorites and must be considered for any top-ten betting line picks.

Christopher Bell (+600) has had a drop in their finishing results recently, having six sub-11th place finishes in the last seven races. However, Bell is among the betting favorites, having won in New Hampshire last season and having one race win and ten top-ten finishes this season.

Martin Truex Jr. (+600) is the second contender from Joe Gibbs Racing and has two top-five finishes in his last three trips to New Hampshire. Turex Jr. has two sub-29th finishes in his last two races but has two race wins and nine top-ten finishes this season.

Denny Hamlin (+800) has three top-ten finishes in the last three races in New Hampshire Hamlin has one race win and seven top-ten finishes this season.

The Ford’s in Contention

There are three Fords in contention for the race win, with two drivers having previous wins in New Hampshire.

Stewart-Haas’ Kevin Harvick (+1200) won back-to-back races in New Hampshire in 2018 and 2019 and has three top-three finishes in the last three races in New Hampshire. Harvick has finished 24th or lower in the last three races and has seven top-ten finishes this season.

Team Penske has two drivers in contention: Ryan Blaney (+1400) and 2009 race winner Joey Logano (+1600), and neither has been in outstanding form recently. Blaney has three sub-30th finishes in his last four races but has one race win and nine top-ten finishes this season, while Logano has two sub-17th place finishes in his previous three races but holds one race win and nine top-ten finishes, including three in the last five races. 

Hendrick Motorsports-Chevrolet’s Crayon 301 Contenders

If Chevrolet is going to win for the first time in New Hampshire since 2012, look no further than current Drivers’ Championship leader William Byron (+1000). Byron is coming off a win in Atlanta, his fourth of the season, and has 11 top-ten finishes this season and could be a real contender to win the Cup Series Championship.

No NASCAR betting odds or previews are free from Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott.

Elliott has two top-ten finishes at New Hampshire in the last three races and has seven top-ten finishes in the 12 races he’s competed in.

Larson has two race wins and nine top-ten finishes this season but only has one top-ten finish at New Hampshire since February 2020. Larson was riding a four-race streak of top-ten finishes before finishing 26th last week in Atlanta.

BangtheBook’s Crayon 301 Betting Pick

While we have numerous picks for top-five and top-ten finishes, BangtheBook is picking Christopher Bell to score back-to-back wins this season and at New Hampshire.

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NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 Preview

Posted on by Ryan Knuppel

The NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400, presented by Walmart race is gearing up to be a thrilling and adrenaline-pumping event that is set to take place on July 9, 2023. NASCAR enthusiasts and motorsport fans alike are eagerly awaiting the green flag at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. 

Check out Nascar Cup Series odds on BetUS

Intense Competition

As one of the premier races in the NASCAR Cup Series, the Quaker State 400 will showcase the talents of some of the best drivers in the world. The track’s unique 1.5-mile layout presents challenges that test the skill and nerves of the competitors. Drivers will navigate the 400.4 miles of high-banked turns and strive to find the perfect racing line to gain a competitive advantage over their rivals. 

Although Atlanta Motor Speedway falls short of Daytona’s 2.5-mile length, the upcoming race introduces a visually impressive transformation to its 1.5-mile circuit. This significant redesign from 2022 not only creates the illusion of a colossal speedway but also presents an unforeseen shape, marking a challenge for drivers and sports bettors.

Top Contenders

The Quaker State 400 is likely to feature a star-studded lineup of drivers, including past champions and rising talents. Veterans such as Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., and Kevin Harvick will be looking to add another victory to their illustrious careers. 

Meanwhile, younger talents like Chase Elliott, William Byron, and Kyle Larson are eager to make their mark and secure a win in this prestigious event. With a mix of experience and youth, the race is bound to be a clash of skill and determination.

Busch On Top

Busch emerged as the frontrunner, despite his lack of success in Atlanta’s new racing format, which has eluded him thus far, despite two victories in his 27 previous appearances. The former Quaker State 400 champion, Elliott, trails closely behind as the second favorite. 

Meanwhile, Joey Logano, who triumphed this spring, had endured a rather tumultuous run in Atlanta, finishing 23rd, 10th, 15th, 19th, ninth, and 26th, respectively, in his last six starts before his victorious reign in March. In his recent racing season, Logano showcased his skills by securing a diverse range of placements, including second, first, and 30th positions on the track. 

Blaney To Watch

Ryan Blaney, on the other hand, exhibited his prowess by clinching the fourth spot in 2020, triumphing in the race held in 2021, and settling for fifth place in the July 2021 race. Furthermore, Blaney attained 17th and 5th positions in two separate races at Atlanta during the previous year, while securing a respectable seventh position during this spring.

Blaney possesses exceptional prowess when it comes to superspeedways, making him a formidable contender in races akin to Daytona or Talladega. Should this race follow suit with the aforementioned tracks, Blaney’s performance will leave you pleasantly satisfied. Notably, he has secured three top-8 finishes in all of his attempts on this course throughout the current season. 

Don’t Rule Out Chastain

On the other hand, Chastain achieved an admirable second-place finish in both races held in Atlanta during the year 2022. It is also worth mentioning that Chastain emerged victorious on the renowned Talladega track last spring. Beware of his Sunday performance, as his recent victory that broke his losing streak could be a sign of what’s to come.

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NASCAR Grant Park 220

Posted on by Ryan Knuppel

Apparently, video games can become a reality, and NASCAR is set to take over the Second City streets and the Chicago Loop on a circuit that was once only a reality in a virtual world.

With its origins in e-Racing, NASCAR has taken inspiration from its open-wheel counterparts like Formula 1, IndyCar, and Formula E and is turning part of South Lake Shore Blvd and Downtown Chicago into a street course for the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series’ this weekend.

Unlike the ovals that dominate the NASCAR schedule, or permanent road tracks and purpose-built racing facilities like Circuit of the Americas (CoTA) or Sonoma Raceway, the Chicago circuit will take the NASCAR drivers through Grant Park with Lake Michigan on the left, while the Drivers will zip past the Spearman sculpture through the turns 8-10 complex on East Congress Plaza that crosses Ida B. Wells Drive. The Grant Park Circuit features many straights that lead to heavy-braking zones and 90-degree turns.

Despite the unknowns and intangibles involved and the general competitiveness and unpredictability of most NASCAR races, Bangthebook has dug a little deeper to help your NASCAR Grant Park 220 betting picks be winning ones.

Check out Nascar odds on BetUS

Will Road Course Success = Street Circuit Success?

NASCAR has had two non-oval events this season: the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas and the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway two weeks ago. While being good on road courses will be helpful on an entirely new circuit, can past road course success translate to NASCAR’s Chicago Street Circuit?

Unfortunately for 23 XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick (+650), success at CoTA did not translate to success at Sonoma. Reddick and Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron (+1200) engaged in a two-car battle that resembled Formula 1 more than NASCAR, breaking away from the pack at CoTA until caution flags bunched the field up. In the end, Reddick won the race, while late race caution flags helped drop Byron to fifth after capturing pole position and the stage 1 win. At Sonoma, Reddick finished 33rd.

Byron is among BangtheBook’s favored NASCAR picks and having an excellent season, with three race wins and ten top-ten finishes landing him second in the NASCAR Drivers’ Championship standings. However, despite looking ready for a jump to open-wheel racing at CoTa, Byron finished a respectable but somewhat disappointing 14th.

Byron bounced back with a sixth-place finish in Nashville, his seventh top-ten finish in the last eight races.

The Hot Hand

In the unpredictable world of NASCAR, there might not be a Driver with a hotter hand at the moment than current Drivers’ Championship leader Martin Truex Jr. (+775) While Truex Jr. finished 17th at CoTA – one of six finishes outside the top ten in his first seven races, Truex Jr. has been a force since his seventh place finish at Bristol.

Since Bristol, Truex Jr. has two race wins, five top-five, and eight top-ten finishes. There are two things to note about Truex Jr.’s recent run of form: he’s finished in the top five in the last four races, including finishing second in Nashville, and he was the winner at Sonoma and led the most laps.

BangtheBooks Favored Contenders

While we can’t shine the light on every driver, we have three drivers you should consider as potential Grant Park 220 winners.

Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain (+1200) won his first race of the season at Nashville and currently sits third in the Drivers’ Standings. Chastain has had an up-and-down season but has collected eight top-ten finishes this season, including a tenth-place finish at Sonoma, while finishing 12th at CoTA.

Kyle Busch (+1000) has three race wins and ten top-ten finishes this season, including five top-ten finishes in his last five races, finishing second at Sonoma. Busch also finished second at CoTa, emerging from the late-race restart chaos.

Hendrick Motorsports Kyle Larson (+850) is Bangthebook’s last potential winner at Grant Park. Larson is always a betting favorite in most NASCAR races and has two race wins and eight top-ten finishes this season, including three top-ten finishes in his last three races.

However, BangtheBook’s NASCAR Betting Pick is to take Kyle Busch at +1000 to win the Grant Park 220.

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Tennessee Lottery 250 Betting Preview

Posted on by Ryan Knuppel

The NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to Nashville this weekend with the Tennessee Lottery 250 for Nashville Superspeedway. The three-stage event totals 188 laps on the 1.33-mile oval, with the race scheduled for 1:30 pm this Saturday. Justin Allgaier won the event in 2022 and is one of the favorites to defend his title this weekend.

This is the second running of the Tennessee Lottery 250 after a ten-year absence from the Xfinity Series schedule when the track was closed at the end of the 2011 season. Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in 2021 despite competing in the Cup Series full-time. Here’s a look at the favorites for this Saturday’s event from Nashville.

Check out the Tennessee Lottery 250 odds on BetUS

Tennessee Lottery 250 Odds

Justin Allgaier +325

Allgaier has been hot as of late and is one of the BetOnline favorites, with four podium finishes in the last five races. He won the Tennessee Lottery 250 in 2022 while running the fastest time ever in this event at 2:05:44, almost nine seconds faster than the previous record set by Scott Wimmer in 2008. With his recent momentum and the success of JR Motorsports at this track, he’s at the top of the odds board for Saturday’s event.

Ty Gibbs +325

Gibbs has had success at Nashville Superspeedway in the past and finished fourth here last year, although he suffered some mechanical issues that kept him out of contention. Last year’s Xfinity Series champion has been competing in the Cup Series in 2023 but will make an appearance in this Xfinity Series event at one of his favorite tracks.

John Hunter Nemechek +500

Nemechek currently leads the Xfinity Series standings by four points over Austin Hill and seeks his third win of the season to equal his rival. He’s led for 225 laps more than his closest competitor in 2023 and has 11 top-ten finishes in 14 events. 

He finished outside the top ten for just the third time in the previous eight races, but his win on the oval at Martinsville and a recent second-place finish at Charlotte have helped make him one of the favorites at Nashville this weekend.  

Josh Berry +650

Currently, fifth in the Xfinity Series standings, Berry is still looking for his first victory of 2023. He’s only finished outside the top-ten four times in 14 races and has just two podium finishes at Richmond and Dover, where he placed second. 

In 2021, he finished second to teammate Kyle Busch at the Tennessee Lottery 250 and could get his elusive first win of 2023 in the JR Motorsports No. 8 Chevy.    

Tennessee Lottery 250 Driver to Watch

AJ Allmendinger (+1600) is driving full-time in the Cup Series in 2023 and currently ranks 20th in the standings with two top-ten finishes in 16 events. He’s also run two road-course races in the Xfinity Series this season, taking the win at the Pit Boss 250 at Circuit of the Americas. He’s historically performed well on oval tracks in the Xfinity Series and has a great chance to get the victory at Nashville on Saturday.   

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Enjoy Illinois 300 Betting Preview

Posted on by Ryan Knuppel

The Enjoy Illinois 300, the 15th event of the 2023 NASCAR season, is scheduled to take place in Madison, Illinois, on June 4. The track is comprised of a 1.25-mile oval with varying degrees of turns, including an 11-degree turn in turn one and two-nine-degree banks in turns three and four. The race will cover a distance of 300 kilometers, equivalent to 240 laps.

Back In The Driver’s Seat

Last week’s Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, NC, saw a massive downpour before Ryan Blaney emerged victorious after 59 tries for a win. However, this weekend’s upcoming race will feature a fresh start with different contenders. 

Despite William Byron and Martin Truex Jr.’s strong performances in the last race, Blaney managed to get the better of them. Although there was speculation about Truex Jr.’s potential to win, he was unable to surpass Byron.

The success of Hendrick Motorsports Racing in Charlotte has been long-standing. Regrettably, Byron has been unsuccessful in this arena. As the NASCAR Cup Series advances, the pursuit of leaders Ross Chastain (+1200 for the Enjoy Illinois 300) and favorite Kyle Larson, who’s getting +450, intensifies amidst the playoff competition.

Larson, despite his 30th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 last weekend, is predicted to be one of the first to cross the finish line this weekend. The Coca-Cola 600 marked the second consecutive race in the Cup Series, where he failed to be one of the top-20 drivers, and he won’t make the mistake again.  

Despite not winning a race this year, Chastain remains toward the top of the overall standings. Meanwhile, William Byron’s impressive streak of top-four finishes continued as he finished second, making him a potential contender for this weekend’s race.

William Byron Looks For Win Number Four

Byron already has three victories this season and is now looking for his fourth. He comes into the Enjoy Illinois 300 with five consecutive top-seven finishes this season and, alongside Larson, has helped deliver Hendrick Motorsports 1,270 lap leads already. 

Byron is getting +650 for the upcoming race, in no small part because of his consistency and the support of Hendrick Motorsports. He faces monumental competition, though, and victory won’t come cheap. 

Blaney Wants Two In A Row

It is unlikely for drivers to achieve two consecutive victories in a season due to the tough competition and the inconsistent nature of the track. Blaney has the opportunity to defy the odds.

Gateway and Charlotte, despite their differences, offer similar setups. A new intermediate package will be implemented, in which Blaney holds the swiftest lap time at Dover. Akin to the Dover circuit, Charlotte’s terrain paved the way for Blaney’s triumph, and this familiarity with the track could give him an edge.

Although the package remains unchanged for Gateway, the track configuration varies. The update has already led to Joey Logano’s victory in the race, with Austin Cindric achieving the sixth-highest driver rating. 

Furthermore, Blaney came in second place with a remarkable driver score of 118.2 during the Gateway 2022 race. He could have been the winner of the race, had he not encountered an error on the pit road. Blaney’s getting +1100 for the Enjoy Illinois 300, and is the man to watch.