The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season is still rolling along. The sixth race of the season, the Goodyear 400, takes place on Sunday, March 22nd at the Darlington Raceway. Last year, Denny Hamlin won his second Goodyear 400 after four laps of overtime. Can he win the Spring race for a third time in his career?
Hamlin is among the betting favorites to finish first at the 2026 Goodyear 400. The drivers with the best odds are Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and William Byron. Out of the three, Byron is the only one besides Hamlin to win a race on the track “too tough to tame”.
Below, we examine the betting odds, predictions, and picks for the sixth race of the 2026 NASCAR season. The 2026 Goodyear 400 Bets are starting those engines.
VegasBetting roars into those NASCAR online betting odds for race number six of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Season. Yes, this is a great time to peruse the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race Bets. With Darlington being a unique intermediate on the 2026 NASCAR Cup schedule, it would be wise to look at how the drivers have fared in Darlington in past Winter/Spring races.
| NASCAR 2026 Goodyear 400 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Kyle Larson | +600 | +550 | +600 |
| Tyler Reddick | +650 | +700 | +700 |
| William Byron | +800 | +850 | +850 |
| Chase Briscoe | +850 | +850 | +900 |
| Ryan Blaney | +900 | +900 | +900 |
| Christopher Bell | +900 | +1000 | +900 |
| Chase Elliott | +1400 | +1200 | +1300 |
| Joey Logano | +1800 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Ross Chastain | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Bubba Wallace | +2500 | +2200 | +2200 |
| Chris Buescher | +2800 | +2500 | +2500 |
Now, Denny Hamlin is pursuing his third Goodyear 400 win. His win last year was another triumph in driving on a worn tire track. It was not easy but Hamlin was able to negotiate his Joe Gibbs Racing car around the track in those overtime laps quickly. The result was four laps of overtime where there was no question who the winner was going to be.
For those wondering, the Darlington race only had four lead changes among four dominant drivers. William Byron led the first two stages but could not seal the deal at the end – finishing second to Hamlin. This 750hp, high tire-wear package that NASCAR has for this race could not be more suited for how Hamlin races. There is a reason why he has the best average finish at 9.3 – including four Top 10’s, two Top 5’s, and that win since 2023.
Hamlin, as everyone knows, has done everything but win a NASCAR Cup Championship. He desperately wants to do it once before he retires from full time racing. Given the heartache suffered at Phoenix last November, 2026 truly is his last best chance. Darlington offers a chance for Hamlin to get closer to series leader Tyler Reddick (Reddick won the first three races).
If any favorite can win this race, it would be Hamlin. Though there are usually 7-10 cautions, the front drivers tend to avoid the carnage for the most part. Two of the last three races have gone beyond the 293 laps. Yes, Hamlin is one of the drivers we believe can cross the checkered line in first.
As much as Kyle Larson has a chance at Darlington, for some reason is never quite works out. The Goodyear 400 bets hunt for other names for this reason. He ranges in the +550 to +600 as far as numbers. Larson is not in the Top 12 in average finish at Darlington. This high-wear package suits the Hendrick Motorsports driver a little more but may not move the needle enough.
The hard part is trying to figure out who else can win. Unfortunately, the problem is look at the early numbers and a half dozen drivers are +900 or shorter to win on Sunday at Darlington. One dynamic will be temperatures. Expect warm and breezy weather around 80-85 degrees and winds in the 12-20 mph range from the southwest. This will impact fuel strategy and tire wear just that little bit more.
The driver that should do well here is Ryan Blaney but Chase Briscoe has actually been a beast on this track leading 17% of the laps since 2023 and has won twice along with a solid average finish of 11.3. Briscoe quickly shortened to +850 after the initial opening on Monday. It was like someone realized hey he is good here!
Even Tyler Reddick has been better at Darlington than Larson or Blaney. Among the dominators, Briscoe gets a little more love here but for a Top 5 result which is now +125 via BetUS.
Some think we should go even longer down the line in the 2026 Goodyear 400 bets. Inevitably, people crave these fliers to take and maybe, just maybe, one pops off. Is this the week that Brad Keselowski finally wins? He had a Top 5 last week and he has won recently at Darlington. Currently, he is around +4000 to win in South Carolina.
The other wagers here offer some variety to the spice of life. Chris Buescher at +135 to finish inside the Top 10 somehow is not a stretch. He has ended up inside one of those positions five times in his last six appearances at Darlington. Kyle Busch is +150 to do the same by the way.
Again, there will be more props on social media too as the race draws closer.
The betting pick is for Denny Hamlin to win again this week and claim back-to-back Goodyear 400 wins.
With the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series racing along, don’t forget to check out the best betting sites bonuses and prime Vegas online betting sites for March Madness as well.
Chris Wassel is someone who has covered a little bit of everything: business, writing, sports, food, grilling, the Olympics, injuries, politics, and more. He has climbed mountains like Mount Washington and Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California, and for those who don’t know, he is also big into food challenges. With friends like Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has tackled eating feats like finishing a 16-pound turkey or a 32-inch meat lover's pizza. Since 2013, he has focused on fitness, fishing, and sports while managing to fit in running, hiking, rock climbing, and even the occasional mini-triathlon. He can lift more than his body weight with ease and is the person you turn to when you want to know if a NASCAR rain delay means a Monday race. Over his career, Chris has worked at places like Amazon, USA Today, and various rumors and fantasy sports sites. He has been nominated for awards such as the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hockey Writer of the Year and has a collection of high-stakes fantasy trophies and rings on display at home. With all this, Chris sums it up best with his motto: "Shut up and play."