In motor sports, there are several races that take on more meaning than others over the course of time. You think of the Monaco Grand Prix in F1 or the Indianapolis 500 in IndyCar. Those are the races that fans, even those who ordinarily don’t gamble, will reach into their pockets and put money on. In NASCAR, the Coca Cola 600 has become one of the premier races in the sport, and that is the race that we are looking forward to this Sunday. While it is one of the crown jewels of NASCAR, it’s still all about picking up valuable points in the race for a championship. The favorites are on the board for this race in Charlotte, so let’s take a look at who the bookies like along with their NASCAR odds.

NASCAR Cup Series: Coca-Cola 600 Betting Preview

Martin Truex Jr. (+400)

The level of consistency shown by some drivers this season is amazing and may help explain why Truex Jr. is down in 6^th in the Cup Series driver standings despite having the most wins (3) of anyone this season. All told, he has been in the top 5 no less than 5 times this season, as well as having another 3 finishes in the top 10. While that standing may come as a surprise to some, be aware that his current projected playoff rank is #1, but we all know how quickly that can change. Just look at what happened to Kevin Harvick last season. As far as this race goes, Truex Jr. needs to be seen as the favorite when you consider that he has 3 wins in his last 6 races at Charlotte.

Chase Elliott (+500)

Last season, Chase Elliott came from off the pace to end up winning it all after a great run in the playoffs. It took him a minute to get his first win of the season in 2021, but now that he has that monkey off his back, he is sitting not too far off the pace and ready to pounce. Saying that he has just 1 win is perhaps doing the champ a little disservice, as he has been steady all year, landing in the top 10 in 8 out of 14 races. It is what he delivered in Charlotte last season that has a lot of people excited about his chances this weekend, though, as he had a 1^st and 2^nd in those 2020 runs.

Kyle Larson (+600)

Larson came into this season with amends to make and the opportunity to win back fans with his actions on and off the track. After 14 races, you have to say that he is doing just that, although it is likely going to take some time to get everyone back on his side. Larson has picked up 1 wins this season, but he has also landed in the top 10 no less than 9 times. It is those performances rather than his track record at Charlotte, which is mediocre at best, that has him among the favorites.

Joey Logano (+600)

Logano is another driver who has made a consistently good start to the season, with 1 win and frequent top 10 runs. That has him sitting in 4^th in the driver standings at the moment, and you do have to like his chances this weekend. His lone win at Charlotte came back in 2015, but he has 6 other top 5 finishes besides that one.

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?