IndyCar setup sheet: Texas Motor Speedway

What: PPG 375 / Race 2 of the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series Where: Texas Motor Speedway, Texas When: Sunday, April 2, noon ET (green flag 12.10pm ET) First oval of the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season, and it’s a daunting one. Texas Motor Speedway provides …

What: PPG 375 / Race 2 of the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series
Where: Texas Motor Speedway, Texas
When: Sunday, April 2, noon ET (green flag 12.10pm ET)

First oval of the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season, and it’s a daunting one. Texas Motor Speedway provides incredible, wheel-to-wheel, 220mph action, but it’s always ready to bite hard. Winning in the Lone Star State isn’t just about mastering the draft and picking your moments to perfection; it’s also about risk vs. reward, daring to ride the sketchier high groove, and having a sixth sense for trouble.

Last year, Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden played it all to perfection, putting a last-lap slingshot move on teammate Scott McLaughlin to win in Texas for a second time (above). Prior to that, McLaughlin had dominated the race, leading 186 laps. But Texas is all about being in the right place when it counts most, and Newgarden’s move saw him edge the Kiwi by 0.0669s at the checkered flag.

Can Newgarden do it again, or will McLaughlin make amends and land a first oval win on a track where he’s twice finished on the podium in just three starts? Or could it be a day when Pato O’Ward tightrope walks on the high line and scores his second Texas victory? And will the other former winners in the field, Scott Dixon, Helio Castroneves, Will Power, Graham Rahal and Ed Carpenter, feature in the mix, too?

Throw in potent wild cards such as Ganassi debutant Takuma Sato, 2022 pole winner Felix Rosenqvist, and even a fast-learning Romain Grosjean, and anything’s possible over 250 laps and 375 miles of 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway.

You can follow all the practice and qualifying action on Peacock on Saturday, April 1, with NBC taking over for what should be another Texas thriller on Sunday, April 2. And to get even closer to it all, grab the best seat in the house with the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA and its 14 race day live onboard cameras.

TUNE IN

Saturday, April 1 / 9:00am – 10:00am ET – Practice 1 – Peacock

Saturday, April 1 / 12:15pm – 1:15pm ET – Qualifying – Peacock

Saturday, April 1 / 1:45pm – 3:30pm ET – Practice 2 – Peacock

Sunday, April 2 / Noon – 2:30pm ET – RACE – NBC, Peacock

• All sessions and the race are also available as audio commentary on SiriusXM and INDYCAR Radio.

Ride along with the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA

Taking you inside the action, 14 drivers will be carrying in-car cameras. During the race, you can live-stream every one of them with the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. You choose who you ride along with, and you can switch drivers at any time. The App’s free to download for fans worldwide and you can find out more HERE. If you’re not already onboard, take your viewing experience to a whole new level HERE.

Bringing you the onboard action from Texas Motor Speedway are…

Josef Newgarden / No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet

Newgarden only led three laps at Texas last year, but that included the lap that mattered most — the final one. With two wins and two other podiums from his last five Texas starts, expect the Penske ace to be in the mix once again.

Scott McLaughlin / No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet
The Kiwi’s three Texas starts have already delivered two second-place finishes, and last year he led 186 of the 248 laps. Will Sunday deliver the third-year Penske driver’s first career oval win?

Colton Herta / No. 26 Andretti Autosport Honda

Herta’s yet to win on an oval in his NTT IndyCar Series career, and hasn’t really been a factor in his five Texas starts so far. But as his experience and oval smarts build, don’t rule him out of contention this time around.

Alexander Rossi / No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet

St. Pete showed that Rossi was dialing in quickly with his new-for-2023 Arrow McLaren gig. He’s finished second and third at Texas with Andretti Autosport, so don’t rule him out for a strong showing.

Helio Castroneves / No. 06 Meyer Shank Racing Honda

Scott Dixon excepted, nobody else in the 2023 field even comes close to the Brazilian’s superspeedway experience and smarts. OK, Meyer Shank Racing hasn’t been a major factor in recent races, but give Castroneves even a sniff of a chance and he’s got what it takes to do the rest.

Romain Grosjean / No. 28 Andretti Autosport Honda

The former F1 driver has already shown that he isn’t fazed by ovals. His Texas debut last year ended early with an engine issue, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him hanging at the sharp end on Sunday.

Graham Rahal / No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda

Good or bad, don’t concern yourself with the speeds Rahal runs in practice and qualifying. Come the race, we can almost guarantee that 2016 Texas winner Rahal and the No. 15 will be right up there once again.

Pato O’Ward / No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet

Texas-based Mexican O’Ward goes where others fear to tread on the super-fast, 1.5-mile oval. A race winner here in 2021 thanks to his nerve and dexterity opening up a second groove, the Arrow McLaren ace should be a factor again.

Felix Rosenqvist / No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet

After taking the pole in Texas last year, a technical issue stymied Rosenqvist’s race day, but the Swede should be a factor once again. If you want to ride along with the weekend’s surprise package. Arrow McLaren’s No. 6 could well be it.

Kyle Kirkwood / No. 27 Andretti Autosport Honda

Still finding his feet with Andretti after a rookie season with AJ Foyt Racing, Kirkwood will be looking to put in a solid weekend in his first oval start with his new team.

Christian Lundgaard / No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda

After accruing valuable oval experience last season, the 2022 Rookie of the Year will be looking to take it up a notch this time around. A top-10 finish for the impressive Dane would be decent enough, but maybe there’s more in store on Sunday?

Callum Ilott / No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet

Ilott’s 2022 Texas debut was decent enough, the Brit finishing a lapped 16th, but with five laps in the lead under his belt. Like Lundgaard, taking it up a step and posting a top 10 would be progress.

Conor Daly / No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet

With two top-10 finishes and a wild, upside-down ride among his starts, Daly’s certainly experienced a lot at Texas Motor Speedway. But if superspeedway specialist ECR is in the zone, look out for the No. 20 Chevy to be a real factor on Sunday.

Jack Harvey / No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda

Last year, Harvey missed the Texas race following a practice crash and concussion. This time around, having recovered from his heavy impact in the St. Pete opener, he’ll be looking to put a decent run together to get his season started.

The INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA is free to download and access, so don’t miss out – CLICK HERE to get started.

Sato eager to launch Ganassi oval stint at Texas

“It was weird,” Takuma Sato admits. Present at the season-opening NTT IndyCar Series race in St. Petersburg with his new Chip Ganassi Racing team, the IndyCar veteran had no specific role to play as the 2023 season got under way. He’s been through …

“It was weird,” Takuma Sato admits.

Present at the season-opening NTT IndyCar Series race in St. Petersburg with his new Chip Ganassi Racing team, the IndyCar veteran had no specific role to play as the 2023 season got under way. He’s been through the situation once before when his Super Aguri Formula 1 team lost funding and fell out of the series after four rounds in 2008; it took nearly a year and a half of sitting idle and an eventual investment from his savings into the KV Racing IndyCar team to rekindle his career with a reboot in America.

Signed to an oval-only deal with the defending Indianapolis 500 winners, Sato arrived at St. Pete where he raced 13 straight times from 2010-22 and spent the weekend sitting in on CGR’s engineering meetings and getting to know the crew who will run him in the No. 11 Honda.

Set for his debut with the team during Sunday’s PPG 375 race, the 46-year-old Japanese ace is trying to adjust to a very different reality where he isn’t lining up for a full-season campaign.

“I don’t think any driver likes this situation (of going part-time), but given the circumstances for me at this point, I want to go for the wins,” Sato told RACER. “I want to go with a very competitive team, and obviously, the opportunity came together to drive for Chip Ganassi.

“If I was a very young, fresh driver that needed to gain experience, I would go with a very nice, small team full-time just to gain experience. But at this point for me, Ganassi is just a fantastic solution. In my Formula 1 days, it was a different story. It was just a nightmare to me when it stopped, and I didn’t have anything to drive. But this time, it’s different. I’ve been given a very limited opportunity most drivers don’t get, so I’m very excited.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1408]

Another aspect of Sato’s start to the season on the wickedly fast 1.5-mile Texas oval that can’t be ignored is his lack of testing and seat time prior to Saturday morning’s opening practice session.

“I’ll need a couple laps…just to get comfortable with the environment,” he said. “The last time I was in the car was (last September) at Laguna Seca in the final IndyCar race. And so to properly get back up to speed, I’m going to take it a little bit conservatively, just step by step, instead of going 210 miles an hour immediately. But I think it shouldn’t take too long.”

Building a rapport with race engineer Eric Cowdin, a fellow Indy 500 winner, and all of the personnel involved with running the No. 11 Honda is another aspect of Sato’s debut that will need to happen in a flash.

“This is another weird feeling where now you’re in the Ganassi camp and with all the teams that I was competing for before, I was always trying to beat them and now I’m inside of the team,” he said. “It has been quite fascinating this offseason; I’ve been to the shop a couple of times, not just for the seat fitting, but also several times to go through things with engineers.

“I was there the entire weekend with the team at St. Petersburg, completing little pieces of the puzzle all the time. Although you’re not driving, you’re learning quite massively. So now we will learn for the first time together at a race. There’s a lot of great drivers here to work with and particularly Scott Dixon; there’s been a mutual respect for a long time and now we are teammates. And of course, the two Marcus’ (Ericsson and Armstrong) and Alex Palou. It’s a lot of competitive drivers in a competitive team and it’s a fantastic place for me.”

With five ovals on his calendar with CGR, Sato hopes to add more victories to his record — kissing the bricks for a third time at the Speedway would be atop the list — and then take stock of whether he wants to pursue a return in whatever capacity next year.

“I’ll take a look at whatever the opportunity is for the future,” he added. “And not just in IndyCar. Obviously, this limited program for the ovals wasn’t my first choice, but going with Chip Ganassi Racing, particularly for the Indy 500, that’s the most attractive race for me. Hopefully this year, we have a very good package again and then have a strong race. But for the future, I have no plans, no decisions or anything. We’ll do these races together and then see.”

INSIGHT: IndyCar’s new strategy for Texas rubber game

This weekend’s visit to Texas Motor Speedway will bring a few changes to the NTT IndyCar Series paddock that will require its teams to work at a higher rate of speed and precision in comparison to other events. The first adjustment is found with the …

The first adjustment is found with the pacing of Saturday’s sessions, which will keep the field of 28 drivers busy with four unique on-track outings from 8am through 2:30pm Central with only one break in the action.

Once the lone practice session is done at 9am, teams will take their cars back to the garage and have less than two hours to prepare the machines for qualifying; the grid will be set from 11:15am-12:15pm, but with the mandatory need to present every car for pre-qualifying technical inspection, crews will have limited time to make chassis and aerodynamic adjustments before getting in line to go through tech.

The second item of interest is IndyCar’s change in its approach to qualifying.

Where last year’s qualifying session was followed by an impound of all cars — placed in their garages where teams were barred from making changes — as the rules called for racing in whatever configuration was used in qualifying, which led to teams piling on race-day downforce, the series has rescinded that rule and given permission for teams to use qualifying setups and change back to race setups that offer more stability and security over Sunday’s 250-lap contest.

With teams looking to reduce downforce and make their cars more slippery and aggressive during short-burst runs in qualifying, the field will complete their one-by-one qualifying performances and return to their pit boxes and enter a temporary impound until all 28 drivers have gone through the process. At that point, the impound will cease in one sense, but there are restrictions for the next phase of the day.

With qualifying coming to an end at 12:15, the third item on the schedule follows 30 minutes later from 12:45-1:15pm for the second-lane rubbering-in session. During that 30-minute gap after qualifying, IndyCar will require its teams to stay on pit lane and make all their setup changes — mostly aerodynamic — to run in race trim during the Firestone rubber application session.

Will tweaks to the rubbering-in session build on last year’s improvement to the race day show at Texas? Phillip Abbott/Lumen

RACER has learned the rubbering-in session, which was tried for the first time one year ago at TMS and featured a limited number of teams and drivers who volunteered to participate, is primed to have 100-percent buy-in from the paddock. The full 28-car grid has opted in to help apply rubber to the second lanes in Turns 1-2 and Turns 3-4 to improve passing opportunities on the big 1.5-mile oval.

Based on the outcome of last year’s session, which had a positive influence on passing, optimism is high for the effects that should come from Saturday’s session.

Firestone will provide a new set of tires for each driver to use during the 30-minute session which will split half the field into a Group A run from 12:45-1:00pm and then send the Group B runners out from 1-1:15pm. The tires must be returned to Firestone after the rubbering-in is done, and during their 15-minute outings, IndyCar will allow drivers to pit and have quick setup changes made to their cars if any small handling imperfections arise.

And after one or two drivers largely ignored the purpose of last year’s second-lane session, RACER understands the series will monitor its drivers and ensure their track time is focused on improving grip in the second lane.

“This is going to be a fun one to manage,” Arrow McLaren race director Gavin Ward told RACER. “With how the day is organized, more time working on qualifying will probably be used in the first practice. You probably won’t go as far (on chassis setup changes) for qualifying with the tight time between then and the special (rubbering-in) session with the cars being restricted to staying on pit lane. If you could go back to the garage, it might be a different case. And then for race running, that would be the heavier emphasis for the last session instead of trying to cram it all in during the first.”

The original purpose for the rubbering-in session at TMS was to combat the unfavorable remnants of the PJ1 traction compound applied to the second lane at the behest of NASCAR for its events at the track. As IndyCar drivers found, the aged, dark residue caused an instant loss of traction which invited spins and crashes. Thanks to the PJ1, the formerly spectacular IndyCar racing at TMS turned into single-lane affairs where passing was kept to a minimum.

Thanks to a suggestion by two-time IndyCar champion Will Power to hold a special session to apply rubber on top of the PJ1 and the action taken by IndyCar president Jay Frye to give it a try, the quality of racing improved last year.

After the rubbering-in session is complete, teams will stay on pit lane as the fourth and final outing of the day is scheduled to start at 1:30pm — just 15 minutes after the second-lane session–which goes for an hour to 2:30pm.

Two positives have emerged ahead of IndyCar’s 2023 TMS event as NASCAR’s switch from PJ1 to a resin during its last appearance has had favorable results as a recent IndyCar rookie test at the track revealed the resin was almost entirely gone — something the PJ1 refused to do — and drivers were able to use some of the second lane without issues.

Another encouraging note is found with NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series, which runs between IndyCar’s opening practice and qualifying and then races into Saturday evening, and the decision by NASCAR to run without applying resin to the second lane.

The only downside to the efforts to work Firestone rubber to the second lane is the timing of the NASCAR race, which will see the Trucks’ Goodyear rubber put down during 147-lap contest. But without the aforementioned resin to overcome, IndyCar expects its cars and drivers to spread adequate amounts of Firestone rubber in the corners to make both lanes usable for passing soon after the race goes green locally at 11:15am.

Barring the break between opening practice and qualifying, IndyCar teams will spend most of their Saturdays in the pits, and most should be gone from the track before the end of the afternoon as NASCAR takes over the show. When they return Sunday morning, there won’t be much to do until 10:20am when cars are towed to grid, and soon after, the race will be run and one of IndyCar’s faster events will be over.

Racing on TV, March 30-April 2

All times Eastern; live broadcasts unless noted. Thursday, March 30 Road Atlanta TA2 8:00-9:00pm (D) Road Atlanta TA 9:00-10:00pm (D) Melbourne practice 1 9:25- 10:30pm Melbourne practice 1 9:25- 10:30pm Friday, March 31 Melbourne practice 2 12:55- …

All times Eastern; live broadcasts unless noted.

Thursday, March 30

	Road Atlanta TA2	8:00-9:00pm (D)
	Road Atlanta TA	9:00-10:00pm (D)
	Melbourne practice 1	9:25- 10:30pm
	Melbourne practice 1	9:25- 10:30pm

Friday, March 31

	Melbourne practice 2	12:55- 2:00am
	Melbourne practice 2	12:55- 2:00am
	Melbourne practice 3	9:25- 10:30pm
	Melbourne practice 3	9:25- 10:30pm
	Pomona qualifying 1	10:30-11:30pm (SDD)

Saturday, April 1

	Melbourne qualifying	12:55-2:00am
	Melbourne qualifying	12:55-2:00am
	Richmond qualifying	8:00-9:30am
	Texas practice 1	9:00-10:00am
	Richmond qualifying	10:00am- 12:00pm
	Texas qualifying	12:15-1:15pm
	Richmond	12:00-1:00pm pre-race 1:00-3:30pm race
	Texas practice 2	1:45-3:30pm
	Texas	3:30-4:30pm pre-race 4:30- 7:00pm race

Sunday, April 2

	Australian GP	11:30- 12:55am pre-race 12:55-3:00am race
	Texas	12:00-2:30pm race
	Pomona qualifying 2	12:00- 2:00pm (D)
	Richmond	2:00-3:30pm pre-race 3:30-7:00pm race
	Argentina	2:30-4:00pm (SDD)
	Pomona finals	7:00-10:00pm (SDD)

Key: SDD: Same day delay; D = delayed; R = Repeat/Replay

A variety of motor racing is available for streaming on demand at the following sites:

MotorTrendOnDemand.com

SRO-america.com
SCCA.com
Ferrari Challenge
The Trans Am Series airs in 60-minute highlight shows in primetime on the MAVTV Network. For those wishing to tune in live, the entire lineup of SpeedTour events will stream for free on the SpeedTour TV YouTube page. SpeedTour TV will also air non-stop activity on Saturday and Sunday (SVRA, IGT and Trans Am). You can also watch all Trans Am event activity on the Trans Am YouTube page and Facebook page.

IndyCar’s Texas ticket sales boosted by O’Ward

The NTT IndyCar Series’ return to Texas Motor Speedway next week is loaded with anticipation by both parties as their efforts to increase attendance will take center stage. Facing a steadily declining audience in recent years, the 2022 IndyCar event …

The NTT IndyCar Series’ return to Texas Motor Speedway next week is loaded with anticipation by both parties as their efforts to increase attendance will take center stage.

Facing a steadily declining audience in recent years, the 2022 IndyCar event at TMS was witnessed by a noticeably sparse crowd as Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden won the race in what was the final year of the sanctioning agreement between IndyCar and TMS.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1408]

Having executed a new contract for IndyCar to continue racing on the 1.5-mile oval where the former Indy Racing League made its first appearance in 1997, renewed efforts to improve tickets sales have been in the works, and according to the track, an increase in advance ticket purchases has taken place.

Although it’s unclear whether the boost to ticket sales is modest or significant, one track official characterized the positive growth as a “good step in the right direction.”

Adding to the sales figures, Arrow McLaren star and 2021 TMS race winner Pato O’Ward has taken a unique approach to bolstering the crowd at the Dallas Forth-Worth venue which serves as the Mexican’s defacto home race.

Having spent a significant portion of his youth in San Antonio, O’Ward regards Texas as a second home, and with many of his fans found both in state and in his native land, the 23-year-old from Monterrey has partnered with TMS to produce a special ticket package for the April 1-2 PPG 375 event.

“I’ve got over 150 people coming to my suite that are confirmed, and there’s still spaces available,” O’Ward told RACER. “We have space for 30 or 40 more and it’s a mix of Americans and Mexicans. Some are flying in from Mexico just to be part of it.”

Offered directly through his website, O’Ward and TMS created a $399 offer that includes a hat, jersey, garage access, and viewing from a catered suite.

“I wanted to create something that was a great experience for people where they all say, ‘This is a mega deal,’” O’Ward said. “I worked really hard with TMS to be able to do that, and they’ve been really great in making it happen.”

O’Ward and the track also partnered on another ticket offer which has been well-received by the driver’s fans. With the direct efforts of the 2018 Indy Lights champion and the track in mind, it’s easy to envision more IndyCar drivers making connections with their home tracks to create similar ticket packages that cater to the series’ most engaged fans.

“We also did a giveaway, a huge grandstand ticket giveaway, with any article that people bought from my site,” O’Ward said. “It could be a sticker, it could be a hat, it could be a diecast, a mini helmet. Doesn’t matter what you buy on my store: One article equals one grandstand ticket. And I’ve given away over 500 or 600 tickets for the grandstands at Texas and all these people have been telling me it’s amazing, so I’m glad it’s been well-received.

“I’m just I’m doing it because I want to see people there. I want people to go and have a good reason to go because it’s such a great race IndyCar puts on there and I want to help it grow.”

Harvey cleared to return for Texas

Jack Harvey has been cleared to race his No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda at the upcoming NTT IndyCar Series race on the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval. The Briton, who was involved in a heavy crash at the season-opening race at St. …

Jack Harvey has been cleared to race his No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda at the upcoming NTT IndyCar Series race on the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval.

The Briton, who was involved in a heavy crash at the season-opening race at St. Petersburg that wasn’t of his making, was taken to a local hospital for evaluation before being released soon after the event’s completion.

Suffering injuries to one of his arms, Harvey was not cleared to participate in a recent private test at Barber Motorsports Park, but with the April 1-2 TMS race on the horizon, the series’ medical staff assessed the RLL driver and gave him the green light to compete at Round 2.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1408]

“I have just been medically cleared to resume activities on track,” Harvey said. “It’s been an interesting couple of weeks since St. Pete itself, so that’s really great news heading into the weekend. That just means that we can really focus on getting ready for Texas and then the other races coming up after that, but I really appreciate everyone’s concern and support and yeah, looking forward to being on track again, as quick as we can and having a great weekend in Texas.”

In his second season with the team, Harvey hopes to participate in his first Texas race for RLL after crashing and suffering a concussion during practice for last year’s event.

Everything you need to know about the 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas

From the race format to qualifying rules and in-race incentives, here are a few things to know about the 2022 NASCAR’s All-Star Race.

Halfway through the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series regular season, 11 different drivers have won the first13 races, and if that pace keeps up, it could complicate which 16 drivers make the playoffs in September.

But for now, that’s all on pause because the NASCAR All-Star Race, a midseason exhibition event, is on Sunday. It’s not for points, but it’s typically a fun and fast-paced event with a large purse on the line — plus bragging rights, obviously.

And while the venue, Texas Motor Speedway, remains the same as last year’s All-Star Race, NASCAR has, of course, altered the format of the event and placed a greater emphasis on pit crews, including during qualifying. But it’s a lot to keep track of, so we’re here to help.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race.

[mm-video type=video id=01fyf3qpgzmae94vn46y playlist_id=none player_id=01evcfkb10bw5a3nky image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fyf3qpgzmae94vn46y/01fyf3qpgzmae94vn46y-22724940da514144d4fed8552719b29c.jpg]

Breaking down 7 things to know about the 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas

What you need to know before the 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR is headed to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend, but it’s taking a break from its traditional points races that count toward the regular season championship and playoff standings.

Instead, Texas will host the 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race — a fun and generally fast mid-season exhibition event with a large purse (but more on that later).

Compared with previous All-Star Races, this year’s event got a bit of a makeover, from the format to the host track. And between the changes and the various ways drivers are able to qualify for the exhibition race, it’s a lot to keep track of.

So here’s a breakdown of seven key things to know about the 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race.

[mm-video type=video id=01f65w23nsaphnzefgds playlist_id=01f09p3bf720d8rg02 player_id=01evcfkb10bw5a3nky image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f65w23nsaphnzefgds/01f65w23nsaphnzefgds-0ad24ec7844faf0c4290fc3276c8ed89.jpg]

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.

Place legal sports bets on NASCAR action in CO, IN, NJ and WV through BetMGM. Sign up and bet at BetMGM now!

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.

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.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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