Race 35 of the season at Martinsville saw four more drivers eliminated from the NASCAR playoff chase. Now, NASCAR heads out to Phoenix, Arizona (3:00 pm ET on NBC) for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. As the season’s final race approaches, there is no more strategy. Can NASCAR Cup Series bets point to a couple of drivers who can win it all this Sunday?
Below are the final four drivers in our NASCAR online betting odds for the 2022 NASCAR Championship. As for the 1-mile track, we will tie in some numbers with more Phoenix thoughts. So, let us go NASCAR Cup Series Bets by the numbers. It would appear that Chase Elliott and Joey Logano are the favorites. However, might a driver named Bell steal all the thunder?
It was all looking bleak for Bell again heading to Martinsville. Then, we remembered the last elimination. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver needed an absolute miracle and got one. The No. 20 car could take advantage of a well-timed caution, jam his way to the front, and hold on to win on the ROVAL at Charlotte. The only way Bell could advance was by a win, which is just what Bell did.
The crazy part is how different Martinsville was in comparison. Martinsville is a short 0.526-mile track that usually does not allow much passing. Once the No. 20 got the lead in Stage 3 with five laps to go, that was that. Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson, and company could not keep up. Bell’s spot in the “Final Four” was secured.
When it came to the Next-Gen car at Charlotte, and at Martinsville, the car which was the fastest was the Toyota, oddly enough. Denny Hamlin, until a few pit-road mishaps, was one of the only drivers who might have challenged Bell’s late speed. Oddly enough, those mishaps and one crazy maneuver made a bad day worse for Bell’s teammate. We will get to that in a while.
Christopher Bell wins NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Dr. Diandra: Explaining Ross Chastain’s Martinsville move Tyler Reddick ‘feeling better’ after exiting Martinsville race early Father of Ty Gibbs calls end of Xfinity race ‘disappointing’… https://t.co/AFJNoyoBYJ
— Sportzshala (@sportzshala) November 1, 2022
Here at VegasBetting, it remains prudent to remember this race well. Why? Simply, NASCAR Cup Series Bets could have a somewhat familiar look.
So, who could win at Phoenix International Raceway? The last two champions won at Phoenix convincingly (Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson) at Phoenix right away? NASCAR Cup Series Bets likely zeroes in again on drivers like Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott for different reasons.
Again, two of the three races in the third segment saw a driver win to get in. First, Joey Logano won at Las Vegas, edging out Ross Chastain. Homestead saw Kyle Larson beat out Ross Chastain with ease as Larson battled for the Owners’ Championship. Finally, Christopher Bell came from sixth with 30 laps to win at Martinsville. NASCAR got the four highest-placed drivers in terms of average finish this season. Now, that is some crazy stuff.
Drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series final four, by age:
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) October 31, 2022
Joey Logano, 32
Ross Chastain, 29
Christopher Bell, 27
Chase Elliott, 26
Yes, history has a way of correcting things regarding NASCAR. However, the youth has run wild. Chase Elliott already has won one championship and makes his third straight “Final Four” appearance. For Ross Chastain and Christopher Bell, this is their first.
Fortunately, Bell had been so consistent all season. Naturally, come the playoffs, the drivers come up clutch only when it counts. Bell enjoyed success at Martinsville, so that win was not out of the left field like Charlotte. The No. 20 Toyota makes for a nice NASCAR Cup Series Bets pick to have a shot at the title. Hopefully, some bet him at around +800 to +1000 before segment number three began.
Again, we have more NASCAR Cup Series Bets. The safest choice is the favorite in Chase Elliott. Elliott rode his cushion into the Final Four but has won the race before (see 2020). Can his Next-Gen car handle the low-bank track like Bell’s Toyota or Chastain’s Chevy? That becomes an excellent question.
Playoff points. You get 5 playoff points if you win a race. They stay with you in every round. Not only did Denny lose 5 points with the Pocono DQ, because KB was also DQ'd, Chase Elliott got 5 extra points. Without that, Hamlin goes by 1 point over Chase.
— Exorcist of Stupidity (@JamieExorcistof) November 1, 2022
Do note that Elliott is in this position for a disqualification back in Phoenix. Aside from the March 2021 race, the No. 9 car has led at least 50 laps on the 1-mile course. The late speed fades in the previous two races were noticeable. Elliott slipped from leading to fifth last Fall and then from third to 11th in March.
Joey Logano remains the wildcard. He won at Vegas and then kind of coasted since. Logano has won at Phoenix recently and, like Elliott, has led a lot of laps (nearly 20% of them). Unfortunately for Logano and Team Penske, he qualified tenth in the last two attempts at Phoenix and never truly factored into the race. Logano’s Ford did not have the speed late one needs to challenge. At least Elliott might have that.
There is no genuinely crazy shot at Phoenix. The driver that finishes the best out of the four wins the championship. However, Ross Chastain did find a way into the “Final Four” with this.
UNBELIEVABLE!@RossChastain floors it along the wall to go from 10th to 5th and advance to the CHAMPIONSHIP! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/9qX3eq7T6h
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 30, 2022
Aside from the physics and theories of a centrifuge, that was crazy! What will Chastain do in Phoenix? That’s the big question. Again, the TrackHouse Racing driver is +300 like Logano to win the title. Keep an eye on his numbers after qualifying.
Our top choice for the NASCAR Cup Series Bets includes Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, and Ross Chastain.
Check out these top online betting sites, where you can bet on the Phoenix race and get more betting site Vegas bonuses.
Summary
Chris Wassel AA, AAS CURRENTLY Sports Writer and Journalist RESIDES IN Rahway, NJ EDUCATION Union County College, Montclair State University EXPERTISE Business, Writing, Sports, Food, Grilling, Olympics, Injuries, Politics, and more Summary Member of FSWA, FSGA, and a variety of Sports Betting Groups. Works on injuries for a variety of sites. Edits articles from NASCAR to football and beyond. Occasionally runs sites like mynhltraderumor.com and Full Press Hockey/Bets. Does a podcast for Full Press Hockey and a few other sports too. Experience Chris Wassel has 20+ years of sports journalistic experience in various disciplines. His ability to play sports is well documented. Most people in the business just write. However, Chris will race cars and even a super Moto bike from time to time. There is that fitness and hiking/cycling aspect too. Chris has climbed mountains from Mount Washington to Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California. For those that do not know. Chris also dabbles in food eating contests and challenges. Having a unique background with friends including Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has the ability to eat a whole 16-pound turkey or a 32 inch meat lover's pizza. Since 2013, Chris does focus on things like fitness, fishing, and sports. One would be surprised that Chris runs, hikes, and rock climbs. There are even those occasional mini-triathlons. One truly can pack a lot in a small package. Chris can lift things over his body weight with ease. Also, if there is a NASCAR rain prop, Chris can tell you if there will be a Monday race. Throughout his career, Chris has worked at a wide range of places from Amazon to USA Today to a variety of rumors and fantasy sports sites. Finally, Chris has been nominated for quite a few awards from the Fantasy Sports Writers Association for Hockey Writer Of The Year. Also, there have been a number of high-stakes fantasy trophies and rings that Chris sports in his house. Education Chris received an Associates from Union Country College for business and accounting. Chris did sports journalism work at Montclair State University covering the hockey, baseball, and football teams. Quote from Chris Wassel "Shut up and play.”
Education
1999 Graduate of Union County College
1993 Graduate of Rahway High School
Professional Achievements
Media credentialed member of the New Jersey Devils since 2010
Covered several NHL Drafts including the one day event in Newark in 2013
Been on countless podcasts, TV shows, and more including Sportsnet and even NHL Network