The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., Sunday for the 2022 Quaker State 400. The green flag is set to drop a little after 3 p.m. ET (USA). Below we analyze the 2022 Quaker State 400 odds and lines, with NASCAR picks and predictions.
Sunday’s race is scheduled for 260 laps on the 1.54-mile long quad-oval at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
This is the second stop of the season at the venerable track outside of Greater Atlanta. Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron won the 501-mile run in late March, averaging 126.584 mph in a race that featured a record 46 lead changes, besting the 45 lead changes in the 1982 Fall Race when Bobby Allison raced to checkers in his Buick.
2022 Quaker State 400: What you need to know
- After 5 consecutive victories by Ford from February 2017 to March 2021, Chevrolet has raced to Victory Lane in the last 2 installments.
- Chevrolet and Ford both have 5 Atlanta wins since the Fall Race in 2013. That’s the last time Toyota has been able to pick up checkers at this track.
- B’s are wild – as Byron, Kurt Busch and Ryan Blaney have won the past 3 races in Atlanta.
- Hendrick’s Chase Elliott is on the pole after Saturday’s qualifying round was wiped out by rain.
- Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain will start on the outside of Row 1, with Road America winner Tyler Reddick going off from the third spot.
[tipico]
Quaker State 400 – Expert picks
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:36 a.m. ET.
ELLIOTT (+1000) is listed as the co-favorite with Chastain and Blaney. The Georgia native is a much better play than those 2 drivers. In 8 career starts at his home track, Elliott has yet to win, but he has a top-5 finish and 6 top-10 runs with 68 laps led. He also leads all active drivers with a 12.6 Average-Finish Position (AFP).
KURT BUSCH (+2000) is worth a roll of the dice, as he leads all active drivers with 4 career wins in Atlanta with 9 top-5 runs, 17 top-10 finishes and 952 laps led with a 14.6 AFP.
Quaker State 400 picks – Long shot
BRAD KESELOWSKI (+3000) has struggled with his new team in 2022, but he could be dangerous at AMS. Keselowski has 2 wins, 4 top-5 finishes and 9 top-10 runs in 15 career Atlanta starts while posting a 15.0 AFP. As such, he is worth a small-unit play.
In addition, KESELOWSKI TOP-10 FINISH (+155) at plus-money is still a pretty solid value, and likely a lot more realistic.
Quaker State 400 prop picks
CHRIS BUESCHER TOP-10 FINISH (+140)
Buescher is worth a look for a top-10 run. He has made 8 starts in Atlanta during his Cup Series career, posting 3 top-10 finishes with a 17.3 AFP, improving from an Average Start Position of 21.9.
MARTIN TRUEX JR. – GROUP 4 WINNER (+240)
Truex Jr. is the favorite to finish better than Alex Bowman (+240), Austin Cindric (+260) and Chase Briscoe (+260).
MTJ has 25 career Atlanta Cup starts under his belt, posting 6 top-5 finishes and 13 top-10 runs while leading 356 laps. He has 4 DNFs, tied for the most among all active drivers, so there is some risk. But he has the highest AFP of the 4 drivers in Group 4.
Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and soon IA. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW, or try out our USA TODAY Parlay Calculator. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1950]