Seeing Kyle Larson perform so well after returning from a suspension was one of the surprises of the 2021 NASAC Cup Series season. As the year wore on, though, Larson winning became less of a surprise, to the point that it almost felt inevitable that he would end the season as the champion, which he did. For those of you who are already missing NASCAR and the excitement that it brings, the good news is that you don’t have long to wait until the start of the new year. We will have a trio of clash races, including one that the LA Memorial Coliseum, before the season starts proper at the Daytona 500 on February 20.
The question now is whether anyone can step up and take a run at Larson this season, assuming that he returns as strong as he was in 2020. There are certainly plenty of driver who have what it takes to make a run at a title, but it will certainly be interesting to see how the bookies rate everyone ahead of the start of the 2022 season. It would be a huge surprise if Larson didn’t start as the favorite to repeat. With all that in mind, check out our NASCAR Betting analysis so you can start planning your bets against the NASCAR Championship odds.
NASCAR 2022 Calendar Analysis – Early Championship Predictions
The Season Starts with the Daytona 500
One thing that fans will certainly be looking forward to this season is the number of races on broadcast TV instead of cable, with FOX and NBC airing a total of 19 races. Included in the mix is the return of the Bristol Dirt Race, which proved to be a huge success last season. The 2022 version of that one will actually air in primetime on Sunday, April 17. The playoffs will begin in the early part of September and will comprise of 10 races, with the final race of the season once again held in Phoenix on November 6.
While we are still awaiting the odds for the Cup Series Championship, the bookies have released early odds for the Daytona 500. Winning there is no guarantee of a title, or even a playoff spot, but it’s always a great way to start the season. This is a race that always seems to deliver a surprise or two, including last season, when Michael McDowell won as a huge outsider. He is in at +6000 for the upcoming Daytona 500, so the bookies don’t seem to fancy the chances of a repeat.
The early favorite is Denny Hamlin (+1000), and for good reason, as he has won in 2 of the last 3 seasons, taking his win total at the Daytona 500 to 3. He is followed by a pack of drivers currently listed at +1200, although we can expect those odds to change as the race draws nearer. Among that group of drivers are the last two winners of the Cup Series, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. We also have Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano in with that pack.
As the NASCAR season draws closer, we will have more news and predictions coming your way. The odds for the 2022 season should be live sooner rather than later, at which point we can start making bigger and better predictions for the coming season.
NASCAR Betting Center
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