While NASCAR is dominated by oval racing, the 2023 schedules road and street circuits have taken the spotlight, providing exciting and unpredictable racing and results.
Shane Van Gisbergen and a host of road course ringers added significant competition for the Cup Series regulars, many of whom demonstrated NASCAR’s “full-contact” nature.
In the end, Michael McDowell scored his second top-five finish and first win this season at Indy, while Chase Elliott, Daniel Suárez, Tyler Reddick, and Alex Bowman rounded out the top-five finishers.
This weekend, the Cup Series heads to the legendary Watkins Glen International for the final road course race before the playoffs begin, with a fan-favorite with a winning pedigree in New York and outside the playoffs among the betting favorites.
Bangthebook has your NASCAR betting needs to be covered in our Go Bowling at the Glen betting preview.
Check out the full Go Bowling at the Glen odds over on Bookmaker
The NASCAR Cup Series Road Course Specialists
Tyler Reddick (+800)
23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick has the skill to master road courses and street circuits and is usually among the oddsmaker’s favorites to win.
While Reddick dominated the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas (CoTA), his performances at Chicago and Sonoma were disappointing. However, Reddick scored his second road course top-five of the season, finishing fourth last weekend at Indy.
Reddick should finish in the top five and be in the mix for the win in the dying laps.
A.J. Allmendinger (+1200)
Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger has won at Watkins Glen on the Xfinity and back in 2014 on the Cup Series. While a background in open-wheel racing has Allmendinger at home on road and street circuits, 2023 hasn’t been kind, with his best street course finish being sixth.
However, Allmendinger finished second at Watkins Glen last season and should be fighting for the win on Sunday.
Martin Truex Jr. (+700)
Cup Series Drivers’ Championship leader Martin Truex Jr’s incredible season continued at Indy, where his seventh-place finish was his fifth consecutive and 14th top-ten finish this year.
On road courses in 2023, Truex Jr. has two top-ten finishes, including his win at Sonoma, and should be among your picks to finish in the top ten and top five, while he’ll be in tough to land on Victory Lane over the Hendrick Motorsports duo atop the betting favorites.
Daniel Suárez (+1100)
Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suárez earned his betting favorite status with his performance at Indy’s Road Course. Before Indy, Suárez hadn’t cracked the top 20 on road courses this season. However, Suárez changed that by capturing the pole position for Indy and finishing third, shooting himself up the odds.
Suárez is just on the outside of the playoffs and needs his first win of the season to solidify a place to chase the Drivers’ Championship and will need to improve on one top-ten finish in the last two races at Watkins Glen.
Team Hendrick Motorsports
Team Hendrick Motorsports have won the last four races at Watkins Glen, with two of the team’s drivers among the betting favorites this weekend.
Kyle Larson (+500)
Winning the previous two editions of a race should make you the betting favorite in most situations. Kyle Larson has won back-to-back races at Watkins Glen (2021, 2022) and has three top-ten finishes in four road course races this season.
With two race wins and twelve top-ten finishes, Larson should be competing for the win on Sunday.
Chase Elliott (+375)
While Kyle Larson’s recent history at Watkins Glen is impressive, it’s superseded by teammate Chase Elliott. Elliott has finished in the top five in NASCAR’S last four trips to Watkins Glen, including back-to-back wins in 2018 and 2019.
A race win is Elliott’s only pathway into the NASCAR playoffs, having missed six weeks of the season, and Watkins Glen is his best chance.
BangtheBook’s NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at the Glen Betting Pick
BangtheBook is picking Chase Elliott to win at Watkins Glen.
