Eric Uribe
There’s truly no race like this weekend’s Food City Dirt Race at Bristol — and we mean that. It’s the only NASCAR race this year taking place on dirt, and we expect chaos to ensue on April 9. However, chaos creates opportunities, especially when betting on the 2023 dirt race winner. Keep reading to get our expert picks on the competitive field.
But let’s first begin with the Bristol dirt race betting odds. They’re already available at top-used betting sites for NASCAR. As it stands, the following drivers are most favored to win first place:
| Driver |  |  |  |
| Kyle Larson | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Tyler Reddick | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Christopher Bell | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| William Byron | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Joey Logano | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Chase Briscoe | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Kyle Busch | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Ross Chastain | +1500 | +1500 | +1500 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1500 | +1500 | +1500 |
How Does The 2023 NASCAR Dirt Race Even Work?
This is not your traditional NASCAR race. In fact, we’d argue it’s the most untraditional event all year. Let’s quickly explain how the 2023 dirt race works because if we don’t, we’re already off on the wrong foot when betting.
The race goes down on a .533-mile oval. It’s the third straight time this track has hosted a dirt race — each time being the lone dirt event of that year. Joey Logano won in year 1, while Kyle Busch won in year 2. Remember that because they’ll be important details when we make our picks later on.
Anyway, there will be four different heat races on Saturday that’ll determine who qualifies and where they qualify. Each heat race will be 15 laps. A random draw will determine who ends up in which of the four qualifiers. But this is where things get interesting because winning the qualifier isn’t an automatic bid into a good starting spot like it was at the Clash at the Coliseum.
That’s because passing points are just as important as finishing points. Passing points are the difference between the assigned starting position and the finishing position. Move up and you earn points. Go back and you earn none of these points. Race positioning will be set at the conclusion of all four heat races.
As for the actual race itself on Sunday, there will be three stages — 75 laps (stage one), 75 laps (stage 2), and 100 laps (stage three). Perhaps most interesting of all there will be no live pit stops. Read that last sentence because it’s far from the norm in this sport. The non-competitive pit stops will happen only during stage brakes with crew members changing tires and adding fuel as needed.
Best Bets To Win 2023 NASCAR Bristol Dirt Race
There are only two years of history with this race, and even then, only one of those years is with the Next Gen car. This newness makes betting on the 2023 NASCAR Bristol dirt race winner harder than usual. That’s why we’ve “spread the wealth” with our betting choices below — to hedge against the event’s natural unpredictability. Here’s who we’re backing with a bet:
Joey Logano
As mentioned before, Logano was the inaugural winner of the dirt race. However, we didn’t mention he also finished top-5 in 2022. With those feats, he’s the only driver that placed in the top-5 both years at Bristol. That accomplishment makes Logano our priority betting pick this weekend. Logano already has one win this season (Atlanta) so this pick isn’t based on history alone — he’s got the total package going into Sunday.
Kyle Larson
Larson is fresh off winning at Richmond. However, what really draws us to betting on him at Bristol is his checkered past with dirt races. He partakes in these types of events regularly in non-NASCAR events. Matter of fact, Larson is scheduled to run three dirt races in six days which includes Bristol. That’s some type of commitment, which we love as bettors. So a one-two punch of Larson and Logano — proven commodities at dirt tracks — makes a whole lot of sense.
How To Watch 2023 NASCAR Bristol Dirt Race
The cool thing we’ve neglected to mention about the Bristol dirt race is that it happens under the lights. Anytime you get to watch NASCAR at night, there’s an added charm to it. Below you’ll find the full TV schedule for watching the NASCSR Bristol dirt race:
- Saturday, April 8 — Heat races at 6 pm EST (FS2)
- Sunday, April 9 — Race at 7 pm EST (FOX)
How To Bet On 2023 NASCAR Bristol Dirt Race
If you’ve read this article this far then surely you want to bet on the 2023 Bristol dirt race. Welp, you can easily do so by visiting one of the trusty online sportsbooks listed underneath. Not only will you find outright winner odds at these sites, but there’s also a bevy of props offered too. Outcomes like who leads the most laps are also available for betting, which adds an extra layer of excitement to things.
We know there are many online bookmakers out there, but you should really consider using one of the five below. These are the cream of the crop and you can use the table to pick the best sportsbook of the bunch. We’ve included unbiased reviews and up-to-date promotions to help make the choice easier.
