While the NASCAR Cup Series has tackled a new street circuit, technical Grand Prix tracks, and a variety of series-defining ovals, the Drivers have another familiar challenge to face: the tri-oval at Pocono. With the NASCAR playoff cutoff six races away, there are still many points to put on the board and for Drivers on the bubble to make their cases for a playoff spot.
However, Martin Truex Jr. has already booked his ticket to the playoffs and likely enter as the betting favorite to win the 2023 Cup Series Championship, especially after cruising to a win in New Hampshire. BangtheBook goes inside the stats at Pocono, NASCAR odds, and recent performances to find the best bets for the HighPoint.com 400.
Toyota’s Pocono Dominance to Continue?
Depending on your sportsbook’s selection of NASCAR prop bet odds, you may be able to find a betting line for the winning manufacturer. If so, you’ll need to consider Toyota as your pick, considering Toyota has won six of the previous eight races at Pocono.
Moreover, Toyota would have won seven of the previous eight races had Denny Hamlin not been disqualified after finishing first in 2022. Hamlin is one of a few Toyota Drivers with past success at Pocono or is having great seasons sitting atop the HightPoint.com 400 betting favorites.
Toyota Betting Favorites
There are three Toyota Drivers atop the NASCAR standings and Highpoint.com 400 odds who could win this weekend in Pocono.
Martin Truex Jr. (+550) – the current Drivers’ standings leader – is among the betting favorites and has been on a run of form since Bristol. Truex Jr. has won two of the previous five races while having three top-two finishes in the last five. On the season, Truex Jr. has three race wins, seven top-five, and eleven top-ten finishes while having three top-ten finishes in the last five races at Pocono.
Denny Hamlin (+550) can surpass Bill Elliott as the winningest Driver at Pocono, currently sitting at four Cup Series wins on the tri-oval (2006, 2009, 2019, 2020). Hamlin has three top-five finishes in the last five races at Pocono, with one race win and eight top-ten finishes this season.
The third Toyota driver BangtheBook is favoring is Christopher Bell (+1600). Bell has two top-five finishes in the last five races at Pocono, one race win, and ten top-ten finishes this season. However, Bell only has two top-ten finishes in the last six races.
Hendrick Motorsports Leading the Chevrolet Charge
While Toyota has been very successful at Pocono recently, Chevrolet and Chase Elliott (+1400) were awarded the race win at Pocono in 2022.
Elliott’s charge toward the final NASCAR playoff spot continues, having missed six races earlier this season. Elliott has two top-five finishes in the last five races at Pocono, having seven top-ten finishes in thirteen races this season.
Kyle Larson (+800) has two top-five finishes in the last three races and a win on the Xfinity Series at Pocono, scoring his tenth top-ten finish of the season at New Hampshire.
William Byron (+1000) has two top-ten finishes in the last five races at Pocono while having four race wins and eleven top-ten finishes this season.
Previous Winner and Perennial Betting Favorite, Kyle Busch
Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch (+550) is always a contender to score top-ten finishes and has won at Pocono three times (2017, 2018, 2021). Busch’s streak of seven consecutive top-ten finishes ended at New Hampshire, but he has two race wins and twelve top-ten finishes in total this season.
BangtheBook’s Highpoint.com 400 Betting Pick
Busch and Hamlin had won the previous five races at Pocono, while had Hamlin’s win stood last year, that streak would’ve been extended to six.
We’re taking Denny Hamlin to win, Busch and Hamlin for top-ten and top-five finishes at Pocono, alongside Truex Jr. and Byron to finish in the top ten.
