It’s throwback weekend in NASCAR! Most of the Cup and even Xfinity teams are breaking out their best renditions of past NASCAR paint schemes. Some teams are a little better at it than others, just like they will be on the track! So, let’s dive into this week’s NASCAR picks, odds, and best bets for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway.
The 1.366 egg-shaped oval in Darlington, South Carolina, is really like no other. Turns three and four were made wider than one and two to accommodate the minnow pod inside of the track, giving it the unique egg shape. Its worn-out surface and walls that jump out and grab the cars has earned it the nicknames “The Track Too Tough to Tame” and “The Lady in Black.” It’s lived up to its nicknames every bit over its 55 years hosting NASCAR races.
This is one thing I lean more into on this track than any other. The 400-mile spring race and the 500-mile Southern 500 in the fall are very different races. While I will look at the overall statistics, there are a lot of drivers who are better at one or the other because of that extra 100 miles on such a tricky track. Keep that in mind when placing your bets this weekend.
NASCAR Picks: Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway Odds and Best Bets
Kyle Larson +450
Tyler Reddick +650
Ryan Blaney +700
Denny Hamlin +700
William Byron +800
Christopher Bell +1000
Joey Logano +1500
Chase Briscoe +1600
Bubba Wallace +1600
Ross Chastain +1800
Kyle Busch +1800
Chase Elliott +1800
Chris Buescher +2200
Brad Keselowski +2800
Alex Bowman +3000
Josh Berry +3500
Austin Cindric +4000
Ty Gibbs +5000
Noah Gragson +5000
Erik Jones +5000
Ryan Preece +5500
Carson Hocevar +6500
AJ Allmendinger +6500
Daniel Suarez +10000
Michael McDowell +17000
Zane Smith +20000
Todd Gilliland +20000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr +20000
Justin Haley +20000
Austin Hill +20000
Austin Dillion +20000
Riley Herbst +25000
Cole Custer +25000
Shane Van Gisbergen +30000
John Hunter Nemechek +30000
Ty Dillion +50000
Cody Ware +10000
JJ Yeley +10000
NASCAR Picks: Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway Odds and Best Bets
Chase Elliott Top 10 (-125)
If I could only place a single bet on this race, this is the bet I’d make. Elliott is pulling double duty this weekend, so he’ll have extra track time in the Hendrick Motorsports #17 Xfinity Series car. He’s coming off the heels of a 4th place finish last week at Martinsville, and has been top 10 in four of the last five races this season.
Elliott has also been very good here at Darlington, finishing top 12 in five of the six NextGen races. He has two top-five finishes in the last three spring races, and in four of the last five, he’s been in the top 10. Elliot is Mr Consistent, and we’re going to ride him again this week. I also like his outright at 18/,1 and you can parlay him to win both races at 230/1. It’s worth a shot!
Denny Hamlin Top 5 Finish (+100)
Denny Hamlin picked up his first Grandfather Clock trophy in 10 years last week at Martinsville. It was also his first win in almost a full year. The driver of the #11 car seems to be settling in well with his new crew chief and has looked the part in 2025. He’s finished top six in four of the seven races this season and was in the running to win the Daytona 500 at the end as well.
Now we’re at a three-race string of Hamlin’s favorite tracks. He kicked off Martinsville with a victory; it’s Darlington this week and Bristol next week. At Darlington, Denny has finished top seven in three of the last five NextGen races. In six of the last 11 here, he’s been top five and he’s racked up four career wins and 13 top fives in total. He’s hot right now and going to a track he’s traditionally good at. Sign me up for the Denny Hamlin fan club this week.
Justin Haley Top 10 (+800)
This one may shock a few, but Justin Haley is definitely in play for a top ten this week. He’s three for three in the NextGen car already, scoring a top-ten finish specifically in the spring race. He even did it last season in a Rick Ware car. Now he’s in the best equipment he’s been in so far, with a stellar crew chief on the box in Rodney Childers. At these odds and the 100% hit rate it’s at right now, too good to pass up.
Bubba Wallace to Win (+1600)
A driver I’ve been very impressed with in 2025 is Bubba Wallace. He’s another driver who went through a crew chief change, and it seems to have been for the better. The 2022 Bubba that we saw impressing on intermediate tracks is back. He’s coming off back-to-back third place finishes at Martinsville and Homestead. Homestead is the closest track we’ve been to that resembles Darlington with its worn out abrasive surface.
Wallace has finished in the top 10 at Darlington in four of the last five races, including the last two spring races. I’ve seen enough speed and confidence out of the new father that I want a piece of that Wallace action at 16/1.
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