The NASCAR Cup Series is at Martinsville Speedway Sunday for the 2022 Xfinity 500. Green flag is scheduled to drop shortly after 2 p.m. ET (NBC). Below we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the 2022 Xfinity 500 odds, and make our NASCAR picks and predictions.
2022 Xfinity 500: What you need to know
- This is the 3rd and final race of the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs; 4 drivers will qualify for the Championship 4 and NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway next Sunday
- 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports sits on the pole for Sunday’s race
- Hendrick’s William Byron won the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 at Martinsville on April 9 in the 1st stop of the season
- Penske Racing’s Ryan Blaney leads all active drivers with a 10.2 Average-Finish Position (AFP) in 13 career Cup Series starts
- Virginia native Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing leads all active drivers with 5 career Cup Series checkered flags at Martinsville
- TrackHouse Racing’s Ross Chastain, Hendrick’s Chase Elliott and Byron are currently above the cut line, with Hamlin and Blaney within striking distance
- JGR’s Christopher Bell and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe are mathematically alive for the Championship 4, but likely need a victory
- Playoff contenders starting spots: Elliott (2nd), Briscoe (3rd), Blaney (4th), Chastain (9th), Hamlin (11th), Logano (12th), Bell (20th), Byron (25th)
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2022 Xfinity 500 – Expert picks
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 10:07 p.m. ET.
DENNY HAMLIN (+700) has it all in front of him for a run to the Championship 4. This is 1 of his best career tracks, and the Chesterfield, Va., native can punch his ticket for a chance at the title in Phoenix with a win. I think Hamlin has a more than good shot, and he leads all active drivers with 1,987 laps led, too, so he knows how to stay in front.
RYAN BLANEY (+600) is not as good of a value as Hamlin in the No. 11 machine, but he is right below the cut line, too, and will be racing hard at a track he has flourished. Blaney leads all active drivers with a 10.2 AFP, and while he has no wins, he has 6 top-5 runs in his 13 career Cup starts.
2022 Xfinity 500 – Contenders
CHRISTOPHER BELL (+1300) is on the outside looking in, and it’s now or never at Martinsville. He has had an impressive run to the Round of 8, and likely needs a win to get a shot at his 1st championship. In 5 career Cup starts at the paperclip, he has a solid 17.4 AFP, but he obviously needs to do much better than that. I think he could win, or he will be a DNF. He’ll be racing desperate, which is a risky bet, but it could pay off handsomely, too.
MARTIN TRUEX JR. (+1500) is worth a look. MTJ didn’t even qualify for the playoffs after a disastrous regular season, but he could crash the party at a track he likes. He has 3 career Cup wins, 9 top-5 runs and 15 top-10 showings in his 33 starts, good for a 16.3 AFP and just 2 DNFs.
2022 Xfinity 500 prop pick
DENNY HAMLIN TOP-3 FINISH (+175)
If Hamlin doesn’t win, he should still show well. As mentioned, Hamlin has 16 top-5 finishes in his 33 Cup starts at Martinsville, including the 5 wins. This is a strong wager for the driver of the No. 11 machine, who starts 11th in the grid.
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