After an amazing finish at Michigan, NASCAR heads East to Richmond, Virginia, for the Federated Auto Parts 400. With only three races before the playoff chase begins, the spots are turning into one spot. Kevin Harvick, with last week’s win, claimed a playoff berth. Can NASCAR Richmond Picks get it right again with Martin Truex Jr.?
Below are the top 16 drivers in our NASCAR Vegas online betting odds for Sunday’s race in Richmond, Virginia. This leads to some familiar trends as the NASCAR Richmond picks despite the August chaos. It would appear that Joe Gibbs and Hendrick Motorsports Racing might be favoriting this week.
| NASCAR 2022 Richmond Numbers |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Truex Jr. | +600 | +650 |
| Denny Hamlin | +600 | +650 |
| Kyle Busch | +700 | +750 |
| Christopher Bell | +800 | +1000 |
| Chase Elliott | +900 | +1000 |
| Kyle Larson | +1000 | +1100 |
| Ross Chastain | +1200 | +1100 |
| Kevin Harvick | +1500 | +2000 |
| Joey Logano | +1500 | +1600 |
| Bubba Wallace | +1500 | +2000 |
| William Byron | +2000 | +2000 |
| Tyler Reddick | +2000 | +1800 |
| Kurt Busch | +2500 | +2500 |
| Daniel Suarez | +2500 | +2500 |
| Alex Bowman | +3000 | +3000 |
| Erik Jones | +5000 | +5000 |
Richmond this week may be a case of win and get in. This is because, as it stands now, 15 different drivers have a win and enough points with full-time status to be pretty much guaranteed a playoff spot. That leaves two racers, Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr., squarely on the hot seat.
After Richmond, there are just two races until the “NASCAR Playoff Chase”. The Richmond Raceway presents its own unique issues. The 0.75-mile D-shaped track is often mastered by drivers who know how to handle shorter tracks with higher tire-wear. That fits into a few drivers’ wheelhouse and could not come at a more perfect time for Joe Gibbs Racing and even Hendrick Motorsports.
Some said the Next-Gen car would change things at Richmond but it did not to a point. The Spring race at Richmond saw Denny Hamlin snag a win from Joe Gibbs. As a matter of fact, a Gibbs or Hendrick driver has won the last four Spring jaunts and five of the past seven summer races. Few should be surprised at this and yet they are.
The key concept at VegasBetting, we suggest is to take some of the expected and unexpected standings into account. The amount of cautions at Richmond could be a bit higher than the Spring race because of the urgency. Also, expect drivers to be more aware of their surroundings. Yes, there may be better choices for a top pick. However, Martin Truex Jr. is still a NASCAR Richmond Picks Favorite for a valid reason. Note, Truex Jr. is feeling the heat as August rolls along.
Last week altered the landscape considerably. The Toyotas showed some mettle but did not win. Why? For as good as they were in qualifying and Denny Hamlin was late in the race, they could not catch up to Kevin Harvick (25 to 1 long shot) in the end. Harvick held off the field to win his first of the season and seal his spot into the NASCAR Playoff Chase. It also halted a 65-race drought for the Stewart-Haas Racing driver.
So, that offers some hope as to why Martin Truex Jr. could win the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond. Furthermore, we can make the case that a few Toyota’s might win this week. Something tells us here at VegasBetting that the high-tire wear track just lends itself to someone from Joe Gibbs Racing winning and several contending. The early books dictate that to be the case with their current numbers.
Again, besides the numbers which all list Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and Christopher Bell very close together, it is also clear they ran better than almost everyone else at the Spring race. The summer race, even with warmer conditions will be pleasant in the lower 80’s and lots of sun. That expects to help a driver like Martin Truex Jr. (+600 to +650 odds) as he tries to end up in victory lane on Sunday afternoon.
Speed intervals were very good in testing with the Toyota as was the handling. With all this said, the NASCAR Richmond Picks says Martin Truex Jr. is a good shot to win.
Again, here is some more notes for Richmond this Sunday. There is no chance of rain and little expectation of humidity. Track conditions will just be very warm with the sun beating on the course relentlessly. Even with temperatures expected to not be excessively hot, tire wear still must be managed. Also, look for those who have placed well here in the past along with perhaps a long shot or two besides the normal drivers.
Drivers like Aric Almirola are an extreme long-shot at best. Again, Richmond has not been so kind to the Ford driver but New Hampshire last year taught us a lesson. Almirola can strike at these type of events and people do forget the early portion of the season where he contended in several races. His number, along with Erik Jones and Chase Briscoe are all +5000.
Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano buoy the Ford hopes and these Fords could factor somewhat into the race. Some say to steer more toward the Chevy’s of TrackHouse Racing (Suarez and Ross Chastain). Again this could be the type of course that could just follow the script and bend toward Toyota. That being said, for some crazy rationale, Aric Almirola just seems to be someone to take a NASCAR Richmond Picks shot on.
What about the Hendricks? Wait to see how they qualify and look in practice first.
Take Martin Truex Jr. to hold off Denny Hamlin and Aric Almirola to win at Richmond. That is our NASCAR Richmond picks.
Check out these Vegas online betting sites, where you can wager on this NASCAR race along with some excellent online MLS Vegas odds as well.
