After a wild finish last week at Kansas Speedway, two spots are secure for the Round of 8 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. But who will join Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott in still being in the championship chase come next week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway? We will find out today in the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (3:00 p.m. ET, USA).
After Ryan Blaney locked up the first Round of 8 spot with a win in the Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway two weeks ago, things got wacky in the waning moments of last week’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.
In overtime, several drivers could have come away with the win. But as the cars approached the line, it appeared to be a battle between 23XI driver Bubba Wallace and 23XI co-owner Denny Hamlin.
As Wallace and Hamlin made contact with the checkered flag in sight, Chase Elliott swooped in low to pass them both, averted Hamlin’s desperation dive, and snatched the victory and a guaranteed place in the Round of 8.
You certainly can’t begrudge Hamlin for being a driver first and an owner second in that scenario, because the point is to win. But his decision remains under the microscope given that it could see the team he owns miss out on the Round of 8.
While Hamlin would have been a near-certainty to make the Round of 8 even if he didn’t win last week, the scenario is much different for Wallace, who left Kansas in the same position as he arrived, on the outside looking in, along with 23XI teammate Tyler Reddick, Ross Chastain, and Austin Cindric.
NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Standings (Entering the Bank of America Roval 400)
Drivers in bold are above the Round of 8 cutline, with the remaining four drivers at risk of elimination. Elliott and Blaney have already advanced by virtue of wins during the Round of 12.
- 1. Chase Elliott – Advanced
- 2. Ryan Blaney – Advanced
- 3. Kyle Larson – 3124
- 4. Denny Hamlin – 3118
- 5. Christopher Bell – 3114
- 6. William Byron – 3110
- 7. Chase Briscoe – 3091
- 8. Joey Logano – 3083
9. Ross Chastain – 307010. Bubba Wallace – 305711. Tyler Reddick – 305412. Austin Cindric – 3035
But all hope is certainly not lost for 23XI. Reddick will start on pole for the Bank of America Roval 400, and a positive history on road courses makes him a top contender for today’s race.
However, Shane van Gisbergen is by far the man to beat at Charlotte, as per odds from top online sportsbooks. After picking up his first Cup Series top-10 finish on an oval last week, SVG is heavily favored to close out his road course campaign with five wins in six races this season.
Bank of America Roval 400 Odds
- Shane van Gisbergen -250
- Tyler Reddick +700
- Kyle Larson +1000
- Christopher Bell +1100
- Ty Gibbs +1200
- J. Allmendinger +1600
- Chris Buescher +2000
- Chase Elliott +2200
- William Byron +2500
- Chase Briscoe +2800
- Michael McDowell +2800
- Ross Chastain +3300
- Alex Bowman +6600
- Austin Cindric +6600
- Kyle Busch +6600
- Ryan Blaney +6600
- Carson Hocevar +8000
- Denny Hamlin +8000
- Joey Logano +8000
- Bubba Wallace +10000
- Daniel Suarez +10000
- Ryan Preece +12500
- Brad Keselowski +25000
- Zane Smith +30000
Bank of America Roval 400 Predictions and Picks
Tyler Reddick to Finish in the Top Five (+100 at Lucky Rebel)
Given the situation that Reddick is in and what he has done on road courses thus far this season and over the last few seasons, these odds are wild.
Three of Reddick’s eight career Cup Series wins are on road courses (2022 at Road America and the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and 2023 at Circuit of the Americas), and he has been a consistent finisher in the top five and top 10 on road courses.
This season, he finished third at both COTA and on the Chicago street course, sixth at Sonoma, and ninth at Watkins Glen. His only poor result was a 20th-place finish in the Mexico City race, which is the best worst road result for any of the Round of 12 drivers this season.
He set the tone for himself already by winning pole, and even with the road course master to contend with in SVG, there’s a strong chance he will convert that pole into the result he may need to advance to the Round of 8 for the third straight year.
Chase Briscoe to Finish in the Top 10 (-135 at Bovada)
I typically prefer to stay away from anything shorter than -125 or -130 for a top-10 finishing position pick, but I don’t mind a little extra swig of juice on this one given its high percentage of success.
Briscoe, who will start eighth today, made it five for five with top 10s in the playoffs with a fourth-place finish at Kansas Speedway, but while he is in a solid position to move on to the Round of 8, he still has some work to do.
Fortunately, in addition to his current form, he has had a decent season overall on road courses, posting top-five finishes at Sonoma (2nd) and Watkins Glen (5th) and coming in seventh in Mexico City.
Bubba Wallace to Finish in the Top 10 (+200 at Lucky Rebel)
Road courses are not a strength for Wallace, who has just one top-10 finish on a road course this season, an eighth-place finish at Watkins Glen.
But when he needs to, at minimum, rack up a lot of stage points and be near the front at the end to have a shot to make the Round of 8, he will have to go for it.
Maybe it will work out for him. Maybe it won’t. But he is an excellent option at these odds.
Other NASCAR Betting Content
Did you enjoy these Bank of America Roval 400 picks? Throughout the season, you can find predictions, picks, and expert NASCAR betting insight for many Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Truck Series races, as well as updates on the latest championship odds.
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