As the month of April approaches, the NASCAR season is already through six races. With the first road race of the season behind us, now we can get a bit better look at the numbers when it comes to looking at potential contenders.
The top 16 drivers are listed below in our NASCAR Betting Odds for the 2022 Championship reveals some intriguing NASCAR Futures as April approaches. It would appear that there could be a new and interesting driver to keep an eye on in this early portion of the season. There is still that favorite but the Next-Gen car has weaved some intricate stories so far.
| NASCAR 2022 Cup Odds |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | +320 | +350 |
| Chase Elliott | +510 | +500 |
| William Byron | +760 | +750 |
| Kyle Busch | +870 | +850 |
| Denny Hamlin | +880 | +900 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +1050 | +1000 |
| Joey Logano | +1100 | +1100 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1100 | +1000 |
| Alex Bowman | +1600 | +1600 |
| Kevin Harvick | +1875 | +1800 |
| Tyler Reddick | +2200 | +2000 |
| Chase Briscoe | +2200 | +2200 |
| Austin Cindric | +2400 | +2500 |
| Christopher Bell | +2600 | +2600 |
| Ross Chastain | +3400 | +3000 |
| Kurt Busch | +4200 | +4000 |
Kyle Larson headlines the list in the odds for NASCAR futures after six races. Even though he had a tough time in his last two races (Atlanta and Austin), the expectation is that the No. 5 car will start to pile up the points as Spring continues onward. He is currently outside the top ten in the points race but with that win, the playoffs are almost a certainty this early in the season.
Even practice and qualifying before all NASCAR races has not slowed down the Hendrick Motorsports Racing driver too much. At Austin, he was in that prime spot of 13th (anywhere in the teens) seemed to be a good spot. Larson got things going at Darlington and then dominated on tracks like Dover and Charlotte.
Also, the Next-Gen car is a learning process for everyone, even Larson. This racing car is supposed to ideally level the playing field somewhat when it comes to races. Larson has now finished outside the top-25 in three straight races. That did not happen last season. He has four such instances in the early going this 2022 season to go along with a first and a second.
The one thing, at VegasBetting, we suggest is to take the data gained from the first six races and absorb it well. There are definitely some interesting trends on speed, the Next-Gen car, and drivers being able to drive. Yes, there have been an elevated number of cautions which has limited some long-term runs in the first couple of months. Again, the emphasis on Kyle Larson is still well warranted as seen by his number below for the 2022 Championship.
It is understandable why Chase Elliott is an intriguing shot again. The driver won the NASCAR championship in 2020 and currently is leading the race in the points. For all the strange incidents of the first six races, the Hendrick Motorsports Racing driver does have a top-five finish to go along with three top-ten results. Now, the thought process is that the wins will come eventually.
So, the son of Bill Elliott, has kept the car on the track in 2022 and that has proven to be vital. Even with some bad luck and questionable pit strategy, Chase Elliott had his best finish of the year (fourth place) at Austin. Normally, he wins road races in abundance but starting 12th, the No. 9 car did not get the speed and momentum going until the final laps. By then, it was too late.
Again, Elliott is one of those drivers who gets it going as the season moves along. In 2020, he did not win until his eighth race and that spurred him on to a fantastic finish where he won three of the final five races en route to that first NASCAR Championship. Now, it is that driving ability that hooks many fans and bettors alike that Elliott can make another deep run in the “playoff chase“. Even in 2021, Elliott was in a position to repeat. That speaks volumes.
With all that said, the NASCAR Futures say keep an eye on that No. 9 Chevy of Chase Elliott.
Again, even last year, Ross Chastain showed some flashes that maybe 2022 would be a good year in the NASCAR futures. No one knew that success would come this fast and then on Sunday, it finally happened. Chastain led 31 of the 69 laps on the Austin road course. The Trackhouse Racing driver survived the carnage, used physics, and won his first-ever NASCAR Cup race.
That win buoyed by three previous podium finishes at Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Phoenix makes the No. 1 Chevy not only a top potential contender but a pick that still remains a bit of a long shot. After all, there are still 30 races to go in the 2022 campaign. This 2022 season has plenty more twists and turns to come.
This is why Ross Chastain is on our radar for the 2022 NASCAR Futures. His car has just shown an amazing ability to lead laps on a multitude of different track types and that has caught more than a few eyes. That number below will not last long.
It is hard to discount any of the Hendrick Motorsport drivers. Expect William Byron and Alex Bowman to be factored in the playoffs (Bowman is already. As we mentioned before, Tyler Reddick’s adaptability is eye-catching. Even Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric are younger drivers that have won races already in 2022. Just think, the NASCAR season is 1/6 of the way through and the older guard has not made their presence felt yet.
Take Kyle Larson as our pick to repeat and win the 2022 NASCAR championship.
See below the best online Vegas betting sportsbooks, like Bovada, where you can wager on this NASCAR future and much more this 2022 racing season.
