Denny Hamlin

Kyle Larson has two opportunities to add to his NASCAR Cup Series winning streak this weekend.

The No. 5 car driver sits on the pole Saturday for the first of two Cup Series events at Pocono Raceway.

Larson won three consecutive points races and took first at the NASCAR All-Star Race to cement himself as the front-runner to win the championship. He has the most victories on the Cup Series circuit this season, but he could be at a slight disadvantage at Pocono.

Points leader Denny Hamlin won two of the past three Pocono events, and Kyle Busch owns three victories at the track since 2017.

                   

Pocono Organics CBD 325 Info

Date: Saturday, June 26

Start Time: 3 p.m. ET 

TV: NBCSN 

Live Stream: NBC Sports app and NBCSports.com.

             

Odds

Kyle Larson: +215 (bet $100 to win $215)

Denny Hamlin: +750

Kyle Busch: +800

Kevin Harvick: +850

Chase Elliott: +900

William Byron: +1000

Martin Truex Jr.: +1100

Brad Keselowski: +1400

Ryan Blaney: +1500

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

            

Starting Lineup

Kyle Larson and William Byron will start up front for Saturday's Cup race at Pocono.
Starting lineup: https://t.co/5xSQVLGXgn pic.twitter.com/c5WBLE8cqu

— Jayski (@jayski) June 23, 2021

        

Preview

Larson's recent dominance is reflected in the odds for the Pocono Organics CBD 325.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver is a heavy favorite over Hamlin, Busch, Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott.

Larson carries the advantage of starting on the pole for Saturday's race, which is the first of two events in two days at Pocono. The starting lineup for Sunday's race will be inverted based off the top 20 finishers from Saturday.

Starting position has been vital at Pocono over the past decade. Fifteen winners between 2010 and 2020 started inside the top 10. Three of those champions started from the pole, with the most recent being Busch in 2017.

Larson and Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron will start on the front row. Byron is the only Hendrick driver not to taste victory during the team's five-race winning streak in points events. Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott have one win each.

The front row must be aware of the threat Harvick poses from the start out of the third starting position. Harvick won the first race at Pocono and took second behind Hamlin in the Sunday race in June 2020.

Hamlin took his victory from the 19th spot on the starting grid. He will have to use some of that experience to reach the front from position No. 10.

Busch could also be a contender from his fifth position on the grid. He captured back-to-back wins at Pocono in 2018 and 2019 and was fifth in the event Harvick won in 2020.

Hamlin, Harvick and Busch could all be viewed as better bets to win over Larson because of the value attached to them and their experience at the track.

Aric Almirola is the wild card to watch in both races. He finished in third and fifth at last year's Pocono races and is slated to start 11th for Saturday's race. Almirola sits at +5000 to win outright and +155 to finish inside the top 10. The latter may be the safer play because of how dangerous Larson has been over the past month.

                

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Racing Reference.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

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The NASCAR Cup Series makes its debut at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday.

The new stop on the circuit provides a different type of challenge for the drivers than other tracks because few racers have a history there. The 1.333-mile track has not hosted a NASCAR-sanctioned event since an Xfinity Series race in 2011.

Kyle Larson is the overwhelming favorite to take first place for the Ally 400. The No. 5 car driver is on a remarkable hot streak, and he typically thrives at tracks of this length.

Larson and the other competitors in the field have to wait until Sunday to set the starting grid. Qualifying is set to take place at 11:05 a.m. ET.

                    

Ally 400 Information

Date: Sunday, June 20

Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET 

TV: NBCSN 

Live Stream: NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app

               

Odds

Kyle Larson: +275 (bet $100 to win $275)

Martin Truex Jr.: +650

Chase Elliott: +700

Denny Hamlin: +850

Kyle Busch: +900

William Byron: +1200

Brad Keselowski: +1200

Kevin Harvick: +1300

Joey Logano: +1300

Alex Bowman: +1400

Ryan Blaney: +1600

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

           

Preview

There is no stopping Larson at the moment.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver added the NASCAR All-Star Race to his rapidly expanding trophy case last weekend and is on a three-race winning streak. He also took the checkered flag first at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte and the Toyota Save Mart 350 on the Sonoma road course.

Larson's first victory of the season came in early March at Las Vegas, which has a similar-length track to Nashville.

The 28-year-old is known as an ace on 1.5-mile tracks, and he has become the driver to beat for the Cup Series championship. Larson is 47 points behind leader Denny Hamlin the standings entering Nashville, but he has an advantage over Hamlin with three victories to none.

Even though Hamlin is without a victory in 2021, he is in a good position to qualifying for the postseason.

There have been 11 race winners on the Cup Series circuit this season, which leaves five open playoff spots. Every first-place finisher qualifies for the 16-car postseason as long as more than 16 drivers do not win one competition.

With the second half of the season getting underway at Nashville, the playoff focus will become more intense. Hamlin and Kevin Harvick appear to be locks for the field of 16 based off points, but they would feel more secure with a victory.

Austin Dillon, Tyler Reddick and Chris Buescher headline the collection of drivers who need victories to get into the postseason. Those three are 12th, 13th and 14th in the points standings, respectively, but if a few more new race winners emerge, their spots could come under threat.

Dillon produced a pair of top-10 finishes at Nashville when the Xfinity Series last visited in 2011. That history, however short, at the track could help Dillon get into a high position on the track Sunday and contend for a victory.

Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano are the active Cup Series drivers with Xfinity Series wins at Nashville. Although it's been 10 years since any of them raced at the track, that might be enough of an advantage for them to succeed Sunday.

Keselowski, Busch and Logano all have victories this season, so if any of them cross the finish line first, it would make life feel a bit safer at the back end of the points standings.

If Harvick finally breaks through, it would give him the security of a playoff spot while putting much more pressure on Dillon, Reddick, Buescher and others to come up with a win before the playoffs begins.

              

Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

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Chase Elliott is NASCAR's road-course king.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver has five victories in his past seven road-course starts, but none of them occurred at Sonoma Raceway.

Because of the COVID-19 restrictions in place in California, the NASCAR Cup Series did not race at Sonoma during the 2020 season. Elliott has never won at the track, but he does own a pair of top-10 finishes at the road course.

Martin Truex Jr. won the past two Cup Series races at Sonoma in 2018 and 2019. He has challenged Elliott at most road-course events in recent years. Truex is the second-favorite to win behind Elliott, and there is a significant gap between the two drivers and the rest of the field on the odds board.

               

Toyota/Save-Mart 350 Info

Date: Sunday, June 6

Start Time: 4 p.m. ET 

TV: FS1

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

                  

Odds

Chase Elliott: +225 (bet $100 to win $225)

Martin Truex Jr.: +400

Kyle Busch: +700

Kyle Larson: +800

Denny Hamlin: +1000

William Byron: +1400

Joey Logano: +1600

Kevin Harvick: +1800

Ryan Blaney: +2000

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

                       

Starting Lineup

Cup lineup for Sunday at Sonoma. Larson on the pole. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/OnSztczKzO

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 2, 2021

            

Preview

Elliott appears to be in a better spot to win than Truex on Sunday.

The No. 9 car driver starts on the front row alongside Hendrick teammate Kyle Larson and could take over the lead from the start.

Since 2009, all of the race winners at Sonoma started inside the top 14, and five of them began the race on the first three rows.

Truex won the past two Sonoma races from second and eighth, respectively. Three of the four cars that finished behind him lined up in the top 10.

Sonoma is the one road course Elliott has not yet conquered. He has two wins on the Charlotte Roval, two more at Watkins Glen, another at the Daytona road course and a triumph at the Circuit of the Americas.

Elliott's COTA win came in a shortened race that was plagued by weather issues for most of the time the drivers were on track. Fortunately for the drivers, they will deal with sunny conditions Sunday, per AccuWeather.

Larson is the driver to watch outside of Elliott and Truex. He starts on the pole, took second at COTA and he owns four top-10 finishes in his past seven Cup Series road-course starts.

The No. 5 car driver is one of three competitors with double-digit top-10 placings this season, and he is one of three drivers with multiple wins. Truex has found Victory Lane three times, and Alex Bowman has won twice.

If Larson extends his strong run of form into Sonoma, he could make a push toward the top of the points standings. He and William Byron are 76 points back of Denny Hamlin.

Hamlin could be worth a look at +1000 to win the race since he finished in the top 10 in his past two starts at Sonoma. He is one of six drivers to land inside the top 10 in the past two races at the track.

Erik Jones and Aric Almirola are the long shots from that group to consider from a betting perspective. Jones is +15000 to win and Almirola sits at +20000. The drivers are +350 and +450, respectively, to finish in the top 10.

If you do not want to take the risk of betting Jones or Almirola outright, you can still get great value for a top-10 finish even if one of the road-course aces takes the checkered flag.

                    

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

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The NASCAR Cup Series will make its debut at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sunday.

The 3.4-mile course has been used by the IndyCar Series and Formula 1, but most of the NASCAR competitors have no experience there.

Sunday's trip to Texas is one of a few unique challenges added to the 2021 schedule. The Cup Series already competed on the dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Because of the unfamiliarity with the COTA track, the Cup Series drivers will compete for starting spots in a qualifying session Sunday morning.

For most of the season, the starting lineups have been set by a formula that takes into account the past week's results and the points standings. This was put into effect to shorten the time at the track because of COVID-19 protocols.

Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. are the two favorites to win the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix because of their road course prowess. Every other driver is listed at +1000 or above to take the checkered flag first.

                    

EchoPark Grand Prix Information

Date: Sunday, May 23

Start Time: 2:30 p.m. ET 

TV: FS1

Live Stream: FoxSports.com and Fox Sports app

                   

Odds

Chase Elliott: +250 (bet $100 to win $250) 

Martin Truex Jr.: +450

Denny Hamlin: +1000

Kyle Busch: +1200

Kyle Larson: +1400

Ryan Blaney: +1600

Kevin Harvick: +1600

William Byron: +1800

Joey Logano: +1800

Christopher Bell: +2000

Alex Bowman: +2000

Brad Keselowski: +2000

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

                 

Preview

The easiest way to gauge which drivers will be successful at COTA is looking at past results on the other NASCAR road courses.

Elliott has become a road course ace with two victories in the past two seasons at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and a 2020 triumph on the Daytona International Speedway road course.

Truex, who leads the Cup Series in wins with three, turned in top-10 finishes on the Daytona and Charlotte road courses in 2019 and finished 12th on Daytona's road course this season.

But even the most experienced road course drivers could have trouble navigating COTA because it is the first series trip to the course.

Denny Hamlin's crew chief, Chris Gabehart, outlined how difficult it will be for teams on Sunday, per NASCAR.com's Zack Albert: "Gosh, the unknowns. There's just so many things that you've got to keep track of at this track, and none of us have been there to do it, so we're just guessing at some of them, at that."

In addition to dealing with the unknowns, the drivers and teams may have to deal with inclement weather. According to the AccuWeather forecast, there is a 61 percent chance of rain Sunday.

With all of the variables in play, there is a chance that an unlikely driver takes first, especially if that driver qualifies well. The Cup Series drivers have one practice session Saturday before Sunday morning's qualifying.

A somewhat similar situation played out at the Daytona road course in February, when Christopher Bell won as a long shot over Joey Logano and Hamlin.

At +2000, Bell is worth a look as an outright winner because he should come into Sunday's race with some confidence on a road course.

Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric, who is driving on a part-time basis in the Cup Series, could turn in a surprise victory at +2200. Cindric won at Road America and the Daytona road course on the Xfinity Series circuit in 2020 and took second at Daytona in February.

                    

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

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The last five NASCAR Cup Series winners at Dover International Speedway top the odds chart for Sunday's Drydene 400.

Martin Truex Jr., who is coming off a win at Darlington Raceway, is the favorite to win at the Monster Mile. The No. 19 car driver owns three victories in 2021.

Truex and his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch won the last two races on the circuit, while Denny Hamlin sits atop the points standings for the team.

The Gibbs cars should be leading the pack for a good chunk of Sunday's race since Truex and Hamlin start on the front row. Four of the last seven winners at Dover have come from the top spots on the starting grid.

Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson, all of whom have wins at Dover in the past three years, start inside the top eight, so it may be difficult for a long shot to upset the field.

            

Drydene 400 Info

Date: Sunday, May 16

Start Time: 2 p.m. ET 

TV: FS1

Live Stream: Fox Sports app or FoxSports.com

           

Odds

Martin Truex Jr.: +350 (bet $100 to win $350)

Kyle Larson: +450

Denny Hamlin: +600

Kevin Harvick: +750

Kyle Busch: +800

Chase Elliott: +800

Brad Keselowski: +1300

William Byron: +1600

Joey Logano: +1600

Alex Bowman: +1800

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

       

Starting Lineup

All-JGR front row Sunday at Dover with Truex on the pole and Hamlin beside him. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/WhU0y6WCzl

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 12, 2021

          

Preview

Sunday's race is set up for the Gibbs cars to have a ton of success.

Truex owns two victories at the track and took second in both races in Delaware in 2020. Hamlin won one of those competitions, and Busch placed third in the race that the No. 11 car landed in Victory Lane.

In the last two years, the Gibbs team put nine cars in the top 10 and captured a pair of victories at Dover, so it is hard to argue against betting on one of those three drivers to win.

Truex sits at even-money to land in the top three, while Hamlin is +155 and Busch is +210 to land one of those positions.

In addition to their recent success at Dover, the three Gibbs drivers carry plenty of momentum into the race. Busch and Truex are the last two race winners, and Hamlin possesses nine top-five placings.

If you shy away from the Gibbs teammates, Larson and Harvick are the two best options to consider.

Larson won at Dover in October 2019 and drives for a Hendrick Motorsports team that had five top-10 finishes in the past two races at the Monster Mile.

Harvick captured the second of two races in August and was fourth behind the Gibbs train in the first of those two competitions.

Harvick carries more betting value at +750, and you can also get him at +200 to land inside the top three. Larson is +450 to capture the checkered flag and +125 to secure a top-three spot.

William Byron and Alex Bowman are the best wagering options outside of the top five since the Hendrick cars achieved so much success at Dover in 2020.

Byron and Bowman each had a top-five finish in the second Dover race last season, and they both sit above +1600 to win outright.

If you go further than Bowman on the odds chart, it becomes harder to justify an outright winner selection since the Gibbs and Hendrick teams have raced well at Dover.

Cole Custer may not win, but he carries the best value of the long shots to finish inside the top 10. The No. 41 car driver took 10th and 11th at Dover in 2020 and sits at +450 to finish in that spot on Sunday.

            

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

       

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

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Since the start of the 2014 season, only seven active NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Kansas Speedway.

Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. all have multiple wins during that span. Logano and Truex are the only members of the quartet with victories in the 2021 season.

Brad Keselowski, who won at Kansas in May 2019, became the latest driver to win his first race this season at Talladega Superspeedway.

Keselowski will be on the pole for Sunday's Buschy McBusch Race 400, with William Byron alongside him on the front row. Harvick is joined by Michael McDowell on the second row. Logano, Truex and Hamlin will all have to win the race from outside the top 10.

A start outside the top 10 does not make it impossible to win at Kansas, but it is historically more difficult, with only three of the past 10 winners at Kansas beginning the race outside the top 10.

                 

Buschy McBusch Race 400 Information

Date: Sunday, May 2

Start Time: 3 p,m. ET

TV: FS1

Live Stream: Fox Sports app or FoxSports.com

          

Odds

Denny Hamlin: +550 (bet $100 to win $550)

Kyle Larson: +650

Martin Truex Jr.: +650

Brad Keselowski: +850

Chase Elliott: +900

Kevin Harvick: +900

Joey Logano: +900

Ryan Blaney: +1000

Kyle Busch: +1200

William Byron: +1600

Alex Bowman: +1800

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

              

Starting Lineup

Brad Keselowski on the pole for the Cup race Sunday at Kansas. William Byron on front row @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/NMyJGzCGGJ

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 28, 2021

         

Preview

A starting position further back in the field should not bother Hamlin, who won in Kansas from 23rd in October 2019. He followed that up with a victory in July 2020 from the 10th spot on the grid.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been the most consistent racer that does not have a victory this season, but he leads the series in points and owns eight top-five finishes. Hamlin has some work to do from the 20th position, but he is one of two drivers to ever win at Kansas from a spot outside the top 20.

Keselowski was the other driver to achieve that feat in June 2011. He has two career wins at Kansas. The No. 2 car driver took second and fourth at Kansas in 2020, and his position on the pole could aid him in landing another top finish at the track.

At +850, Keselowski carries decent value to win since Hamlin, Truex and Kyle Larson are listed above him.

Harvick could be Keselowski's top competition for the lead in the early phase of the race since he starts fourth and was the only other driver to land two top-five placings at Kansas in 2020. He is coming off one of his best finishes of the season: a fourth-place mark at Talladega.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver has a chance to build off that finish at a track where he has two victories in the past nine races. He and Hamlin are the top two drivers in the points standings without a win.

While you can't go wrong with Hamlin, Keselowski and Harvick, there is one driver who could cash in at a higher value.

Alex Bowman took third at Kansas in October and possesses four top-10 finishes this season. At +1800, he has the largest moneyline value of any top contenders.

Most of the drivers listed at +2000 and beyond would be better choices for top-five or top-10 prop bets.

Christopher Bell, Erik Jones and Aric Almirola are the best options from that group to land in the top 10. Each driver had one such finish at Kansas in 2020.

               

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Racing Reference.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

Denny Hamlin is in a good spot to replicate his fall victory at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday.

The No. 11 car driver won the most recent NASCAR Cup Series race at the Alabama track after starting on the pole. He is back there for the Geico 500 thanks in part to his status as the points leader. Hamlin does not have any wins this season, but he has been one of the most consistent drivers on the circuit. Expect him to run up front, with two of his teammates starting on the inside row.

Joey Logano will join Hamlin on the front row, while Martin Truex Jr. and William Byron will begin the 500-mile race on the second row.

Alex Bowman, who won the Cup Series' latest race at Richmond, will be on Row 3 with Christopher Bell. Last year's Talladega June race winner, Ryan Blaney, starts alongside Chase Elliott on the fourth row.

                      

Geico 500 Information

Date: Sunday, April 25

Start Time: 2 p.m. ET 

TV: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

            

Odds

Denny Hamlin: +650 (bet $100 to win $650)

Joey Logano: +900

Ryan Blaney: +1000

Chase Elliott: +1100

Brad Keselowski: +1100

Aric Almirola: +1600

Kyle Busch: +1800

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +1800

Kevin Harvick: +2000

Alex Bowman: +2000

William Byron: +2000

Kyle Larson: +2000

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

                         

Starting Lineup

Denny Hamlin on the Cup pole Sunday for Talladega. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/Dk462q9taB

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 21, 2021

               

Preview

The best way to avoid the major wrecks at superspeedways is to remain near the front of the pack.

Hamlin carries the luxury of starting up top thanks to the consistent set of results he put together in the first nine races. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver owns eight top-10 finishes, and he took fifth on the first superspeedway race of the year at the Daytona 500.

He owns 13 top-10 placings in 30 starts at Talladega. His strong finishes at the track and results this season made him the easy choice for pre-race favorite.

Logano is viewed as Hamlin's top competition from an odds perspective. The No. 22 car driver sits at +900, and if he gets off to a fast start on the outside, he could dictate the pace of the race.

If you look past Hamlin and Logano on the odds chart, there is an easy trend to point out. The past six drivers to win at Talladega have the six best odds to take the checkered flag. Blaney won back-to-back Talladega races in October 2019 and June 2020, Keselowski and Aric Almirola won the 2017 and 2018 October races, Elliott was the April champion in 2019 and Logano last won in Alabama in April 2018.

The positioning of the recent Talladega winners allows you to grab more value on the likes of Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr., all of whom are +2000 or above.

Bowman is coming off a win at Richmond and could lead the Hendrick Motorsports train to the front of the field. Byron, Larson and Elliott all start inside the top 12.

If the Hendrick cars push to the front and avoid wrecks, they could be one of the groups to fear in the final stage. That was not the case at Daytona, as Bowman exited early and Byron finished laps behind winner Michael McDowell.

Since Talladega is a superspeedway, you always have to consider the possibility that a long shot wins, as McDowell did in February at Daytona.

Ryan Preece is the top dark horse to watch. He drove the No. 37 car to a pair of top-15 placings at Talladega in 2020 and finished sixth at the Daytona 500.

Erik Jones is another long shot to consider since he landed second behind Hamlin in October and turned in a fifth-place mark in June 2020.

             

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from NASCAR.com.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

There was late drama in Richmond on Sunday, with Alex Bowman making a late charge to take the checkered flag at NASCAR's Toyota Owners 400. 

Bowman held off Denny Hamlin to secure the win. 

.@Alex_Bowman is on a mission!

The No. 48 takes the lead at @RichmondRaceway! pic.twitter.com/3AK4DrB8LA

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 18, 2021

Look at that 4️⃣8️⃣ go! @Alex_Bowman is a @RichmondRaceway winner! pic.twitter.com/P2t0nqI27j

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 18, 2021

Bowman made the most of a restart with just 10 laps remaining, darting ahead of Denny Hamlin to steal the win.

"To be honest with you, we were terrible on short runs," he said after the race, per Holly Cain of NASCAR.com. "We restarted third, and I'm like, 'If we get out of here with a solid top-five we'll be good.' We overcame a lot today."

"I don't know if [crew chief] Greg [Ives] pumped the pressures way up or what he did, but that's more grip than I've ever had in a race car at Richmond and it worked out really well," he added.

Hamlin, obviously, was more disappointed with how the race unfolded. 

"We just didn't take off quite as good there at the end," he said. "I tried to warm it up and do everything that I could—just the 48 [Bowman] had a little more on those last few laps and I couldn't hold the bottom. Once he got the position, we were just shut down there."

Joey Logano finished third Sunday, followed by Christopher Bell and Martin Truex Jr. Hamlin won both stages, while Logano led for 49 laps (Truex led 107). 

"I hate being that close." @joeylogano reacts to a P3 result today at @RichmondRaceway. pic.twitter.com/9hdY9fgbGs

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 18, 2021

Hamlin sits atop the NASCAR Cup Series at points, followed by Truex (353 points) and Logano (352). 

The Cup Series heads to the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama for the Geico 500 next Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.

Martin Truex Jr. won his second race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, collecting the checkered flag in the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia.

Truex is the first driver to notch two wins this year, which vaults him to the top of the championship playoff standings. He has been dominant on short tracks of late, with Sunday's victory his fifth in his last 11 tries, per DriverAverages.com.

FIRST REPEAT WINNER OF 2021. Retweet to congratulate @MartinTruex_Jr on his Martinsville victory! pic.twitter.com/5xO8wJxlyY

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 12, 2021

The cliche "it's not how you start, it's how you finish" held true Sunday. Truex led just 20 of the 500 laps, but he dominated when it counted the most.

"It was pretty incredible here at the end," he said in his post-race interview on FS1 (via PRN). "We never could quite get it the way we wanted, but at the end it came to life."

Down the final stretch, the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 became a three-horse race between Truex, Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott, who were comfortably ahead of the rest of the field. Truex subsequently opened a wide lead on Elliott and Hamlin, leaving them in a fight for second place.

As Truex coasted to the finish line, Elliott edged out Hamlin. Hamlin didn't have a lot to show for leading more than 100 laps (276) than the next closest driver.

     

Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 Leaderboard

1. Martin Truex Jr.

2. Chase Elliott

3. Denny Hamlin

4. William Byron

5. Kyle Larson

6. Joey Logano

7. Christopher Bell

8. Tyler Reddick

9. Kevin Harvick

10. Kyle Busch

Full leaderboard available on NASCAR.com

     

The race officially got underway Saturday, but drivers only managed to get 42 laps completed before steady rainfall hit Ridgeway. Rather than continue to wait things out, NASCAR announced the action would be postponed.

Track officials couldn't have asked for much better conditions Sunday.

Martinsville is the shortest track on the Cup Series and treated fans to plenty of three-wide stretches. Cautions were aplenty as well, and there would've been more than the 15 on the record were it not for some adept driving to avoid danger.

A famous @MartinsvilleSwy h̶o̶t̶ d̶o̶g̶ sandwich!

Now we're wondering if a hot dog is a sandwich... 🤔 🌭 pic.twitter.com/Ip2Yx9O5L4

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 11, 2021

This is NOT what @dennyhamlin wants to see after being shuffled back a few positions thanks to the caution 😧.

📺: FS1 📱: https://t.co/oWWAusOO8X pic.twitter.com/Ukvr4BLuAb

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 11, 2021

Troublesome Turn 2 takes time to tame. @keselowski | @MartinsvilleSwy pic.twitter.com/augPANFltC

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 11, 2021

Brad Keselowski isn't exactly pleased with Ross Chastain after this one.

"That was pretty bad."- Bowyer pic.twitter.com/iR28rg7wlX

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 11, 2021

Things ground to a halt with 113 laps remaining. Chris Buescher and Kyle Busch spun out to set off a chain reaction that impacted multiple drivers. The Nos. 17 and 18 cars effectively formed a blockade, which briefly turned Martinsville Speedway into a parking lot.

The BIG One strikes at NASCAR's shortest track. 😳 pic.twitter.com/HzaFAbWojJ

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) April 11, 2021

When the dust cleared, five drivers were unable to continue and headed for the garage. Brad Keselowski was among those whose race ended early, and he reflected on how every step forward Sunday was accompanied by a step backward even before the crash.

"One of those compounding, frustrating short-track days."

We talk with Brad Keselowski after his long weekend ends early at Martinsville. pic.twitter.com/LNjVbFCl5f

— Jamie Little (@JamieLittleTV) April 11, 2021

The NASCAR Cup Series travels to Richmond Raceway for the Toyota Owners 400 on April 18. It's the first of two races at Richmond, the second of which comes in September following the start of the championship playoffs.

Keselowski was victorious in the last Richmond race, taking the checkered flag in the 2020 Federated Auto Parts 400. The 2012 series champion is still looking for his first victory, so perhaps his luck will turn around this time next week.

Joey Logano held off Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Denny Hamlin in overtime to win the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Monday.

Logano took control in the middle stage, claiming a Stage 2 win and remaining at or near the top of the leaderboard for the remainder of the evening. He led 61 laps, second-most in the field.

Inclement weather forced officials to postpone the race—the first NASCAR Cup event on dirt since 1970—by one day, but conditions couldn't have been much better in Bristol, Tennessee. That isn't to say the event was totally drama-free as 10 cautions were called over the 250 laps.

The final caution came with only four laps remaining, providing Hamlin, who was running in second, with a lifeline. 

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver miscalculated by attempting to pass Logano on the outside. The No. 11 Toyota slid to the top of the track and opened the door for Stenhouse to overtake him for second. That left Logano with a clear path to his first victory of the 2021 season.

Retweet to congratulate @JoeyLogano on his NASCAR Cup Series WIN on the Bristol Dirt Track!

@BMSUpdates | @Team_Penske pic.twitter.com/SpKqwkkANt

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 29, 2021

No matter how the Food City Dirt Race unfolded, Martin Truex Jr. was guaranteed to leave Bristol Motor Speedway with at least one victory Monday. The 40-year-old was victorious in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race that ran prior to the main event.

Truex's momentum carried over into the NASCAR Cup Series contest as he took the first stage.

Truex. Not a road course guy but wins on road courses. Not a dirt guy but cruising out there today. Pretty awesome! @MartinTruex_Jr #BristolDirtRace #NASCAR

— JR Hildebrand (@JRHildebrand) March 29, 2021

The JGR driver was fortunate early into the race as Aric Almirola lost control and spun out in the middle of the track. The No. 19 car managed to slow down and weave his way around to avoid being a part of the collateral damage.

The red flag is out after a big crash at the Bristol Dirt Track. https://t.co/vX3wLq74Ah pic.twitter.com/kTMQ4lOFsv

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 29, 2021

The dirt track was a great callback to the sport's history and made for excellent visuals. To those who actually had to do the driving, the novelty might have worn off quickly.

The surface provided less traction than a traditional concrete or asphalt track and presented different challenges in terms of managing the tires. Simply seeing where you were going was difficult at times as well.

Ride with @CBellRacing as the No. 20 car spins coming off the corner.

📺: FOX | 📲: https://t.co/oWWAusOO8X pic.twitter.com/9YT07GHMLZ

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 29, 2021

"Dude, you can't see anything. NOTHING."- Kyle Busch pic.twitter.com/GBF8qDrqbf

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 29, 2021

Past experience didn't count for much, either. This was far from Kyle Larson's first rodeo on the dirt, which made the Hendrick Motorsports driver one of the top contenders in the eyes of many. 

Instead, Larson was dragged into a wreck in the first stage and quickly fell two laps back. While the No. 5 car eventually returned to the 0.533-mile oval, some modifications were required to make it race-ready.

Trouble for two of today's favorites to win. Christopher Bell goes around and Kyle Larson has nowhere to go. pic.twitter.com/nhKfNCSawx

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 29, 2021

Kyle Larson would be ready to put this race in the rearview mirror but I think that fell off also. #NASCAR #BristolDirtRace pic.twitter.com/xBCdf4KLx5

— nascarcasm (@nascarcasm) March 29, 2021

Bristol already announced it will be bringing the dirt back next spring. That gives NASCAR plenty of time to make some adjustments based on Monday's action.

Drivers will get the weekend off before they're back on the track for the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on April 10. Chase Elliott captured the checkered flag in the NASCAR Cup Series' penultimate race of the 2020 season at the 0.526-mile short track.