Dean Etheridge
The second Round of 8 race takes place at Homestead this Sunday, and with a place in the Championship 4 on the line we take a look at the contenders and name our latest NASCAR betting picks.
What happened in NASCAR last week?
Well, what an action packed race we saw in Las Vegas last Sunday. Joey Logano was the winning driver, but that doesn’t tell half the story.
Logano is now the first driver to confirm his place in the Championship 4 race, and he can now relax as his seven rivals fight it out for the remaining three spots in the season finale in Arizona.
Ross Chastain was the leader for the majority of the race. But with just three laps to go, Logano passed the Trackhouse Racing driver to claim his third win of the season and secure his place in the Championship 4 race.
That wasn’t the half of what went on though, and the repercussions are still being felt now. Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson were involved in an incident that has since seen Wallace suspended from this Sunday’s race.
Wallace seemed to take exception to being forced into clipping the wall by Larson. He then drove into Larson’s car, catching him with enough force to see both drivers spin out of the race. Wallace then proceeded to get out of his car and start shoving Larson in a heated exchange.
Bubba Wallace is NOT HAPPY with Kyle Larson.
Some pushes and shoves after they wreck. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/aaAn0idrJp
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 16, 2022
The incident may have seen Wallace banned, but it certainly livened up the proceedings and showed just what a tough sport NASCAR is.
Anyway, whilst all this was taking place, there was still a race going on. The upshot of Sunday’s result is that Joey Logano is now into the Championship 4 race. In the points table Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, and Denny Hamlin sit in the other three qualifying positions, with William Byron, Chase Briscoe, Ryan Blaney, and Christopher Bell the four drivers currently looking to force their way in.
Who is favorite to win the NASCAR Cup Championship?
The current favorite to be NASCAR Cup Series Championship winner for 2022 is Chase Elliott at +200. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has been favorite for nearly half the season after replacing Larson in the summer months.
The best NASCAR betting sites now have Joey Logano at +275, that is the closest anybody has been to Elliott for some weeks now. After that it is Denny Hamlin (+450), Ross Chastain (+550), William Byron (+850), Ryan Blaney (+1200), Christopher Bell (+2200), and Chase Briscoe (+2200).
Dixie Vodka 400; All you need to know
There are just two races left to decide who the other three drivers will be who make the Championship 4 race. The first is the Dixie Vodka 400 this Sunday, and the last is the Xfinity 500 the following weekend.
For four of the seven drivers looking to get into the Championship 4 race, winning one of the two remaining races is probably their best chance. Making this Sunday’s race from the Miami Speedway at Homestead a huge event.
- What; Dixie Vodka 400
- Where; Homestead–Miami Speedway, Homestead, Florida
- When; Sunday, October 23rd, 2022
- Time; 2.30 pm ET
- Laps; 267
- Distance; 400 Miles
The course is another 1.5 mile long asphalt oval with four turns. Last year’s race was won by William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports, with 2020 (Denny Hamlin) and 2019 (Kyle Busch) seeing wins for Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.
Who is the betting favorite to win the 2022 Dixie Vodka 400?
The betting favorite – as it seems to be most weeks now – is Denny Hamlin. Hamlin shares his favorites tag with Tyler Reddick, with both drivers quoted at +700 with the best NASCAR betting sites.
Following those two is a whole plethora of drivers priced up at +1000. At this mark you will find Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Ryan Blaney, and Christopher Bell.
More odds can be found below. For the benefit of this article, I’m using odds supplied by BetOnline. You can find out more about this bookmaker in our BetOnline sportsbook review.
| Dixie Vodka 400 Winner Betting |  |  |
| Denny Hamlin | +700 | +675 |
| Tyler Reddick | +700 | +775 |
| Kyle Larson | +1000 | +975 |
| Chase Elliott | +1000 | +1000 |
| Joey Logano | +1000 | +900 |
| Ross Chastain | +1000 | +950 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1000 | +1100 |
| Christopher Bell | +1000 | +1000 |
| Kyle Busch | +1400 | +1100 |
| Martin Truex Jr | +1400 | +1200 |
| William Byron | +1400 | +1500 |
| Kevin Harvick | +2000 | +2000 |
| Chase Briscoe | +2500 | +2000 |
Dixie Vodka 400 NASCAR Betting Picks
History here shows the race can be very open, but it also shows that Joe Gibbs Racing and Denny Hamlin are the most successful team and driver at this circuit. I’ve tipped Hamlin as one of my NASCAR picks a few times lately, and as yet, he hasn’t come good for me.
It’s getting to the point where the week I abandon him, he will come good. A bit like changing your lottery numbers after a few years! I think at the moment he is in a good place. So, with his record here, I’m going to give Denny Hamlin another go as my NASCAR betting pick.
I’m hedging this weekend though, and along with Hamlin I’m going for Chase Elliott at +1000. We’re obviously at the business end of the season, and the big names are going to be putting it all on the line.
Finally, why not have a bit of Chase Briscoe? He keeps clinging to his spot in the playoffs, and he did finish fourth last Sunday, at +2500 I think Briscoe is worth a small saver bet.
