Oddsmakers favor Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano to win Daytona 500

By Jerry BonkowskiJan 20, 2019, 2:00 PM EST

Brad Keselowski is among the favorites chosen by two leading oddsmakers to win the Daytona 500. Photo: Getty Images.

The early line for how drivers will fare in the Feb. 17 Daytona 500 are similar between two of the top sports oddsmakers: the Westgate Las Vegas Super Book and BetOnline.

In fact, nine of the top-10 picks by both oddsmakers are the same, with only slight differences in driver rankings.

The Westgate Las Vegas has Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and 2018 Cup champion Joey Logano all at 8/1 odds as favorites to win the Great American Race.

BetOnline, meanwhile, gives Keselowski the nod to win at 8/1, but Harvick and Logano are next at 9/1.

The only difference between the top-10 picks of both oddsmakers are Westgate has Martin Truex Jr. (14/1) in its top 10, while BetOnline picks Kurt Busch (14/1) in its own top 10.

Westgate only gave odds for its top 10 picks plus two notables (two-time Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson at 25/1 and defending Daytona 500 winner Austin Dillon at 40/1), while BetOnline selected 29 drivers (making Johnson a 22/1 favorite and Dillon holding 28/1 odds).

Here’s the odds Westgate gave NASCARonNBC:

View this post on Instagram

As the 2019 @NASCAR season nears, here are the odds to win the Daytona 500. @KevinHarvick, @BradKeselowski, and @JoeyLogano are tied as favorites to win, with 8/1 odds. #NASCAR #NASCARonNBC #Daytona #Daytona500

A post shared by NASCAR on NBC (@nascaronnbc) on Jan 2, 2019 at 10:46am PST

And here’s BetOnline’s odds:

Brad Keselowski 8/1

Kevin Harvick 9/1

Joey Logano 9/1

Aric Almirola 12/1

Clint Bowyer 12/1

Chase Elliott 12/1

Denny Hamlin 12/1

Ryan Blaney 14/1

Kurt Busch 14/1

Kyle Busch 14/1

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 14/1

Martin Truex Jr. 14/1

Daniel Suarez 20/1

Jimmie Johnson 22/1

Erik Jones 22/1

Alex Bowman 25/1

Austin Dillon 28/1

Kyle Larson 28/1

William Byron 40/1

Paul Menard 40/1

Daniel Hemric 50/1

Ryan Newman 50/1

Bubba Wallace 50/1

Michael McDowell 66/1

Ryan Preece 66/1

Chris Buescher 100/1

Ty Dillon 100/1

David Ragan 100/1

Matt DiBenedetto 200/1

Follow @JerryBonkowski

Alex Bowman confident as he returns to racing from back injury

By Mike HembreeMay 27, 2023, 4:57 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — Alex Bowman watched the rain-filled skies over Charlotte Motor Speedway Saturday with more than a touch of disappointment.

As weather threatened to cancel Saturday night’s scheduled NASCAR Cup Series practice at the speedway, Bowman saw his chances to testing his car — and his body — dissolving in the raindrops. NASCAR ultimately cancelled practice and qualifying because of rain.

MORE: Wet weather cancels Charlotte Cup practice, qualifying

Bowman suffered a fractured vertebra in a sprint car accident last month and has missed three Cup races while he recovers. Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, the season’s longest race, is scheduled to mark his return to the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet.

“It would have been really nice to kickstart that with practice today,” Bowman said. “I haven’t raced or competitively driven a race car in a month. I’m trying to understand where my rusty areas are going to be and where I’m still good.”

Bowman ran 200 laps in a test season at North Wilkesboro Speedway this week, but, of course, that doesn’t compare with the faster speeds and tougher G-forces he’ll experience over 400 laps Sunday at CMS.

Bowman admitted that he is still experiencing pain from the back injury — his car flipped several times — and that he expects some pain during the race. But he said he is confident he’ll be OK and that the longer race distance won’t be an issue.

“I broke my back a month ago, and there’s definitely things that come along with that for a long time,” he said. “I have some discomfort here and there and there are things I do that don’t feel good. That’s just part of it. It’s stuff I’ll have to deal with. But, for the most part, I’m back to normal.

“I’m easing back into being in the gym. I’m trying to be smart with things. If I twist the wrong way, sometimes it hurts. In the race car at the end of a six-hour race, I’m probably not going to be the best.”

The sprint car crash interrupted what had been a fine seasonal start for Bowman. Although winless, he had three top fives and six top 10s in the first 10 races.

“I’m excited to be back,” Bowman said. “Hopefully, we can pick up where we left off and be strong right out of the gate.”

He said he hopes to return to short-track racing but not in the near future.

“Someday I want to get back in a sprint car or midget,” he said. “I felt like we were just getting rolling in a sprint car. That night we were pretty fast. Definitely a bummer there. That’s something I really want to conquer and be competitive at in the World of Outlaws or High Limits races. Somebody I’ll get back to that. It’s probably smart if I give my day job a little alone time for a bit.”

Charlotte NASCAR Cup Series starting lineup: Rain cancels qualifying

By Mike HembreeMay 27, 2023, 4:30 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — William Byron and Kevin Harvick will start Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series 600-mile race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the front row after wet weather cancelled Saturday night qualifying.

Rain pelted the CMS area much of the day Saturday, and NASCAR announced at 3:45 p.m. that Cup practice and qualifying, scheduled for Saturday night, had been cancelled.

MORE: Alex Bowman confident as he returns to cockpit

The starting field was set by the NASCAR rulebook.

Following Byron and Harvick in the starting top 10 will be Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

The elimination of the practice session was particularly problematic for Alex Bowman, scheduled to return to racing Sunday after missing three weeks with a back injury, and Jimmie Johnson, who will be starting only his third race this year. Johnson will start 37th — last in the field.

Charlotte Cup starting lineup

Wet weather cancels Charlotte Cup Series practice, qualifying

By Mike HembreeMay 27, 2023, 4:11 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — NASCAR Cup Series drivers will start the longest race of the season with no practice or qualifying.

Wet weather and predictions of more to come led NASCAR to cancel Saturday night’s Cup Series practice and qualifying in mid-afternoon. The field for Sunday’s 600-mile race was set by the NASCAR rulebook, placing William Byron and Kevin Harvick on the front row for the scheduled 6 p.m. start.

MORE: Charlotte Cup starting lineup

MORE: Alex Bowman confident as he returns to cockpit

Weather also could be an issue Sunday as more rain is predicted for the speedway area.

Drivers were scheduled to practice at 7 p.m. Saturday. That session was to be followed by qualifying at 7:45 p.m. The cancellations were announced at 3:45 p.m.

The time-trial cancellation marked the first time in 64 years that qualifying has been canceled for the 600.

Charlotte Xfinity race postponed to Monday by weather

By Mike HembreeMay 27, 2023, 3:59 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — Persistent rain forced the postponement of Saturday’s scheduled 300-mile NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway to Monday.

The race is scheduled to start at noon ET. It will be televised by FS1 and broadcast by the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Driver introductions and other pre-race activities were held at the track Saturday, but rain that had dampened the track in the morning hours returned. After several attempts at drying the track, the race was postponed after heavier rain returned in mid-afternoon.

Justin Allgaier will start the race from the pole position.

MORE: Wet weather cancels Charlotte Cup practice, qualifying

Read more about NASCAR

MORE: Alex Bowman confident as he returns to cockpit

Charlotte Cup starting lineup

Read more about NASCAR

MORE: Charlotte Cup starting lineup

MORE: Alex Bowman confident as he returns to cockpit

Read more about NASCAR

Read more about NASCAR