While it’s always fun to see who wins each NASCAR Cup Series race, once we get to this time of the season, it’s also great to see the battles to stay alive in the playoffs. There were a few close calls last week as we saw the field cut from 16 to 12, with Kevin Harvick getting in by the skin of his teeth, much to the chagrin of Chase Elliott, who had words with him after the race. This weekend in Las Vegas, we will see the first of 3 races in the Round of 12, with 4 more drivers set to go once those races have been run. It’s win and move on time, which could be the saving grace for the likes of Harvick, but it’s also a time when the leaders cannot afford to take their foot off the gas. Let’s take a look at some of the favorites for the South Point 400 so you can get ready to bet against their NASCAR odds.
NASCAR Cup Series Betting: South Point 400 Race Preview
Kyle Larson (+170)
The man who ended the regular season on top of the driver standings showed that he means business in the payoffs by winning the final race in the Round of 16. He might well be in position to win again this weekend in Las Vegas, as he will be starting from the pole position. The victory last weekend now means that Larson has 6 wins in what is a comebacks season after a lengthy suspension in 2020. What has to stand out for bettors looking at this race is that one of his wins this season came at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. There are absolutely zero guarantees in racing, but there are a lot of reasons to like Larson this weekend.
Denny Hamlin (+450)
Last season was a bit of a strange one for Hamlin in that he racked up a lot of wins and went into the playoffs as a favorite, only to come up short in the end. You have to wonder if he is going to go the opposite route this season, as he did not get his first win of year until the playoffs began. You certainly wouldn’t put it past him to get hot at the right time. The knock against him this weekend is that he does not have a great track record at Las Vegas, failing to win in 19 runs there. He does have 7 top 10 finishes, as well as a pair of top 5 finishes in his last 2 runs.
Martin Truex Jr. (+600)
If you like to wager on a driver that has wins at a specific track, then Truex Jr. might well be worth a look this weekend. Truex Jr. has a pair of wins there, with the latest coming in 2019. That aside, he has been strong this season, picking up 4 wins in 2021. It is his performance at Las Vegas that makes him a danger this weekend, though, as he has been in the top 8 in 7 of his last 8 runs on that track,
Chase Elliott (+1000)
Now is not the time to sleep on the defending champion, as he is hanging around among the leaders, where he is currently #6. I would certainly not put it past him to add to the 2 wins that he already has this season, although you would have to say that making it happen in Las Vegas seems like a longshot. Elliott has not cracked the top 10 in 3 straight runs there.
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