After the excitement that was the dirt race at Bristol last weekend, it’s back to business as usual for the Cup Series drivers. The action moved to Talladega this coming Sunday for the running of the Geico 500, where we might once again see the driver standings change after that race has been run. We are still waiting for one driver to step up and dominate the way in which Kyle Larson did last season, but we might well see the trend of different winners each week continue on this iconic course. The NASCAR Odds for this race have been set and it is a familiar set of names sitting on the bookies board, so let’s take a look at a few drivers who might make a big impact this weekend at Talladega.
NASCAR Cup Series Betting Preview for GEICO 500 Race
Kyle Larson (+490)
You could certainly argue that the bookies have Larson in as a favorite more because of his performance last season than what he has done this year. Yes, he does have a win under his belt, but for the most part, Larson is well off the pace he was setting last year in his run to a Cup Series Championship. He did put in a good showing on the dirt in Bristol last weekend, so perhaps that is a sign that he is ready to challenge for the win on Sunday. His performances in the 2 races at Talladega last season suggest otherwise, though, as 30th was his best finish in those runs.
Chase Elliott (+710)
We have said in the past that Elliott is not always the best pick to win, but it’s something that definitely bears repeating. Rather than churning out countless wins over the course of a long season, Elliott instead finds a way to always be among the leaders, picking up valuable points without taking a ton of checkered flags. He comes into this weekend still looking for his first win of the season, but there he is at the top of the driver standings. Talladega has not been particularly kind to Elliott, but this is a guy who always seems to be in the mix, regardless.
William Byron (+740)
It’s always fun to watch a young driver deliver a breakout season, which, in the early going at least, is what we are seeing with William Byron. His previous best finish in the Cup Series was 10th, which came last season, but he looks set to improve on that in 2022. He will be well aware that there is still a lot of races to come, but he looks very confident, having already picked up a couple of wins this season. He finished 2nd in this corresponding race last season, and given his current form, Byron is who I am taking to win this weekend.
Kyle Busch (+840)
Since winning the Cup Series Championship back in 2019, Busch has cooled off a little and failed to reach the top four in the following 2 seasons. There are some signs, though, that he might be getting back to his best, highlighted by a win on the dirt in Bristol last weekend. Like some of the other drivers among the favorites, Busch has not had a ton of recent success at Talladega, but perhaps that win last weekend will deliver some momentum for this week.
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