After what happened at Darlington, NASCAR heads West to Kansas City, Kansas, for the Hollywood Casino 400. As the second race of the first segment of the playoff chase approaches, the jockeying for the “Round of 12” continues. Can NASCAR Kansas Picks get it right with Denny Hamlin?
Below are the top 16 drivers in our NASCAR online betting odds for Sunday’s race in Kansas City, Kansas. This leads to some familiar trends as the NASCAR Kansas picks could change some. It would appear that Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports Racing might be among the favorites this week.
| NASCAR 2022 Kansas Numbers |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | +600 | +600 |
| Kyle Busch | +600 | +600 |
| Kyle Larson | +750 | +800 |
| Chase Elliott | +750 | +800 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +800 | +800 |
| Ross Chastain | +1000 | +1000 |
| Tyler Reddick | +1000 | +1100 |
| Christopher Bell | +1100 | +1200 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1500 | +1400 |
| Kevin Harvick | +1500 | +1400 |
| Joey Logano | +1600 | +1800 |
| William Byron | +2000 | +1800 |
| Bubba Wallace | +2000 | +1800 |
| Erik Jones | +2500 | +2800 |
| Alex Bowman | +3000 | +2800 |
| Ty Gibbs | +3500 | +3300 |
Looking ahead to Kansas means looking back to Darlington. This is because, as it stands now, the “NASCAR Playoff Chase” is a bit of a mess. Kevin Harvick’s DNF due to some bad parts puts him dead last after the first race of the first segment. Thankfully, there are two races left. However, some known names took quite a hit. Chase Elliott had a cushion but is now ninth, just 12 points ahead of 12th.
Darlington just created its own set of issues with the cautions, then the flat tires, then just seem all the wear of various car parts. The 1.33-mile high-banked track just was a source of frustration for drivers. Look at Martin Truex Jr. last week. He was running great, and then he had issues. It boiled down to too many racers having problems at once. That’s not racing. Also, it makes wagering quite challenging.
Some said the Next-Gen car would change things at Darlington, and it did in a bad way. Was it suitable for making picks? That became more of a mixed bag. Sure, Erik Jones hit around +7000 to +8000, but so many other outstanding wagers went up in smoke.
The key point of emphasis at VegasBetting, we suggest, is to remember the race within the race. The number of cautions at Kansas may be a bit lower than in the Spring race because of somewhat more careful driving. Also, expect drivers to be more aware of their surroundings. Now, there may be better choices for a top pick. However, for a good reason, Denny Hamlin is still a NASCAR Kansas Picks Favorite.
Last week was somewhat good news for Toyota. The Toyotas mostly finished well but did not win. Why? As good as the Toyotas ran early and Denny Hamlin was late in the race, they could not beat Erik Jones (70 to 1 long shot). Jones held off the field to win his first of the season and throw a considerable wrinkle into the NASCAR Playoff Chase. Why? There is a straightforward way to advance in the playoffs.
That is correct. If a playoff racer wins any race in that segment, they automatically advance to the next round. For example, if Denny Hamlin were to win on Sunday, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver would move on to the “Round Of 12”. Denny Hamlin could win the Hollywood Casino 400 as Hamlin has won twice previously in his last seven appearances. That includes four top-five results as well.
Again, besides the numbers that all list Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and Christopher Bell very close together, they also clearly ran better than almost everyone else at the Spring race. The late summer race will feature cooler conditions and the chances of showers. That expects to help the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers. Hamlin leads the way as a co-favorite with Kyle Busch at around +600 to +650 odds.
There is one odd stat this year: Hamlin has won every seventh race. Spring times were again excellent with the Toyota, as was the testing. With all this said, the NASCAR Kansas Picks says Denny Hamlin has a very good shot at winning.
Again, here are some more notes for Kansas this Sunday. The weather condition could change, but an expected “cold front” is supposed to pass through this weekend. Even with cooler temperatures, tire wear and car management are essential. Also, look for those who have placed well here in the past, along with perhaps a long shot or two besides the regular drivers.
Drivers like Erik Jones are a long shot at winning at best. Again, there are other eventual options to look at. Jones will be +150 to +175 to finish in the top ten and may see even better numbers closer to Sunday. This is all about finding value. Also, the Hendrick cars could run well here too. Kyle Larson has led 26% of the laps raced in his five appearances. He won once and has three top-ten results.
Joey Logano anchors the Ford hopes, and these Fords could factor a little into Kansas. Logano found a way to win the Spring race and could contend in the right conditions again. Drivers like Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. are almost locked to finish in the top ten. Kevin Harvick seems to be one to take a NASCAR Kansas Picks shot on.
What about some longer shots? Ty Gibbs is driving the #23 car for 23XI Racing. He drove the vehicle well last week but got bad luck. At +3500, he is worth a look. Also, do not discount Brad Keselowski as a crazy small-wager choice at +10000.
Take Denny Hamlin to hold off Kyle Larson and Erik Jones to win. That is our NASCAR Kansas picks.
Check out these online betting sites, where you can wager on this NASCAR race and receive some Vegas betting site bonuses too.
