Tag: NASCAR Predictions

Super Start Batteries 400 at Kansas odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Super Start Batteries 400 Presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts at Kansas Speedway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.

The NASCAR Cup Series moves to the Kansas Speedway for the Super Start Batteries 400 Presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts. The green flag drops Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET with the race televised on NBCSN. Below, we analyze the Super Start Batteries 400 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.

Super Start Batteries 400: What you need to know

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 8:20 a.m. ET.

Thursday’s race at Kansas Speedway will be the 29th installment since its NASCAR Cup Series debut race back in 2001 – won by Jeff Gordon.

  • Denny Hamlin took checkers in the last Kansas Cup race (Oct. 20, 2019), while Brad Keselowski raced to a win in the spring run (May 11, 2019).
  • All three manufacturers have had success at Kansas Speedway in recent seasons, with Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota each posting a win across the past three races. In the past six races, though, Toyota has three checkered flags, while Chevrolet has raced to wins in 12 of the 28 Cup races at the track.
  • Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon was an upset winner last Sunday at Texas. He has an impressive 13.8 Average-Finish Position (AFP) across his past eight Kansas starts. Fellow RCR driver Tyler Reddick ended up second in Texas, and was ninth in his Kansas Cup debut last season.
  • Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott was the last driver to steer a Chevy to Victory Lane at this track and has a sparkling 2.33 AFP across his past three Kansas starts.

Who is going to win the Super Start Batteries 400?

ELLIOTT (+650 for Thursday’s race) has one win in his past three Kansas Cup starts along with three consecutive top-5 showings. While there has been a couple of upset winners the past two weekends with Cole Custer at Kentucky and Dillon winning in Texas, look for one of the favorites to come through in this one.

Elliott started 13th in his winning run at Kansas in the Fall of 2018, and the average starting position of the past three winners is 13.3.

KEVIN HARVICK (+450), of course, is among the favorites Thursday night. He leads all drivers with a 9.79 AFP (min. two Cup starts) in 28 Cup races in Kansas, picking up three victories with eight top-5 showings and 15 top-10 runs. He also leads the way among all drivers with 855 laps led.

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MARTIN TRUEX JR. (+650) went off the rails at Texas, clipping teammate Kyle Busch in the middle of the run and was never able to recover, ending up 29th. Look for MTJ to return with a vengeance at Kansas, a track where he has won twice, posting eight top-5 finishes and led 759 laps in 23 Cup starts, good for a 13.87 AFP.

Kansas Speedway long-shot bets

JIMMIE JOHNSON (+3500) has three wins in 27 career Cup starts while posting a 10.33 AFP. Of course, all of that success came with crew chief Chad Knaus at the top of JJ’s pit box. Meanwhile, the seven-time Cup champion Johnson hasn’t won since June 2017. Will he never win a Cup race again? Don’t bet on it. He’s a GREAT SMALL-UNIT PLAY at this price.

Knaus, by the way, will be away from William Byron’s team for the birth of his second child. Keith Rodden will take over crew chief duties for the No. 24.

TYLER REDDICK (+3500) had his best career Cup finish last Sunday, rolling to a second-place finish. Is it Reddick’s turn this week? This will be only his second Kansas Cup race – as mentioned above, he finished ninth last year.

Lastly, don’t forget Kansas native CLINT BOWYER (+4000) at his home track. While he has never won in 23 career starts here, he has three top-5 showings, eight top-10 runs, 63 laps led and a 15.7 AFP. One of these days he is going to win in his native Sunflower State.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500. The green flag drops Sunday at 3 p.m. ET with the race televised on NBCSN. Below, we analyze the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.

O’Reilly Auto Parts 500: What you need to know

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 7:05 a.m. ET.

Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway will be the 39th installment since its NASCAR Cup Series debut race back in 1997 – won by Jeff Burton.

  • Kevin Harvick won last season’s race from the pole, and has taken checkers in three of the past five Cup races in Fort Worth. Last year’s win from the pole was the first time that had been done in 13 Texas races when Kyle Busch turned the trick in the spring 2013 race.
  • Harvick has registered 10 straight finishes inside the top 10 at Texas, and has been 10th or better in 22 of his 34 Cup starts at the track.
  • Joe Gibbs Racing’s Erik Jones leads all drivers with a 9.43 Average-Finish Position (AFP) in seven Cup starts, while Ganassi Racing’s Matt Kenseth is second among active drivers with a 9.47 AFP in 30 Texas starts.
  • Chevrolet has been to Victory Lane just once in the past eight Texas starts, while Ford has three wins and Toyota has four checkered flags during the span.
  • Seven-time champ Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with seven Cup victories at Texas. Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Harvick each have three victories at the track.

Who is going to win the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500?

HARVICK (+350 for Sunday’s race) has not only been the gold standard at Texas Motor Speedway lately, but he and HAMLIN (+600) have been the two most consistent drivers since NASCAR resumed the regular season.

Harvick has two wins in the past four Cup races, and has been 10th or better in 14 of his 17 starts overall this season.

JOHNSON (+2200) hasn’t won since the June 4, 2017, Dover race. Eventually the No. 48 machine is going to return to Victory Lane. Why not in Texas? Johnson, who will start out of the 20th spot in Sunday’s grid, won from the 24 spot in the 2017 spring race. J.J. is certainly worth a small-unit bet at this price point.

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JOEY LOGANO (+1100) is a pretty strong value at this price given the fact he has finished seventh or better in seven of the past eight Texas starts. He hasn’t won since the Duck Commander 500 back in spring 2014, but his 10 top-5 finishes in 23 Cup starts at TMS is certainly impressive.

Texas Motor Speedway long-shot bets

WILLIAM BYRON (+3500) has rather long odds, but he is worth a look this weekend. He was 17th in the fall race at Texas, but he has finished 10th and sixth in the previous two spring runs in Fort Worth.

MATT KENSETH (+3500) has a pair of Texas wins on his resume, while posting 14 top-5 runs, 19 top-10 finishes and 883 laps led in 30 career Cup starts with a 9.47 AFP. As such he certainly warrants plenty of consideration.

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Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart at Kentucky Speedway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.

The NASCAR Cup Series moves to the Kentucky Speedway for the Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart. The green flag drops Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET with the race televised on FOX Sports 1. Below, we analyze the Quaker State 400 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.

Quaker State 400: What you need to know

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 1:10 p.m. ET.

Sunday’s race at Kentucky Speedway will be the 10th installment since its NASCAR Cup Series debut race won by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch in 2011.

  • Busch has won this race twice, the inaugural event in 2011, and again in 2015.
  • Kyle’s older brother, Kurt Busch, won last season’s Kentucky race, starting from the fourth position. It was the first time a Chevrolet picked up checkers at Sparta, Ky., snapping a two-race win streak for Toyota.
  • Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski has won this race three times, leading all drivers in that category. JGR’s Martin Truex Jr. joins Keselowski and Kyle Busch as multiple winners. Truex drove to Victory Lane in back-to-back races in 2017 and ’18.
  • Ganassi Racing’s Matt Kenseth, who finished second at Indianapolis Sunday, won the 2013 Kentucky race from the 16th starting position. He is the only winner in the nine-year history of the event to start outside of the top 10.
  • Seven-time champ Jimmie Johnson, who had his streak of 663 consecutive starts snapped when a positive coronavirus test forced him to skip Indianapolis last week, will race Sunday. He tested negative on Monday and Tuesday, green-lighting his return to the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet.

Who is going to win the Quaker State 400?

KYLE BUSCH (+650 for Sunday’s race) has had a surprisingly difficult season, failing to win any of the 16 races. However, he has three runner-up finishes and seven top-5 showings so far. He led 100 laps at Bristol on May 31, but a total of just 16 laps in the seven races since. Despite those struggles, he has dominated at Kentucky in the past.

Busch has three straight top-5 runs at Kentucky, and he leads all drivers with a 4.7 Average-Finish Position (AFP) in nine Kentucky starts. He has eight top-10 showings with two victories.

BRAD KESELOWSKI (+800) leads everyone with three wins in the first nine Kentucky races, including a win from the pole in 2014. Two of his past three starts at the track have been adventures, finishing 39th in 2017 and 20th last season. He is also second to Kyle Busch (621) with 524 laps led all time at the track.

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KEVIN HARVICK (+450) has won two of his past three races, including last week’s thriller at Indy. “Happy” went off the rails with a 22nd-place finish last season at Kentucky, but before that, he had a string of six consecutive top-10 showings. His 10.8 AFP in nine Kentucky starts is fourth-best among all active drivers.

Kentucky Speedway long-shot bets

ERIK JONES (+2500) is a tremendous value at this price as he has finishes of sixth, seventh and third in three-career Cup starts at the track. That third-place run came last season, and he is second to teammate Kyle Busch among active drivers in AFP at Kentucky (minimum three starts).

KURT BUSCH (+2000) won last season’s race at Kentucky, so why not again? He is fifth among active drivers with a 10.8 AFP in nine starts, including two top-5 runs, six top-10 showings and 137 laps led. Before his win last season, he was sixth in 2018. He now has four top-10 showings in his past five Kentucky starts. At this price he is a solid value and worth a small-unit wager.

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Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records from Indianapolis odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records at Indianapolis Motor Speedway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.

The NASCAR Cup Series moves to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records. The green flag drops Sunday at 4 p.m. ET with the race televised on NBC. Below, we analyze the Big Machine 400 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.

Big Machine 400: What you need to know

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturay, July 4 at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Sunday’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the largest sporting venue in the world with a capacity of 235,000, will take place in front of no fans due to the COVID-19 global pandemic and social distancing practices.

  • Seven-time series champ Jimmie Johnson tested positive for the coronavirus Friday and will miss the race – and likely a few more. His streak of 663 consecutive Cup starts will end – a streak that ranks fifth all time behind Jeff Gordon (797), Ricky Rudd (788), Bobby Labonte (704) and Rusty Wallace (697).
  • Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick (+400 for Sunday’s race) is the chalk in Indy. He won last season’s race from the pole position. In 19 career starts at the Brickyard, he has two wins, seven top-5 finishes and 13 top-10 showings, while leading all active drivers with an 8.95 Average-Finish Position (AFP).
  • Ford had not won in 18 consecutive Cup races at IMS from 2000-2017 before Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski (+800) broke through for checkers in 2018. With Harvick’s win last season, Ford has consecutive wins at the Indiana 2.5-mile oval for the first time since 1996-97.
  • Three of the past seven winners at Indianapolis have come from the No. 1 spot on the starting grid, while six of the previous seven have started ninth or better.

Who is going to win the Big Machine 400?

HARVICK (+400) won last summer at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and leads all active drivers with an 8.95 AFP. He has finished eighth or better in each of his past six starts, including top-5 showings in three of the previous five.

Harvick was 13th in the 2013 version of this race. In the previous six starts at the track, Happy has posted a 4.7 AFP.

While Keselowski gets a lot of the attention due to his 2018 win at this track, the more consistent Penske driver at IMS is JOEY LOGANO (+800). He was a runner-up to Harvick last season, and has been the bridesmaid in two of his past five Indianapolis runs. In his previous seven IMS starts he is averaging a 5.9 AFP, making him WORTH A BET.

DENNY HAMLIN (+500) has been delivering consistency in the No. 11 FedEx Toyota lately, including a win at Pocono last Sunday. He has actually never won at Indianapolis in 14 tries, but has a strong 12.4 AFP with five top-5 finishes, eight top-10 showings and 112 laps led with zero DNFs.

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KYLE BUSCH (+500) is among the favorites despite the fact he has zero victories so far during the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule, and there just seems to be something off with the No. 18 team. If Busch and his team can finally figure out the right combination, HE IS A STRONG BET to win at this track. He posted back-to-back wins at IMS in 2015-16.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway long-shot bets

WILLIAM BYRON (+2500) appeared in the long-shot bets section last weekend at Pocono, but was unable to come through. He has been a quick study during the early years of his Cup career, posting a 19th-place finish at Indy in 2018 before improving to fourth in last season’s installment.

RYAN NEWMAN (+8000) is WORTH A SMALL-UNIT BET at this price. He won this race in 2013, and has racked up finishes of 12th or better in eight of his past nine starts at the track. “Rocket Man” is also a Hoosier State native, so he brings more intensity than usual when running on his home turf.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Pocono 350 odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Pocono 350 at Pocono Raceway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.

The NASCAR Cup Series is back at the Pocono Raceway for the Pocono 350. The green flag drops Sunday at 4:20 p.m. ET with the race televised on FOX. Below, we analyze the Pocono 350 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.

Pocono 350: What you need to know

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday at 5 a.m. ET.

The NASCAR boys just ran on the track Saturday in the first doubleheader weekend in Cup Series history. Stewart Haas driver Kevin Harvick streaked to victory, holding off Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin by a few car lengths.

  • Leavine Family Racing driver Christopher Bell and Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell showed Saturday that the little guys can compete, especially in these shorter-length races. The rookie Bell had a tremendous Cup debut at the “Tricky Triangle,” racing his way to fourth place, while McDowell finished eighth.
  • Toyota’s streak of five consecutive Pocono victories was snapped Saturday with Harvick’s win. Ford now has three wins in the past eighth Pocono runs, while Chevrolet hasn’t been to victory in Long Pond since the Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400 in the Spring 2016 race.
  • Lucky Nine? Harvick started in the ninth position Saturday and raced to the win, while Hamlin won from the ninth starting spot last July at Pocono. Penske Racing’s Ryan Blaney (+1200 for Sunday’s race) starts ninth in the 350.
  • Aric Almirola (+1600) recorded a third-place finish Saturday, his highest finish in a Cup car during a Pocono start. His previous best was seventh, set during the Spring ’18 run.

Who is going to win the Pocono 350?

HAMLIN (+500) was my top pick for Saturday’s race, and he was just edged out by Harvick. Hamlin could have used some lapped traffic to disrupt Happy’s flow, but it just never came into fruition and the No. 11 had to settle for runner-up.

Hamlin is 12th or better in seven of his past eight Pocono starts, including a win last July, and the runner-up showing on Saturday. He was the top finishing Toyota in Saturday’s race.

KYLE BUSCH (+550) was unable to pick up the checkered flag Saturday, but still has three wins in his past six Pocono starts. He ended up in fifth place Saturday, which isn’t too shabby. In fact, Rowdy has placed inside the top 10 in eight consecutive starts at the “Tricky Triangle” since a disastrous 31st-place showing in the Spring ’16 start.

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MARTIN TRUEX JR. (+1000) made his presence felt with a solid sixth-place run, giving JGR three cars – joining Hamlin and Kyle Busch – in the top six positions. Truex was third in last season’s summer race, and has been sixth or better in five of his past seven Pocono starts. At this price (+1000), TRUEX IS A VERY GOOD VALUE.

Pocono Raceway long-shot bets

BELL (+6500) turned in a fourth-place showing in his Pocono Cup debut Saturday, so he has to be on the radar of bettors at this price as we eagerly wait to see what he can do for an encore. Even if he falls a few positions, you can scoop him up and RING THAT BELL AT +310 FOR A TOP-10 FINISH.

WILLIAM BYRON (+2200) had a solid 14th-place showing Saturday, setting him up to start from the seventh spot in Sunday’s grid. He has a solid 10.2 Average-Finish Position (AFP) in five career Cup starts at the Pennsylvania tri-oval, so keep an eye on the No. 24 car. If you’re not feeling him for checkers, but perhaps to place inside the top 10, he is just about even-money at +105.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Pocono Organics 325 odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Pocono Organics 325 at Pocono Raceway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Pocono Raceway for the Pocono Organics 325 in partnership with Rodale Institute. The green flag drops Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET with the race televised on FOX. Below, we analyze the Organics 325 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.

Pocono Organics 325: What you need to know

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday, June 26 at 8:20 a.m. ET.

Saturday’s race at Pocono Raceway will take place as a part of a two-day, four-race card in Long Pond, Pa. Saturday kicks off with the Pocono Organics 150 to benefit Farm Aid, a Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race at 12:30 p.m. ET. Then our Pocono Organics race follows. Sunday will feature the Xfinity Series’ Pocono Green 225 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro & Sons at 12:30 p.m., followed by the Cup Series’ Pocono 350 at 4 p.m.

  • Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin (+800 for Saturday’s race) won the July race at Pocono last season, starting from the ninth position. According to NASCAR’s Loop Data, he has averaged a 105.1 Driver Rating at Pocono Raceway since 2005 to lead the circuit.
  • Toyota has rattled off five consecutive victory at Pocono, all from the JGR stable of cars, including three checkered flags going to Kyle Busch (+500).
  • Kyle Busch was the last driver to win from the pole position at the Overton’s 400 during the July ’17 race at Pocono. He is the only driver in the past 13 starts to win from the pole in the shadows of the twin spires in Pennsylvania.
  • Erik Jones (+2000) is the only current JGR driver who hasn’t won at Pocono in the Cup series, but he leads all active drivers with an 8.3 Average-Finish Position, including four top-5 runs, in six career starts.

Who is going to win the Pocono Organics 325?

HAMLIN (+800) has been super consistent over the years at this track, rattling off five wins, 11 top-5 results and 18 top-10 showings with 726 laps led and an 11.96 AFP in 28 career starts. The driver of the No. 11 Toyota has finished 20th or better in 22 of his 28 outings at the track, too.

Hamlin is 12th or better in six of his past seven Pocono starts, including a win last July.

KYLE BUSCH (+500) has three wins in the previous five starts at Pocono, and he has been ninth or better in each of his past seven outings. He has posted a 100.7 Average Driver Rating since ’05 at the track, third among all active drivers. While he has five DNFs in 30 career starts, or roughly 16.7 percent of his starts, he is the one to beat at Pocono lately.

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BRAD KESELOWSKI (+800) is the best bet among non-Toyota cars. The Penske Racing driver hasn’t won at Pocono since the Good Sam RV Insurance 500 in August 2011, starting in a Dodge from the 13th position. While that was a while ago – and Dodge is no longer associated with the sport – he has been eighth or better in eight of his past nine starts with three runner-up finishes and one DNF.

Pocono Raceway long-shot bets

WILLIAM BYRON (+2000) has just four Cup starts under his belt at the three-turn Pennsylvania track. He has been a quick study, however, finishing sixth in the July ’18 race, ninth in the June ’19 run and fourth in the July ’19 outing. Overall, he has a 9.3 AFP in his four Cup starts, making him worth a small-unit investment.

ERIK JONES (+2000) is another young driver who has really turned heads in the early part of his career. In six Pocono starts he has been eighth or better in five of the outings, including three finishes inside the top 3. Jones was a runner-up last July to his teammate Hamlin, and his 8.3 AFP over the past 10 Pocono races is the best among all active drivers.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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GEICO 500 at Talladega odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.

The NASCAR Cup Series moves to the Talladega Superspeedway for the GEICO 500. The green flag drops Sunday at 3 p.m. ET with the race televised on FOX. Below, we analyze the GEICO 500 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.

GEICO 500: What you need to know

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday, June 19 at 4:50 p.m. ET.

Sunday’s run at the Talladega Superspeedway is the first on a superspeedway track since the Daytona 500 opened the 2020 Sprint Cup Series season. That seems so long ago, as the stands were packed during pre-COVID 19 days. However, Talladega will actually host 5,000 fans in the frontstretch grandstands/towers, and there will be a limited amount of motorhome spots available outside of the track, too.

  • Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott (+800 for Sunday’s race) won the spring race at Talladega last season, while Penske Racing’s Ryan Blaney (+1100) took checkers in the fall race at the Alabama superspeedway.
  • Talladega’s tri-oval is 2.66 miles long, compared to Daytona International Speedway, which is 2.5 miles long. There are four turns, and those turns have a 33-degree bank with a slight bank or fifth turn in front of the main grandstand.
  • Each of the past five winners have started fourth or lower in the grid, and 15 of the previous 16 winners have started from the outside of Row 2 or lower.
  • Ford has dominated this track in recent years, posting eight victories in the past nine starts.

Who is going to win the GEICO 500?

BRAD KESELOWSKI (+850) leads all active drivers with five victories at Talladega, so the Penske driver has to be considered a must-bet option, especially considering Ford’s dominance in recent seasons.

Keselowski has seven top-5 finishes, 11 top-10 showings and 293 laps led in his 22 career starts with a 16.0 Average-Finish Position (AFP) and four DNFs.

JOEY LOGANO (+900), Keselowski’s teammate, picked up a victory in the spring 2018 Talladega race, and has raced to Victory Lane in three of the past nine Cup races at Talladega Superspeedway. In 22 career starts, Logano has finished inside the top 5 on eight occasions, leading 319 laps and posting a 16.2 AFP.

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CHASE ELLIOTT (+800) has been a quick study at Talladega, picking up a win in eight Cup starts at the track. In addition, he has three top-5 showings and four top-10 finishes, while racking up 126 laps in the front of the pack and turning in a 13.25 AFP, second among active drivers with at least three career Cup starts at the superspeedway.

Talladega Superspeedway prop bets

ARIC ALMIROLA (-110) has stepped up his game in recent seasons, bringing it home inside the top 10 in each of his past seven Talladega starts. As such, he is a SOLID BET TO FINISH INSIDE THE TOP 10 yet again. The defending champ from the fall race, Blaney (-200) is a little on the expensive side even for a top-10 finish. While yes, he won last season at the track, he had posted a 23.8 AFP in the previous five runs at ‘Dega. A better bet might be Ryan Newman (+185), as he has finished inside the top 10 in four of the past five runs at the superspeedway.

For Talladega, you can take part in group betting. If you’re new to betting, this simply means you choose one driver among a listed group of four. Whomever places highest cashes a winning ticket. In Group 3 betting, AUSTIN DILLON (+250) is a good play in the group with William Byron (+215), Matt DiBenedetto (+250) and Christopher Bell (+275).

Among the best finishing position matchups, take LOGANO (-118) to finish better than Denny Hamlin. ALMIROLA (-115) is a good bet to outpace Alex Bowman, while DILLON (-118) is also worth playing against DiBenedetto.

Talladega Superspeedway long-shot bets

RICKY STENHOUSE JR. (+2000) is always worth a look at superspeedways. He picked up a win here during the spring 2017 run in his Ford, while starting from the pole position. In 13 career Cup starts here, he has five top-5 showings, eight top-10 runs and a 11.62 AFP, leading all active drivers.

ALMIROLA (+2000) is also worth a roll of the dice, posting a win, four top-5 runs, eight top-10 results and 46 laps led with a 15.35 AFP in his 20 career Talladega starts. And, as mentioned, he has cracked off seven straight runs finishing ninth or better, including the win in the fall of 2018 at ‘Dega.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads down to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Dixie Vodka 400. The green flag drops Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET with the race televised on FOX. Below, we analyze the Dixie Vodka 400 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.

Dixie Vodka 400: What you need to know

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday, June 13 at 6:20 a.m. ET.

Sunday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be the first sporting event with fans in the stands since mid-March. NASCAR will allow 1,000 fans, just military members or first responders, to attend as honorary guests. Fans will be required to wear masks, will be screened upon arrival and will be expected to follow physical-distancing guidelines at six feet apart.

Even with a smattering of people in the grandstands, this event will have a much different look and feel from previous seasons. From 2002 to 2019, the South Florida track hosted the final race of the season, leading to the crowning of the Cup Series champion. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch (+500 for Sunday’s race) won the championship with a checkered flag at this track last season, his second trip to Victory Lane at HMS in five years.

  • Six of the previous seven races have been won by a driver starting fifth or better. Denny Hamlin (+1000), Joey Logano (+800), Brad Keselowski (+1000), Busch and Chase Elliott (+700) are in starting spots 1 through 5.
  • Toyota has been the Victory Lane in two of the past three at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and four of the past seven.
  • Busch leads all drivers with 463 laps led, although he ranks 12th among active drivers with a 16.33 Average-Finish Position (AFP) across his 15 career starts at this track.
  • Rick Ware Racing’s J.J. Yeley (+100000) and Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell (+50000) lead all active drivers with four DNFs apiece.

Who is going to win the Dixie Vodka 400?

HAMLIN (+1000) was a big disappointment at Martinsville Wednesday night, but has had strong results at this track in the past. Look for a nice bounce back. Plus, he is a strong value at this price.

Hamlin has two career wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway, while posting four top-5 runs, 10 top-10 finishes, 256 laps led and a 10.53 AFP in 15 starts at the track.

KEVIN HARVICK (+400) is always a threat at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He leads all active drivers with a sparkling 6.42 AFP in 19 career starts. While he has just one win, he has placed inside the top 5 on 11 different occasions while leading 414 laps. He has never finished lower than 20th at this track, too.

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CHASE ELLIOTT (+700) has yet to taste victory at HMS, but has never finished lower than 15th, either. In fact, he has a 9.50 AFP, second best in the field among drivers with at least four starts.

Homestead-Miami Speedway prop bets

HARVICK (-154) is a strong play to finish inside the top 5. In addition, HAMLIN (+140) is worth a roll of the dice to finish in the top 5, too.

Among the best finishing position matchups, take HAMLIN (-112) to finish better than Keselowski. CLINT BOWYER (-106) is a good bet to outpace William Byron, while Florida native ARIC ALMIROLA (+125) is a value play over Tyler Reddick.

Homestead-Miami Speedway long-shot bets

AUSTIN DILLON (+1400) has the best potential to crash the party and spoil the day for the favorites. He has shown tremendous and consistent improvement since making his debut at this track in 2014. He improved to 15th in 2015, 12th in 2016, 11th in both 2017 and 2018 and eighth last season.

Want action on this race? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1950]

Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.

The NASCAR Cup Series moves to Martinsville Speedway for the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500. The green flag drops Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. ET with the race televised on FOX Sports 1. Below, we analyze the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.

Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500: What you need to know

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, June 10 at 5:20 a.m. ET.

Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski (+600 for Wednesday’s race) won the spring NASCAR Series Cup race at venerable Martinsville Speedway in 2019, while Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. (+600) picked up checkers in the fall race during the playoffs.

  • Both winners in 2019 started from the third position in the grid, and each of the previous 13 winners have started third or lower. The last driver to win from Row 1 was Jimmie Johnson (+2000), both in the spring 2013 race and fall 2012 installment.
  • Ford has won three of the previous four Martinsville races, while Toyota has won two of the past five. Johnson last took Chevrolet to Victory Lane in the fall 2016 race.
  • Johnson leads all active drivers with 2,863 laps led in his 36 career starts at Martinsville. He has nine victories, 19 top-5 finishes and 24 top-10 runs with just two DNFs and a 9.31 Average-Finish Position (AFP).
  • Five drivers in Wednesday’s field have at least two grandfather clocks – the “trophy” for winning at Martinsville – in their shops: Johnson (9), Denny Hamlin (5), Kurt Busch (2), Kyle Busch (2) and Keselowski (2) each have multiple wins at the paper-clip short track in the hills of Virginia.
  • Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney (+1100) is on the pole for Wednesday’s race. In eight career starts at Martinsville he has no wins, but a solid three top-5 finishes, four top-10 wins, 145 laps led and 12.88 AFP.

Who is going to win the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500?

The Virginia native Hamlin (+700) is second among active drivers with 1,566 laps led in 28 starts with five victories and a 9.39 AFP. Hamlin, who is from Chesterfield, Va., has also posted 15 runs inside the top 5 with 21 in the top 10.

JGR’s Hamlin goes off from the 12th spot on Wednesday night. Two of his five wins at Martinsville have come from the pole, but his other three victories are when he started 15th or lower.

TRUEX JR. (+600) has managed just one win in his career at Martinsville, the fall race last season. But he has been eighth or better in each of his past five Martinsville runs, including four top-5 finishes, and he has a 7.1 AFP across his past 10 starts at the track. That’s third best among all drivers dating back to the spring 2015 run. Truex goes off fifth.

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KESELOWSKI (+600) enters Wednesday’s race with eight consecutive top-10 finishes, including wins in the spring races in 2017 and 2019. The Penske driver, who has two victories across the past four races, will start from the outside of Row 3. In fact, Penske has three Fords starting in the top six, with Blaney (+1100) on the pole and Joey Logano (+900) firing off third. All three Penske drivers are worth a look, with Keselowski the best bet of the triumvirate.

Martinsville Speedway prop bets

KESELOWSKI (+100) is a value play over Kyle Busch in head-to-head betting, while BLANEY (-105) is a decent option against his teammate Logano.

You can also bet on the Top Ford Car. Put your money on KESELOWSKI (+250) as he looks to bring his manufacturer another strong finish.

Martinsville Speedway long-shot bets

JOHNSON (+2000) continues to endure the longest win drought of his career dating back to June 2017 at Dover International Speedway. He has racked up nine grandfather clocks for the Hendrick shop and his living room, but No. 10 might be the most special if he is able to bring it home Wednesday night. Give him a look at this price, as he is bound to break through – plus, Martinsville is one of his best tracks.

Want action on this race? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1950]

Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. The green flag drops Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on FOX. Below, we analyze the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.

Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500: What you need to know

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday, June 5 at 6:05 p.m. ET.

Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski (+800) is the defending winner of this race, and he picked up checkers last season after starting from the 19th position.

  • The past three winners of the NASCAR Cup Series race in Atlanta have been in a Ford, with the three previous winners in a Chevrolet. A Toyota hasn’t been to Victory Lane in Atlanta since the AdvoCare 500 in 2013 when Kyle Busch (+650) raced to the win.
  • Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott (+600) has drawn the pole position, as starting spots 1-12 were a random draw from charter teams in those positions in team owner points.
  • The pole sitter hasn’t won in Atlanta in 18 Cup races dating back to Kasey Kahne (now retired) when he won the Golden Corral 500 in his Dodge March 20, 2006.
  • Four of the past six winners in Atlanta have started in position No. 10 or lower in the starting grid.
  • Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick (+450) leads all active drivers with 1,197 laps led in Atlanta. The next closest competitor is Ganassi’s Kurt Busch (+1600) with 802.

Who is going to win the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500?

While a pole sitter hasn’t hoisted the trophy in Atlanta since 2006, ELLIOTT (+600) is always a good choice. He has been running very consistently since the restart of the season and has been in contention for every race since the return.

Elliott leads all active drivers with a 10.5 Average-Finish Position (AFP) in four starts in Atlanta, posting a top-5 run and three top-10 finishes. He has never ended up lower than 19th at the track.

KURT BUSCH (+1600) has three wins under his belt in Atlanta, while turning in seven top-5 showings and 14 top-10 runs in 28 career starts. Plus, he has a strong 14.9 AFP along with those 802 laps led. Father Time isn’t catching up with the veteran – he turns 42 in August – especially as far as Atlanta in concerned, as he leads all drivers with a 6.9 AFP across the past 10 starts at the track. That includes finishes of fourth, seventh, eighth and third over the past four runs.

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KESELOWSKI (+800) is running with a lot of confidence, and is the defending champ of this race. He also won last week at Bristol for his second victory in the past three races. And remember, Ford has been to Victory Lane in each of the past three Atlanta runs, so …

Atlanta Motor Speedway prop bets

KURT BUSCH (-125) is almost a near certainty to finish INSIDE THE TOP 10, so play that. In addition, take the elder BUSCH (-115) over Jimmie Johnson in a head-to-head, best finishing position prop.

Another strong head-to-head play is ARIC ALMIROLA (-115) over Matt DiBenedetto. Almirola hasn’t exactly lit the track afire, but DiBenedetto just has never been able to figure the place out. In four Cup starts, DiBenedetto is 29th, 28th, 31st and 26th.

Atlanta Motor Speedway long-shot bets

Ol’ wily veteran MATT KENSETH (+6000) of Ganassi Racing is worth a roll of the dice here. He has never won in 29 tries in Atlanta, but has turned in 11 top 5s, 17 top 10s and he has led 363 laps in his career. He has an 11.93 AFP, best among all active drivers with at least five starts at the venerable, bumpy track.

If you’re looking for a REAL long shot to bet on, try DANIEL SUAREZ (+50000). He has three Cup starts under his belt in Atlanta, finishing 21st in his debut in 2017, 15th in 2018 and 10th in 2019. Of course, he is now in a more inferior machine, racing for Gaunt Brothers Racing in the No. 96 Toyota rather than his previous years with JGR and one season with SHR, thus the extremely long odds. But hey, it’s worth a $1 bet.

Want action on this race? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1950]