The NASCAR Cup Series moves to the streets of downtown Chicago Sunday for the 2023 Grant Park 220. Green flag is scheduled to drop shortly after 5:30 p.m. ET (NBC). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook lines around the 2023 Grant Park 220 odds, and make our expert NASCAR picks and predictions.
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2023 Grant Park 220: What you need to know
- This is the inaugural running of the street race in Chicago alongside the Lake Michigan shoreline in Grant Park and the museum campus
- Showers are in the forecast for Sunday, as the forecast for the Loop Station in downtown Chicago calls for temperatures in the upper 60’s with a 40% or greater chance of showers until 3 p.m. CT
- New Zealand’s Shane Van Gisbergen made a splash in practice, turning a best speed of 88.572 mph. He was 3rd in qualifying at 89.403 mph, and the TrackHouse Racing driver will start on Row 2 in his only NASCAR Cup start of the season
- Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin topped the charts Saturday in qualifying, posting a best speed of 89.557 mph
- 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick was nipping at the heels of Hamlin, posting a best speed of 89.513 mph, just missing out on the pole
- Jenson Button will make his 2nd-career start in Chicago, starting 8th in the grid. The former F1 driver was 18th in his NASCAR Cup Series debut at COTA in late March
- JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. crashed in practice, so the team will have to use a backup car Sunday. As a result, he’ll start 36th in the grid
- TrackHouse Racing’s Ross Chastain (87.171 mph) and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick (87.052 mph) struggled in qualifying, and will go off 34th and 35th respectively
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2023 Grant Park 220 – Expert picks
Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:45 a.m. ET.
DENNY HAMLIN (+650) isn’t the chalk, and oddly enough he has the 4th-shortest odds at FanDuel, and the 2nd-shortest odds (+400) at BetMGM. It’s yet another reminder why you need to shop around, as the outright betting numbers vary greatly from app to app.
Hamlin is set to go off from the pole after Saturday’s qualifying effort.
We won’t see a lot of passing on this narrow, 12-turn track through the streets of Chicago. Passing opportunities will be limited to the long straightaways and occasional chances on turns. While the pole sitter seems like a no-brainer, with tight turns, there is a high chance for error.
In addition, the driver of the No. 11 seems like a lightning rod for contact and controversy lately, so this is anything but a sure thing. Still, for a chance to multiply your initial wager by 4 times, this is the best bet.
2023 Grant Park 220 – Long shot
JENSON BUTTON (+4800 at FanDuel Sportsbook) is a former F1 driver who has already appeared behind the wheel of a stock car driving at COTA earlier this season. Like Hamlin above, the odds vary greatly from BetMGM, which has Button listed at just +2000. Take advantage.
Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney (+6000 at BetMGM Sportsbook) also has some rather long odds for a driver of his stature. While he struggled at Sonoma in the most recent road course setup, he was a respectable 7th at Martinsville. While he is a much better option on the superspeedways, Blaney is worth a roll of the dice at this elevated price.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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