The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Michigan International Speedway Sunday for the 2023 Firekeepers Casino 400. The green flag is set to drop shortly after 2:30 p.m. ET (USA Network). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook lines around the 2023 Firekeepers Casino 400 odds, and make our expert NASCAR picks and predictions.
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2023 Firekeepers Casino 400: What you need to know
- Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell will lead the field to the green flag after posting a best speed of 193.382 mph
- Bell has made 4 Cup starts at MIS with a best-finish of 13th, while registering a 17.3 Average-Finish Position (AFP)
- Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott hasn’t won in 12 Cup starts in Michigan, but he has 3 top-5 finishes, 10 top-10 runs and a circuit-best 8.0 AFP. Elliott goes off 10th Sunday
- Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers with 6 wins and 16 top-5 finishes in his 42 Michigan Cup starts, while posting 737 laps led — Happy starts from the 22nd spot in the grid
- Hendrick’s Kyle Larson has racked up 3 checkered flags with 6 top-5 runs in 14 Cup starts, while posting an 11.4 AFP — he’ll start 17th
- Team Penske’s Joey Logano has managed 3 checkered flags, too, tied with Larson for 2nd-best in the field — Logano fires off from 6th
- JGR’s Denny Hamlin has posted 2 wins, 11 top-5 finishes and 17 top-10 results in 32 Cup races, while posting a 12.6 AFP
- TrackHouse Racing’s Ross Chastain has struggled in his 5 career MIS Cup races, posting a 29.8 AFP with 24th place being his best finish in the Irish Hills — He is set to start 2nd
- Hendrick’s Alex Bowman has managed a 23.5 AFP in 13 career Cup starts at MIS, and he has never finished higher than 9th, while never leading any laps. Bowman goes off 20th Sunday
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2023 Firekeepers Casino 400 – Expert picks
Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:09 a.m. ET.
KYLE LARSON (+850) is a strong play at this price, as he is tied for the 5th-shortest odds to win this race. Larson hasn’t won in Michigan since 2017, but he had registered 3 straight victories at the track from August 2016 through August 2017.
In addition, taking KEVIN HARVICK OVER RYAN BLANEY HEAD-TO-HEAD (+100) is a strong value at even-money in the “matchbets” category. Harvick has won 4 of the past 5 races at Michigan, and Ford has picked up 8 straight checkered flags in Irish Hills, much to the satisfaction of Ford executives from nearby Detroit.
2023 Firekeepers Casino 400 – Long shot
If you’re looking for a lottery ticket, CHASE BRISCOE (+20000) is worth a small-unit bet. Briscoe has made 2 Cup starts at Michigan, finishing 11th and 20th, which is good for a 15.5 AFP. While he has never led a lap at MIS, Briscoe is worth a roll of the dice.
If you’re a little more conservative, Michigan native BRAD KESELOWSKI (+1600) might not be your textbook long-shot play, but he is tied for the 13th-shortest odds. He has never won at his home track, while posting 7 top-5 finishes and 13 top-10 runs while leading 258 laps in 25 Cup starts with a strong 12.6 AFP.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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