In racing, timing is everything when you are looking to win. Knowing when to make a pit stop or make a move that puts you in position to win, but timing is especially crucial once the playoffs roll around. There are just 2 races remaining in the Round of 12 before 4 drivers are cut, and it is Denny Hamlin who is the only one to have officially moved on. He now has a pair of playoff wins and looks to be making a move at just the right time. We all know how quickly things can change in this sport, though, so maybe someone else will make their move at Talladega this weekend. It’s the most exciting time of the year and we have you covered, so let’s take a look at some of the favorites for this Sunday’s YellaWood 500 at Talladega to see who might get the win so you can bet against their NASCAR odds.
NASCAR Cup Series Betting: YellaWood 500 Race Preview
Kyle Larson (+220)
Given what has gone down to this point in the season, it would be a major surprise not to see Larson’s name in the final four. Having said that, I’m sure we all remember what happened to Kevin Harvick last season. What is interesting here is that Larson is in as the favorite based solely on his efforts this season. If it were based on his history at Talladega, we might have a completely different story. In 13 races at Talladega, he has only managed to crack the top 10 twice, with 6th his best finish on that storied track. That would give me some serious pause when looking at Larson this weekend.
Denny Hamlin (+400)
Last season, Denny Hamlin was winning races for fun, racking up 7 wins before coming up short in the final race of the season. He has been consistent enough in 2021, but it looks like he might be set to do things in reverse this time around. He failed to pick up a win in the regular season, but he now already has 2 in the playoffs and is guaranteed a spot in the final 8. He also has the pole position this weekend, which makes him dangerous. One of his wins in 2020 came at Talladega, his second on that track, and he has been in the top 4 in 3 of his last 4 runs there.
Kyle Busch (+700)
He may not be winning at the level he did when he won the Cup Series in 2019, but Kyle Busch has very quietly been leaving a mark this season. He is coming off a very solid 3rd place finish in Las Vegas last weekend and looks set to be in the Round of 8 even if he fails to pick up a win in the next couple of races. Whether he moves beyond that point remains to be seen. He does have a win at Talladega, but he has not been great there of late, so a bit of a risky bet.
Martin Truex Jr. (+700)
This is another driver that I would put in the longshot category this weekend no matter what the bookies say. He has never won at Talladega in 33 attempts in the Cup Series, and in his last 10 runs there, his best finish was 20th. In those last 10 races, he had 3 accidents affect his standing, so again, this does not seem to be a lucky track for Truex Jr.
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