Category: NASCAR

It’s officially race week! For the first time in more than two months, we’ll see live NASCAR Cup Series racing on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX) at Darlington Raceway. The race will take place without fans and with social distancing measures in place. With the prospect of live sports returning, sportsbooks across the market are…

With the NASCAR Cup Series returning to the track on May 17 at Darlington Raceway, the iRacing Pro Invitational Series finale will take place on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET (FOX, FS1 and FOX Sports app). Because the race at Darlington is just eight days away, many drivers are opting to sit out today in…

In the final race before cars return to the track on May 17 at Darlington Raceway, the Pro Invitational Series will visit North Wilkesboro Speedway. Not familiar with it? Again, you’re not alone. While attending Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., I passed this racetrack more times than I can count, however, the NASCAR Cup…

The NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series has been a welcomed addition to the current sports landscape as major leagues around the country (and world) have shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a warm reception from fans and viewers after broadcasting the season-opening Dixie Vodka 150 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 22, FOX Sports…

The NASCAR Cup Series will return to action on May 17 at Darlington Raceway, prompting sportsbooks to open odds weeks in advance. Darlington offers an extremely abrasive surface that wears out tires quickly, forcing drivers to manage their rubber and learn how to move their cars around the racetrack in order to find as much…

While NASCAR’s official return at Darlington Raceway is still nine days away, sportsbooks have already posted futures and head-to-head driver matchups for the race. In order to protect personnel at the track as much as possible, NASCAR is making the event a “one-day show,” meaning there will not be any practice or qualifying — they’ll…

The NASCAR Cup Series will restart its 2020 season with races at Darlington Raceway on May 17 and May 20, followed by the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24 — its traditional date on Sunday of Memorial Weekend. While Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix and IndyCar’s Indy 500, normally held on the…

After what will be more than a two-month postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NASCAR Cup Series is expected to make its return to the racetrack on May 17 at Darlington Raceway. The race will be run without fans in attendance and with social distancing guidelines in place for teams, officials, the TV production…

After pack racing at virtual Talladega Superspeedway last weekend, the NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series will take on Dover International Speedway for Sunday’s Finish Line 150 (1 p.m. ET on FOX, FS1 and FOX Sports app). Sportsbooks are taking full advantage of what is expected to be the second-to-last Pro Invitational Series race by posting…

Sunday’s NASCAR iRacing Finish Line 150 (1 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Sports and FOX Sports app) at Dover International Speedway will be the second-to-last Pro Invitational Series race as drivers and teams are preparing for the sport’s return to the track on May 17 at Darlington Raceway. While I’m excited to see traditional NASCAR…

After days of rumors, NASCAR’s updated 2020 schedule has officially been released. The Cup Series will return on May 17 at Darlington Raceway, followed by an XFINITY Series race (also at Darlington) on May 19, and a second Cup race at the same track again on May 20. Here’s the full rundown of NASCAR’s new…

As a fan, I’m very much looking forward to Sunday’s NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at Talladega. As a bettor, I don’t know what to think. Superspeedways, like Talladega, produce pack racing, which, in turn, makes it much more unpredictable than most other racetracks. Will this translate to similar racing at virtual Talladega? I…

This could get ugly. The indication is that today’s NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series Race should provide plenty of excitement, but that will likely also result in plenty of wrecks and unpredictability. From a betting standpoint, this means that the Geico 70 is going to be tough to handicap, which is very similar to traditional…

Well, well, well! NASCAR legend and four-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon will be coming out of retirement and returning to the racetrack — albeit a virtual one — for today’s iRacing Pro Invitational Series Geico 70 (1 p.m. ET on FOX, FS1 and FOX Sports app) at Talladega Superspeedway. Gordon, who hasn’t made a…

With the major U.S. sports postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NASCAR is reportedly getting its ducks in a row to return to the track in May. Because auto racing doesn’t require athletes to compete in close quarters like traditional stick-and-ball sports, NASCAR can more easily comply with social distancing regulations and therefore get…

By any statistical measure, William Byron and Timmy Hill have been the best two drivers through the first three NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series races. With finishes of third, first and third, Hill sports the best average finish (2.3) in the series. And while Hill has been the most consistent top-three finisher, Byron — the…

The NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is different than traditional NASCAR racing in many ways, but some of the similarities include the ability to bet on and play DFS for each. From a DFS standpoint, the qualifying schedule (NASCAR iRacing qualifies immediately before the race compared to 24-48 hours prior in traditional NASCAR) means players…

With William Byron such a large favorite — as he should be — and the field still in flux due to the addition of a qualifying race at 10:30 a.m. ET Sunday, the futures market for today’s NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at Richmond doesn’t appear all that enticing to me. On the other…

UPDATE: Two days after NASCAR driver Kyle Larson used a racial slur during an iRacing event, Chip Ganassi Racing has ended it’s relationship with driver of its No. 42 Cup Series car. Here is the full statement from CGR, “After much consideration, Chip Ganassi Racing has determined that it will end its relationship with driver…

Three races into the NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series and it appears the experiment is working. There’s obviously an appetite — and a TV audience — for NASCAR iRacing, especially in the current COVID-19 sports climate, but what happens once the major leagues return to action, including cars back on the track? The Pro Invitational…

As I mentioned when detailing what I’ve learned through two weeks of the NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, despite being an avid NASCAR fan for almost 20 years, I’m very new to iRacing. However, I enjoyed the virtual races at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway, and with NASCAR iRacing odds now available at DraftKings…

After two successful events at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway, the NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series heads to virtual Thunder Valley for today’s Food City Showdown (1 p.m. ET on FOX, FS1 and/or the Fox Sports App) at Bristol Motor Speedway. Despite an average finish of just 20.5 through two races, William Byron has…

Well that didn’t take long. With just two races in the books, legal sportsbooks across the U.S. have approved betting on the NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. DraftKings Sportsbook began offering virtual NASCAR betting to its West Virginia customers last week, while Nevada Gaming Control approved it for the state’s sportsbooks on Friday. Not only…

NASCAR’s iRacing Pro Invitational Series has been garnering plenty of attention from both traditional NASCAR fans and sports fans looking to fill the void during the COVID-19 outbreak. In just two weeks, NASCAR iRacing drawn plenty of eyeballs — so much so that DraftKings Sportsbook is offering weekly pools with the winner earning $10,000. In…

According to ESPN’s David Purdum, Nevada Gaming Control has officially given the green light for the state’s sportsbook to offer betting on eNASCAR iRacing. With most major sports postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, NASCAR has found success with its eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series Driver & Race Stats: Average…

When it comes to eSports, I’m out of the loop. I played video games avidly from the time I was five years old until my mid-20s, but would be lying if I said I was in touch with today’s gamers. In fact, the last console I purchased was a Playstation 2. Yeah, it’s been a…

NASCAR’s iRacing Pro Invitational Series pits some of the best drivers in the world against one another using iRacing’s NASCAR simulation software. So instead of on the track, they’re doing it online. The Pro Invitational Series is currently following the traditional 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule with the real races canceled. It includes retired legends,…

While DFS operators have yet to offer traditional contests on NASCAR’s iRacing Pro Invitational Series, DraftKings Sportsbook has posted a betting pool that is free to play and awards a $10,000 prize to the winner. I’m very new to iRacing, but figured I’d take a chance on Sunday’s eNASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts 125 at Texas…

I recently asked my followers on Twitter to vote on the best way for someone new to get into NASCAR. Here were the results: POLL: On Friday’s @SiriusXMFantasy show, @MattFtheOracle asked me the best way for someone new to get into NASCAR. What do you think? — PJ Walsh (@PJWalsh24) March 1, 2020 As you…

NASCAR is officially in a holding pattern as the world deals with the COVID-19 outbreak. Because engines will be silent until at least May 9 at Martinsvile, and likely even longer, I decided to take a stab at picking the winners for each of the remaining Cup Series races on the schedule. To determine my…

NASCAR is going digital. While most major sports leagues have postponed events indefinitely due to the COVID-19 outbreak, NASCAR is turning to the online world, starting with Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, which will virtually be held at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will be broadcast live at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and the…

With the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season postponed for at least two more weeks, the mind of a bettor, which is usually preoccupied by the daily grind of the current event, can now think from a more high-level perspective. Taking a season-long mindset, I turned my attention to situations that would be both unlikely, yet…

From a betting standpoint, NASCAR is unique when compared to the other major U.S. sports, like football, basketball, baseball and hockey, for many reasons. But perhaps the biggest difference, especially for sports bettors, is practice. For those new to NASCAR, each race week includes practice sessions at the track, allowing drivers and teams to get…

Editor’s note: The 2020 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, as well as next weekend’s race Homestead-Miami Speedway have been postponed. With concerns surrounding the outbreak of COVID-19, NASCAR announced on Thursday that this weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway and next week’s event at Homestead-Miami Speedway will still take place, however,…

If you’re looking for some NASCAR action but don’t want to lay 6-1 or longer for an outright race winner, then you’re in luck. There are some excellent head-to-head matchups for today’s FanShield 500 at Phoenix Raceway. Let’s dive right into the best bets for today’s race. NASCAR FanShield 500 Phoenix Betting Picks Kevin Harvick…

With practice and qualifying now in the books, sportsbooks have reopened odds for Sunday’s Auto Club 400 in Fontana, Calif. Practice is important at tracks like Auto Club Speedway for bettors, as the worn out surface and extreme tire wear makes speeds — especially on long runs — a solid indicator of how cars will…

Fresh off of last weekend’s Daytona 500, today’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has plenty of prop bets available across the industry to continue the excitement. Hopefully today’s race will be just as exciting, but not feature any scary incidents like we saw in the final few hundred yards at Daytona. Because qualifying…

After completing just 20 of 200 laps, the Daytona 500 was postponed until 4 p.m. ET (FOX) Monday due to rain. Should drivers, fans and bettors worry about rain again today? Or will the Daytona 500 run the full distance? Let’s take a look at Monday’s Daytona 500 weather forecast. [Check out our Daytona 500…

Looking to place some last-minute bets on the 2020 Daytona 500? You’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ll outline the latest Daytona 500 odds from around the betting market, and highlight all of our coverage for the first NASCAR race of the season, including the longshot drivers who offer the most value, the matchups…

The starting lineup for the 2020 Daytona 500 is set, meaning the next meaningful racing will be Sunday’s 62nd running of the Great American Race. Because the Daytona 500 will attract bettors and traditional fantasy NASCAR and DFS players, our analysts — PJ Walsh, Matthew Freedman and Nick Giffen — ranked the entire field for…

With plenty of bumper-to-bumper racing, battles for the lead and big wrecks, superspeedway racing, like what we’ll see at today’s Daytona 500, is exciting. However, the randomness caused by pack racing also makes handicapping the race difficult, especially when betting head-to-head driver matchups. As a result, I like to target plus-money underdogs in matchups at…

The Busch Clash? Check. Daytona 500 qualifying? Check. The Bluegreen Vacations Duel? Check. The last remaining event of Speedweeks for the NASCAR Cup Series is the 2020 Daytona 500. With the starting lineup now set, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin are the race favorites at +900. Joey Logano is next at…

So you want to bet the Daytona 500 … but you know nothing about NASCAR (if I’m not describing you I’m not exactly sure why you’re here but I’ll take the clicks. While you’re at it, buy a subscription, subscribe to our podcast, send me a Venmo, etc.). Anyway, I get it. It’s a beautiful…

It’s almost that time of year. Football is over and with that ending comes an impending sense of loss for me — not only from the perspective of an NFL fan, but also as a bettor. While I can certainly get my gambling fix(es) from basketball (uhh), baseball (eww) or hockey (yikes), it’s just not…

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (pole) and Alex Bowman (second) have secured the front row for the 2020 Daytona 500, but the rest of the field will not be set until the completion of Thursday night’s Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona. There will be two Duel races, with the finishing order of Duel 1 setting the odd…

The 2020 Daytona 500 goes green on Feb. 16, but NASCAR fans and bettors will see meaningful on-track action in today’s Busch Clash (3 p.m. ET, FS1) at Daytona. The Clash is a 75-lap shootout with no points on the line, just prestige. Clash eligibility consists of pole winners from last season, former Clash winners,…

Not everyone is crazy about NASCAR betting, meaning casual bettors looking to throw down some action on the season’s biggest race may not be interested in tracking and playing a full portfolio of futures, props, driver matchups, and more from the offseason through the wave of the green flag. In addition, it’s very unlikely to…

One of the best — and most underrated — sports betting weekends (including Monday) is upon us, including the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs and the college football National Championship game. And while the 2020 Daytona 500 is still more than a month away, odds for this year’s edition of the Great American Race…

When it comes to sports betting, there are solid bets — those offering enough value to warrant wagers — and then there are those you fall over yourself to lock in before the rest of the market sees the same edge you do. In major sports like football or basketball with large limits, these edges…

NASCAR betting is a unique animal. Due to on-track activity, like practice and qualifying, before each race sportsbooks are forced to take odds on and off the board multiple times throughout the week. Because knowing the starting order and speeds for each driver in practice provides an advantage for bettors, oddsmakers can’t allow stale numbers…

NASCAR’s weekly schedule makes it unique from a betting perspective. Odds typically open early in the week, go on and off the board multiple times for practice and qualifying, then finally open again for good the night before or morning of the race. This is true for 35 points races on the 36-race schedule, with…

In shocking news, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson announced on Twitter that 2020 will be his final season racing as a full-time driver in the sport’s top division. While Johnson’s on-track performance has certainly dropped off in recent years, it was generally believed that the driver of the No. 48 Chevy would remain…

Despite winning his second NASCAR Cup Series championship over the weekend, Kyle Busch is not the favorite to repeat in 2020. According to 2020 NASCAR championship odds from the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas, Busch is tied with Kevin Harvick at 6-1 to win next season’s title. Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate and 2017 Cup…

The 2019 NASCAR Cup season came to a close just two days ago, yet sportsbooks are already turning their attention to 2020. Odds to win the 2020 Daytona 500 are now available at the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas with Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keswelowski, Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin, the defending…

When it comes to prop bets, I typically find myself taking more head-to-head driver matchups in a given week. That’s not necessarily because I like matchups more than other NASCAR wager types, but because that’s simply where the value tends to show up. However, today I really like a handful of top-five props for the…

The NASCAR season comes to a close this weekend, and to be completely honest, I’m ready for a break. Winning over the long haul is quite difficult, but, for the most part, that can be reasonably addressed and explained through the written word. But with the rush of content creators getting in on legalized sports…

It all comes down to this. After 35 points-paying races, the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) championship will be settled during Sunday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin will be vying for the title in Miami, four drivers that combined to win 21 races so…

Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Denny Hamlin (+175), Kyle Busch (+250) and Martin Truex Jr. (+600) are the favorites to win today’s Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway. If you’re not interested in getting involved in futures bets for a race so top-heavy with favorites, driver matchups are another way to find value and don’t require…

I’ve found myself on Aric Almirola a lot recently. He gave us a sweat at Texas on Sunday, leading the second-most laps (62) and running the second-most fast laps (50) en route to a runner-up finish at 40-1 odds. Thankfully, Almirola also finished one spot ahead of Daniel Suarez, cashing a driver matchup between the…

There are just three races to go in the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, starting with today’s AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. With the playoffs field whittled down to eight drivers, differing strategies will be at play, as those still alive in the postseason will be doing everything they can to…

One of the keys to being a successful sports bettor is the ability to keep emotion out of your wagering decisions, but that’s not easy at times. I had Ross Chastain at 100-1 in last night’s XFINITY race at Texas, and for those who didn’t watch, Chastain had the lead late before getting passed by…

After securing his seventh win of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) season at Martinsville, Martin Truex Jr. locked himself into the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in two weeks. Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano are currently above the playoff cut line heading into Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway, with Kevin…

For those of you who read my favorite early-week bet for the First Data 500 at Martinsville (which I’m sure everyone did), you already know that I like Aric Almirola in today’s race. As I wrote, the driver of the No. 10 Ford has been fast at the flat tracks this season, including a solid…

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) Playoffs Round of 8 is set, with Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney advancing following Sunday’s race at Kansas. After races at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway and 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway, the MENCS returns to my favorite…

Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) race at Kansas Speedway is a playoff elimination race. This is the Cup Series’ eighth race at a 1.5-mile track that includes aero-ducts, so there is plenty of data available to help us find value in prop bets. Qualifying was a major story this weekend, as only three playoff…

Last week we pegged Michael McDowell and his 100-1 odds as a soild bet to make before cars hit the track at Talladega. McDowell gave us a nice sweat, contending for a win on the final laps before ultimately finishing fifth. Not bad, especially considering The Action Network’s Nick Giffen also steered us to Ryan…

The first three races of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) playoffs are in the books, with Erik Jones, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman and Aric Almirola failing to advance to the Round of 12. The postseason continues Sunday at Dover, where Martin Truex Jr. earned a victory back in May. NASCAR Betting Tips: 5…

Martin Truex Jr. came to party. After winning NASCAR’s first playoff race at Las Vegas, Truex backed it up with another victory at Richmond on Saturday night. On the other end of the spectrum, Alex Bowman, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch and Erik Jones are all below the 12-driver cutoff line heading into Sunday’s elimination race…

Martin Truex Jr. scored the first win of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) playoffs last weekend in Las Vegas, and is hoping to make it back-to-back wins Saturday night in Richmond. Truex won this race in the spring, and is unsurprisingly among the favorites at the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas. NASCAR…

After a 26-race regular season, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) playoffs get underway this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. While 16 drivers are now eligible to run for the hardware, seven-time MENCS champion Jimmie Johnson finds himself on the outside looking in for the first time in his career. NASCAR Betting Tips:…

This is it. Sunday’s Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard is the final opportunity for drivers to qualify for the postseason before NASCAR’s playoffs get underway next week in Las Vegas. Fourteen of 16 playoff spots are already locked up, with Clint Bowyer currently holding the 15th position, followed by Daniel Suarez and Ryan Newman,…