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NASCAR at Charlotte 2021 Results: Kyle Larson Earns 7th Win of Season

Oct 10, 2021
Kyle Larson (5) leads a pack of cars during a NASCAR Cup Series auto racing race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
Kyle Larson (5) leads a pack of cars during a NASCAR Cup Series auto racing race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

Kyle Larson won the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday for his seventh win of the season.

It was the seventh and final road-course race of the 2021 season. Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott entered Sunday as a two-time defending winner of the race, and Larson had also earned two of his wins this season at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Larson is the first racer ever to win three road-course races in a single season.

Tyler Reddick finished second, while Chris Buescher took third.

Denny Hamlin, who entered Sunday's race as the leader in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, finished in fifth place. Larson passed him late in the race after a restart.

The other drivers joining him in advancing to the round of eight are Larson, Elliott, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch.

Kevin Harvick, Christopher Bell, William Byron and Alex Bowman entered Sunday's race on the bubble to be eliminated from the playoffs, and they each failed to advance.

Larson faced some early adversity because of his alternator belt needing to be changed in the middle of the race. He had fallen below the cut line, but his crew was able to turn things around quickly.

"I was getting stressed out like, 'Man, I'm not gonna get knocked out of the playoffs like this," Larson said after the race. "It wasn't looking too good, and thankfully everybody in our 5 car did a great job of staying calm."

The big story on Sunday was the feud between Elliott and Harvick. Harvick sent Elliott crashing in the final stage with 55 laps to go. It was an apparent retaliation for Harvick's wreck at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Later in the race, Harvick had a chance to advance in the playoffs as he was above the cut line, but he crashed into the wall with nine laps to go.

Elliott's team called the crash "karma" for the earlier incident. It's Harvick's first time failing to advance past the Round of 12 in the playoffs.

The next race will be the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.     

NASCAR at Talladega 2021: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Oct 2, 2021
Austin Cindric (22) leads a pack of cars pass during the AG-PRO 300 Xfinity Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway Saturday, April 24, 2021 in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Austin Cindric (22) leads a pack of cars pass during the AG-PRO 300 Xfinity Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway Saturday, April 24, 2021 in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

The second race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs' Round of 12 will take place Sunday at the Talladega Superspeedway.

Drivers hoping to advance to the next round will take on the largest oval on the circuit for 188 laps of steep banking in the always competitive and challenging YellaWood 500.

Denny Hamlin will be on the pole after his win last time out at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but the Joe Gibbs Racing stalwart is already in the third round of the playoffs, so this race isn't as important to his title hopes as it is to those of Joey Logano (3,045 points), who is in seventh place and a whopping 51 points behind leader Kyle Larson (3,096 points).

Brad Keselowski (3,043 points) and Kevin Harvick (3,036 points) are in eighth and 10th place, respectively, so they should have vastly different strategies heading into Sunday, hoping to close the gap in the standings.

Here's a quick look at the lineup of top drivers, schedule and odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

            

Geico 500 Information

Date: Sunday, October 3

Start Time: 2 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports App

             

Starting Lineup

           

Odds

Denny Hamlin: +900 (bet $100 to win $900)

Joey Logano: +1000

Chase Elliott: +1000

Ryan Blaney: +1,000

William Byron: +1100 

Brad Keselowski: +1,200

Kyle Larson: +1,200

Kevin Harvick: +1,500

Kyle Busch: +1,500

Alex Bowman: +1,800

                    

Preview

Not all drivers are best suited for the superspeedway, so Talladega can be a bit tricky, but it's always entertaining because it's downright Darwinian on the track.

Hamlin is the favorite going into Sunday's race, but he's got some stiff competition from drivers who like to shine in Alabama.

Of all the drivers taking the track, Keselowski has the most wins at Talladega (six), followed by teammate Logano, who has three. The Team Penske duo are both trying to remain in the top eight, so they will be pushing hard to cross the finish line first.

The third member of the Penske trio, Ryan Blaney, is in fifth place in the standings (3,063 points) and oddsmakers have him as the fourth-favorite.

And even though Keselowski has one foot out of the door with Team Penske, bettors still aren't counting him out this Sunday.

"Maybe [you would overlook him] if he wasn't racing for a championship or [was] leaving on bad terms. Or if the team was folding," professional sports bettor Zack White told Marcus DiNitto of NASCAR.com. "Everyone still wants to win in this case, so no change for me."

Looking to shake things up is Hendrick Motorsports driver and reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott. Sitting in sixth place with 3,061 points, Elliott will try to draw on his first and only win at Talladega (April 2019) to make good on his third-ranked odds and race to victory.

No matter what, it's going to be an unpredictable but must-see race Sunday.

NASCAR at Bristol 2021 Results: Kyle Larson Wins Final Round of 16 Playoff Race

Sep 19, 2021
Cars take the green flag to start a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Cars take the green flag to start a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Kyle Larson took home the third and final Round of 16 race in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee on Saturday evening.

Larson passed Kevin Harvick on the inside to take the lead and earn his sixth win of the year.

He spoke with NBC Sports afterward:

Here's a look at how the race went down.

Chase Elliott took the early lead at Bristol, surpassing Martin Truex Jr. on the inside:

Joey Logano was near the lead but fell 19 spots because of pit-stop concerns:

Larson used David Starr's No. 66 car to impede Elliott's path to take the lead:

However, it was Hamlin who eventually won the stage.

Stage 2 ended in Larson's favor, however, but not before some more action along the way.

For starters, Elliott had to start at the back of the field for being too fast on pit road. Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports provided more information:

Pit road issues have been a problem for Elliott, as Jeff Gluck of The Athletic tweeted:

Elsewhere, Brad Keselowski's No. 2 car jetted past Larson for a lead:

Everyone had to slow down after a tire issue for Ryan Newman sent him into the wall and took some other cars along with him:

This stage also saw Aric Almirola get black flagged due to a leaking issue only to get the problem fixed and race again:

Another wreck soon went down, though, and this one led to a red flag:

In the end, Larson emerged as the Stage 2 winner after all that drama.

The first two stages were 125 laps each, and the third one was 250.

Kevin Harvick took the lead early in Stage 3:

Quin Houff's night featured an unfortunate turn with 140 laps left:

   

More action occurred when Hamlin hit the wall after making contact with Larson and cutting a tire:

The chaotic race continued with Elliott storming all the way back to take his own lead:

Soon enough, drama between Elliott and Harvick began:

Elliott did not seem very pleased with that result:

Larson ended up winning the race, but the Harvick-Elliott drama took centerstage:

Both said their peace to NBC Sports afterward:

We'll see if any bad blood rolls into next week, but for now, here's a look at a playoff update.

Kurt Busch, Tyler Reddick, Aric Almirola and Michael McDowell have been eliminated from the playoffs following the conclusion of Saturday's race.

The 12 remaining drivers are Hamlin, Truex Jr., Larson, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Harvick, Chase Elliott, Christopher Bell, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, William Byron and Alex Bowman.

The round consisted of three races: the Cook Out Southern 500, the Federated Auto Parts 400 and the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. The winners, in order, were Hamlin, Truex Jr. and Larson.

Saturday's 500-lap race saw the NASCAR Cup Series drivers cover 266.5 total miles at the track known as The World's Fastest Half Mile.

The Round of 12 is up next, beginning with the South Point 400 in Las Vegas on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. ET at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR at Bristol 2021: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Sep 17, 2021
Driver Daniel Suarez (99) leads Joey Logano (22), and Martin Truex Jr. (19) during an NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Daniel Suarez (99) leads Joey Logano (22), and Martin Truex Jr. (19) during an NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Thirteen drivers will fight for nine spots in the next round of the NASCAR Cup Series on Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway. 

Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. advanced out of the round of 16 through victories in the first two playoff races. Kyle Larson got into the round of 12 off his points total. 

Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Kevin Harvick sit in the best positions possible to move on to the next three-race postseason round. 

If any of the 13 drivers from fourth to 16th place win at Bristol, they will automatically qualify for the round of 12. 

All of the clinching scenarios to reach the round of 12 can be found here on NASCAR.com.

      

Bass Pro Shops Night Race Info

Date: Saturday, September 18

Start Time: 7:30 p.m. ET 

TV: NBCSN 

Live Stream: NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app

     

Odds

Via DraftKings Sportsbook

Kyle Busch (+400; bet $100 to win $400)

Kyle Larson (+450)

Denny Hamlin (+600)

Chase Elliott (+800)

Joey Logano (+1000)

Kevin Harvick (+1100)

Ryan Blaney (+1500)

Kurt Busch (+1500)

     

Starting Lineup

       

Preview

Kyle Busch is listed as the pre-race favorite because of his stellar history at Bristol. 

The No. 18 car driver won three of the last seven races at the Tennessee track. He finished inside the top five for both of the races on the Bristol concrete in 2020. 

The Cup Series visited Bristol earlier in the season, but that event took place on dirt. 

Busch comes into Bristol in 10th place in the playoff standings with an eight-point edge over Alex Bowman in 13th place. 

The other Busch brother, Kurt, had a pair of top-15 finishes at Bristol in 2020. He needs points more than Kyle Busch since he is in 12th in a tie with Bowman.

Bowman, Tyler Reddick, William Byron and Michael McDowell suffered setbacks in the first two playoff races that forced them beneath the cut line. 

McDowell, who won the Daytona 500, is in the most trouble of being eliminated. He is 38 points adrift of Kurt Busch. Byron is within 18 points of Busch, while Reddick sits five points behind the No. 1 car driver.

The best-case scenario for any of those four drivers is to win the race, but that will be difficult among a field of drivers with past success at Bristol. 

Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski, who both won in 2020, reside in the top 10 in points, and they have some comfort with their respective places in the standings. 

Chase Elliott, Aric Almirola and Christopher Bell are among the drivers inside the top 12 who placed in the top 10 at Bristol last season. 

Larson, Hamlin and Truex are already into the round of 12, but they could win the race and take away the automatic advancement spot. 

Each of those three drivers are in strong form, and they could use the Bristol race to fine-tune things ahead of the next leg of races. 

Truex and Hamlin begin the race on the front row. The last three winners on the Bristol concrete came from the first four starting positions. 

NASCAR at Richmond 2021: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Sep 10, 2021
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 05: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Bass Pro Toyota, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 05, 2021 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 05: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Bass Pro Toyota, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 05, 2021 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

The 16 drivers involved in the NASCAR Cup Series postseason experienced a mixed bag of results in the first of three round-of-16 races last weekend. 

The early exits of certain drivers put more pressure on them to succeed on Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway. 

Denny Hamlin secured his spot in the round of 12 with his victory at Darlington Raceway. Kyle Larson is in the best position to advance on points from Richmond. 

Alex Bowman, who won at Richmond earlier this season, Kyle Busch, William Byron and Michael McDowell sit beneath the cut line after they went through troubles at Darlington. 

The desperation of the drivers beneath the 12th-place cut line combined with the motivation of top playoff drivers to lock up round-of-12 spots should produce plenty of fireworks under the lights in Virginia.

         

Federated Auto Parts 400 Info

Date: Saturday, September 11

Start Time: 7:30 p.m. ET 

TV: NBCSN 

Live Stream: NBC Sports app or NBCSports.com.

      

Odds

Via DraftKings Sportsbook

Martin Truex Jr. (+550; bet $100 to win $550)

Denny Hamlin (+650)

Kyle Busch (+650)

Joey Logano (+700)

Kyle Larson (+750)

Chase Elliott (+900)

Brad Keselowski (+1000)

Kevin Harvick (+1100)

Christopher Bell (+1500)

William Byron (+1600)

Alex Bowman (+1800)

Ryan Blaney (+2000)

      

Starting Lineup

        

Preview

The easiest way for a driver to secure safe passage into the round of 12 is to win at Richmond.

Hamlin has the opportunity to fine-tune things over the next two weeks because he is not under the pressure to advance. 

Larson is in the best position to join Hamlin if he does not win. NASCAR.com outlined all of the potential clinching scenarios with Larson at the forefront. 

Larson produced one of his worst results of the 2021 season at Richmond in April. He earned an 18th-place finish in a race won by his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Bowman. 

Bowman will try to replicate the magic he found at Richmond to dig out of the early playoff hole he set for himself at Darlington.

The No. 48 car driver sits in 13th place, and he is level on points with Tyler Reddick, who finished two spots behind Larson in April on the Virginia short track. 

Kyle Busch should also be in a good spot to leap above the cut line. He won both races at the track in 2018 and he took an eighth-place finish in April. 

William Byron landed a seventh-place finish in April, so that should boost his prospects of moving out of 15th place to a more comfortable spot ahead of next week's trip to Bristol Motor Speedway. 

The top eight positions from the April Richmond race were occupied by playoff qualifiers. Pre-race favorite Martin Truex Jr. started on the pole and finished fifth in that race. Hamlin, Joey Logano and Christopher Bell were second, third and fourth, respectively. 

Truex completed the Richmond sweep in 2019, and he took second behind Brad Keselowski in the lone race at the circuit in 2020. 

Larson can't be ignored as a pick to win since he has been the most consistent Cup Series this season. The No. 5 car driver has a chance to get out in front early from the pole position.

Starting up top does not guarantee success at Richmond since three of the last six winners won from starting spots outside the top 10.

However, the pole position should at least give Larson a chance to run in clean air to start and try to create some separation between himself and the rest of the pack. 

Aric Almirola, who got into the playoffs with an unexpected win at New Hampshire, could be the best sleeper pick for prop bets on Saturday. He took sixth in April and carries some of the longest odds to win among the playoff drivers at +2500. A bet on Almirola to finish inside the top 10 at +350 carries plenty of value. 

          

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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NASCAR at Darlington 2021: Denny Hamlin Holds Off Kyle Larson to Win Playoff Opener

Sep 6, 2021
Ryan Blaney, front right, and Denny Hamlin, front left, lead the start of a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Ryan Blaney, front right, and Denny Hamlin, front left, lead the start of a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Denny Hamlin took a step toward a Cup Series championship Sunday with a victory in the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Hamlin outpaced Kyle Larson and the rest of the field in the Cup Series playoff opener and clinched a spot in the Round of 12.

He won the first stage and then retook the lead in the third stage before holding off any late charges from arguably the best driver in the field this year. It was also Hamlin's third career Southern 500 victory.

The biggest storyline heading to Darlington Raceway was the start of the 16-team, 10-race playoff.

The format is fairly simple, as the first round consists of three races and cuts the field from 16 to 12, the second round consists of three races and cuts the field from 12 to eight, and the third round consists of three races and cuts the field from eight to four. From there, the champion is the highest finisher of the four remaining in the final race.

Winning any of the three races per round automatically clinches a spot into the next round, so Hamlin won't have much to worry about until the Round of 12 begins.

Ryan Blaney started Sunday's race from the pole position, which figured to be a problem for the rest of the field. After all, he was coming off back-to-back wins at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 and FireKeepers Casino 400 and was on the short list of realistic contenders.

So was Larson, who was dominant this season with victories at the Pennzoil 400, Coca-Cola 600, Toyota Save Mart 350, NASCAR All-Star Race, Ally 400 and Go Bowling at The Glen race.

Yet it was Hamlin who won the caution-filled first stage that was defined by trouble elsewhere from his own impressive driving.

Alex Bowman ran into plenty of trouble by hitting the wall, getting clipped by William Byron and then working through a small fire on pit road. Elsewhere, Michael McDowell's day ended early when he hit the inside wall, and Chase Elliott's car had front-end damage that knocked him further back in the field.

The chaos continued in the second stage, as Kyle Busch's race came to an end after a crash with Austin Dillon. Busch also turned heads when he told reporters, "We were running like s--t. We got wrecked. It's what you get when you run like s--t."

Byron's disappointing day also ended with a crash in the second stage, but Larson avoided the trouble and won a second stage he largely controlled.

Fittingly, the third stage was also an exercise in attrition, as Blaney spun out after he was penalized for an uncontrolled tire. Martin Truex Jr. also went to the back of the field after he was caught speeding on pit road, and Elliott's race came to an end when he hit the wall.

Even with all that, there was plenty of drama with Hamlin seizing the lead and attempting to hold off Larson and Ross Chastain on the final stretch.

He was able to do so and prevailed in an eventful playoff opener.

NASCAR at Darlington 2021: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Sep 4, 2021
Kyle Larson (5) during qualifying for a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Kyle Larson (5) during qualifying for a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

The NASCAR Cup Series postseason kicks off Sunday at one of the sport's most historic race tracks, with the 16 drivers in the playoff field, as well as the other drivers on the circuit, heading to Darlington Raceway.

Kyle Larson captured the regular-season title to earn the top spot in the standings going into the playoffs. Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. are both 28 points behind the No. 5 car driver.

Larson, Blaney and Truex have the easiest paths to the next round, but that could change in an instant if someone deeper in the postseason standings wins a race.

Any driver in the playoff hunt can automatically move on to the 12-driver postseason round with a victory at Darlington or at one of the two other round-of-16 races that follow at Richmond and Bristol.

                      

Southern 500 Information

Date: Sunday, September 5

Start Time: 6 p.m. ET 

TV: NBCSN

Live Stream: NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app

                 

Odds

Kyle Larson: +300 (bet $100 to win $300)

Martin Truex Jr.: +500

Kyle Busch: +600

Denny Hamlin: +700

Chase Elliott: +850

Kevin Harvick: +1000

William Byron: +1200

Joey Logano: +1500

Alex Bowman: +1800

Brad Keselowski: +1800

Ryan Blaney: +2000

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

                  

Starting Lineup

        

Preview

Larson and Truex are the two favorites to win at Darlington for separate reasons.

The regular-season champion has been the most dominant driver on the Cup Series circuit in 2021, recording five wins and 14 top-five finishes. Truex, meanwhile, won the May race at Darlington. That was his second victory at the Track Too Tough To Tame.

Truex beat out Larson and Kyle Busch in the first Darlington race of the season. The No. 19 car led 248 of the 293 laps.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver needs to make up some ground from the start to catch up to Larson and Blaney. Truex starts on the outside of Row 5 in 10th place.

Larson begins the race in sixth place. He is one of three Hendrick Motorsports drivers starting on the first three rows.

Even though Blaney sits on the pole and won last time out at Daytona, he carries much steeper odds to win than Larson and Truex. Blaney owns a single top-10 finish at Darlington, but that did come in May, when he took eighth.

Blaney carries the best betting value based on his recent form. He has five top-five placings in the past six races and won in back-to-back weeks at Michigan and Daytona to close out the regular season. Blaney is +2000 to win, +650 to land in the top three, +330 to earn a top-five spot and -110 for a top-10 finish.

Kevin Harvick is the driver to watch outside of the top three in points. He has won two of the past four races at Darlington and is in need of a victory to rise out of the bottom four.

Harvick, Aric Almirola, Tyler Reddick and Michael McDowell sit beneath the cut line going into Darlington. They are all within three points of Christopher Bell in 12th. A strong run from those drivers should make them feel more comfortable about their prospects of advancing to the next round.

                        

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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NASCAR at Michigan 2021: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Aug 21, 2021
Kevin Harvick competes at a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Kevin Harvick competes at a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

The NASCAR Cup Series regular season is down to its final two races.

The Cup Series moves back to an oval Sunday at Michigan International Speedway. The past two races were on road courses.

Fourteen of the 16 playoff spots have been clinched by 13 eligible race winners and Denny Hamlin, who is second on the circuit in points. Kevin Harvick is next in line to secure a spot in the playoff field. He either needs a win to secure automatic qualification or he can get in on points because of the gap between him and Tyler Reddick.

Reddick and Austin Dillon are fighting for the final playoff spot. The former leads his teammate by 28 points. Matt DiBenedetto, Chris Buescher and others could play spoiler to the race for 16th with a victory. The drivers sitting in 18th and below likely can't get in on points alone.

                    

Firekeepers Casino 400 Info

Date: Sunday, August 22

Start Time: 3 p.m. ET 

TV: NBCSN 

Live Stream: NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app

               

Odds

Kyle Larson: +260 (bet $100 to win $260)

Kyle Busch: +700

Kevin Harvick: +700

Martin Truex Jr.: +750

Chase Elliott: +800

Denny Hamlin: +900

Alex Bowman: +1200

William Byron: +1400

Brad Keselowski: +1600

Joey Logano: +1600

Ryan Blaney: +1800

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

           

Starting Lineup

        

Preview

Harvick is in the best possible position to lock up the 15th playoff spot Sunday.

The No. 4 car driver has won the past three races at Michigan, and he starts in a favorable spot on the outside of the fourth row.

A win would put Harvick in the field alongside teammate Aric Almirola, who won at New Hampshire in July to clinch his postseason spot. A strong run would provide another confidence boost for Stewart-Haas Racing since Harvick does not have a victory one year after he and Denny Hamlin traded wins throughout the regular season.

The two drivers directly beneath Harvick in the standings are set for all-out battle over the next two races. Reddick and Dillon, who are teammates at Richard Childress Racing, are separated by 12 places on the starting grid.

Dillon had the best performances at Michigan in 2020. He took eighth in the second of two back-to-back races. Reddick placed 18th and 24th in those two races.

Reddick needs a good race to feel somewhat secure going into next week's race at Daytona International Speedway, which is much more unpredictable and a track that Dillon won at in the past.

A victory would be the ideal result for either driver. But if that does not happen, they need to be in the best spot possible to earn the 16th playoff spot.

The only way Reddick and Dillon both miss out on the playoffs is if a driver beneath them in the standings wins at either Michigan or Daytona. DiBenedetto is the likeliest candidate to achieve that feat. He had two top-15 finishes at Michigan last season and has five top-11 placings in a row.

If the No. 21 car driver puts a solid run together Sunday, he could upset the RCR drivers and lock in his spot in the playoff field. However, it feels like everyone will be chasing Kyle Larson, who is the regular-season points leader and pole-sitter for the race.

Larson has five victories and 17 top-10 finishes this season. Accordingly, he is the overwhelming favorite to win Sunday's race.

If you are looking for a long shot, Joey Logano could be the best option. He is the only racer outside of Harvick to win in the past five Cup Series races at Michigan, and Team Penske needs a strong run after two poor road course finishes.

                      

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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NASCAR at Indianapolis 2021: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Aug 14, 2021
Chase Elliott turns into the Esses during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
Chase Elliott turns into the Esses during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)

The NASCAR Cup Series will experience another first trip to a road course Sunday.

Instead of running on the oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Cup Series race will be contested on the road course inside the track.

Sunday's Verizon 200 at the Brickyard is the sixth road course challenge posed to the Cup Series drivers this season. They will take on a seventh in October at the Charlotte Roval.

Chase Elliott did not continue his road course dominance last time out at Watkins Glen. Instead, Kyle Larson extended his fantastic season by cashing in on his status as second-favorite.

The odds for Sunday's race suggest Elliott and Larson will be at the front of the pack again. They are the two clear favorites ahead of Martin Truex Jr. and others.

                 

Verizon 200 at the Brickyard Info

Date: Sunday, August 15

Start Time: 1 p.m. ET 

TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports app and NBCSports.com.

                    

Odds

Chase Elliott: +200(bet $100 to win $200)

Kyle Larson: +350

Martin Truex Jr.: +600

Kyle Busch: +900

Denny Hamlin: +1200

Christopher Bell: +1800

Austin Cindric: +2000

A.J. Allmendinger: +2200

William Byron: +2500

Joey Logano: +2500

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

                   

Preview

Since the Indy road course is new to the Cup Series drivers, a practice and qualifying session will be held on race weekend.

After the resumption of the 2020 schedule following a pandemic-related break, NASCAR has used a formula based off race finishes and points to determine the starting grid for most races. Sunday's trip around the Brickyard brings with it a special set of circumstances. A practice round will take place Saturday morning, and the grid will be set through Sunday's qualifying session.

Even though the starting lineup is not set, it feels like a guarantee to see Elliott and Larson up front at some juncture of the 200-mile race.

Elliott worked his way up from the back of the pack at Watkins Glen to take second behind Larson. The No. 9 car driver has four straight top-two finishes on that type of track. The pre-race favorite has landed inside the top two in eight of his past nine points races on road courses. The lone exception was a 21st-place mark at Daytona in February.

Larson has been equally as dominant during most of NASCAR's road course races in 2021. The No. 5 car driver won at Watkins Glen and Sonoma and took second at the Circuit of the Americas. He is one of the few drivers in the field who can match Elliott on this type of track because he carries an extensive amount of experience racing all sorts of vehicles on every surface imaginable.

The Hendrick Motorsports teammates should qualify high. Even if they do not, they should be in the mix for the lead sooner rather than later Sunday.

Truex should be viewed as the biggest threat to Elliott and Larson. He took third behind the duo at Watkins Glen and owns three straight top-10 marks on road courses. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver carries better odds across the board than the Hendrick cars. Getting Truex at -145 to finish in the top five is reasonable given his high level of performance on the road surfaces.

It is hard to see a long shot coming out of nowhere to upset the three favorites, but keep an eye on Christopher Bell at +1800.

Bell won at the Daytona road course race to clinch his spot in the playoffs and had top-10 finishes at Road America and Watkins Glen. Bell may be the best driver to target on props since he is +250 to finish in the top five.

                    

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NASCAR at Watkins Glen 2021 Results: Kyle Larson Earns 5th Win of Season

Aug 8, 2021
WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK - AUGUST 08: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, waits on the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 08, 2021 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK - AUGUST 08: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, waits on the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 08, 2021 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Kyle Larson held off Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. to win for the fifth time during the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The points leader collected the checkered flag in Sunday's Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International in New York.

Larson cruised to the finish line with nearly three seconds separating him from Elliott in second place. It was a story fans already saw play out at Sonoma Raceway in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

Go Bowling at the Glen Leaderboard

1. Kyle Larson

2. Chase Elliott

3. Martin Truex Jr.

4. Kyle Busch

5. Denny Hamlin

6. William Byron

7. Christopher Bell

8. Kevin Harvick

9. Chase Briscoe

10. Tyler Reddick

Full leaderboard available at NASCAR.com

Larson was basically racing against himself in the final 10 laps given his comfortable lead, while Elliott and Truex were locked in a tight battle for second place.

Despite overtaking Truex, Elliott had a substantial gap to close and wasn't making up much ground.

Lapped traffic presented a minor hindrance to the No. 5 car and allowed Elliott a bit of a lifeline. At one point, Larson's lead dwindled to under two seconds, but his team cautioned that Elliott was due to encounter the same problems.

"There's nothing to worry about, Chase still has all that s--t to get through," crew chief Cliff Daniels said over the radio.

After the race, Larson said he felt a more serious threat from Elliott in the moment.

"Chase was already catching me pretty quick," he told NBC Sports. "When I caught those four cars, I thought I would look in my mirror and he'd be right on me."

Elliott was circumspect about a strong day overshadowed by Larson's dominant performance:

The championship playoff structure can quickly nullify whatever happened earlier in the year. A driver can look like the clear title favorite and all of a sudden be on the bubble with a couple of bad showings.

Having said that, Larson has been in a class by himself for much of 2021, transforming under the guidance of Hendrick Motorsports.

Only three more races remain before the playoffs get underway, so every little bit counts in terms of jockeying for position. Truex and Joey Logano were the two stage winners to earn one playoff point apiece.

Logano's fortunes shifted significantly later in the race when he caught friendly fire from Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski.

Logano wound up in 22nd place, with Keselowski only managing a 35th-place showing.

One of NASCAR's signature events lies ahead on Aug. 15. Drivers will make the trip to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Verizon 200 at the Brickyard.

This will be the first year NASCAR runs the road course in Indianapolis, which adds a different dimension to the 2021 installment in the legendary race.

Kevin Harvick is the two-time defending champion at the Brickyard, but his back-to-back victories may not count for much on a new track configuration.

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