COLUMN: Winding A Path To Victory By NASCAR Favorites Won’t Make For Big Payouts At Watkins Glen International

By Jerry Jordan, Editor

It’s back to a road course this week with action at Watkins Glen International and it seems Chase Elliott is already the presumptive winner, especially in the NASCAR betting odds with a paltry payback of only +400 from the WynnBET Sportsbook oddsmakers.

Elliott is on the pole for the race and over the past 38 NASCAR Cup Series events at Watkins Glen, the pole sitter has gone to Victory Lane 10 times. That’s better than 25 percent of the time, so in racing terms, it’s a good indication that Elliott will bring home another road course win. It should also be noted that the last time Elliott won the pole at The Glen, he won the race.

Still, after yesterday’s Xfinity Series win by Kyle Larson, it’s a coin flip as to who I think will pull off the victory. Simply because the odds on Larson are one point better at the payout window, I am taking him as my favorite at +500. Unless something crazy happens to take one of them out of the race, I think the battle comes down between these two drivers at the end but the odds aren’t good enough to bet on both. So go with my pick, or not, but as favorites to win, Larson and Elliott are at the top of the board for a reason.

Looking at a mid-tier value bet pick, someone who can win the race but may be a little overlook, I am going to have to go with Austin Cindric. His experience on road courses speaks for itself and the Penske cars are usually fast on road courses. If he can be patient and methodical, something that doesn’t come easy in most racecar drivers, he could park the No. 2 Ford in Victory Lane for a second time this season.

Remember back at Daytona in February, yeah, he is the guy who won that race. At +1200 today at Watkins Glen, Cindric is a solid value bet.

That brings me to the longshot pick of the day. Going over the race day odds, it looks like about half the field is +10000 or more. And there are some decent longshot picks in the lower half of the odds sheet. Joey Hand could be a factor. Austin Dillion has been practicing on road courses for two years and could create some drama. Corey LaJoie has been in the mix this year, and so has Ricky Stenhouse Jr. However, given the equipment he is driving, I think the Formula 1 2018 U.S. Grand Prix winner from Finland, Kimi Raikkonen, is the best longshot chance in the field today.

Teaming up with Trackhouse Racing, a proven start-up contender in the Cup Series garage with both of its full-time cars securely in the NASCAR Playoffs, Raikkonen could make history today at Watkins Glen. The fanfare surrounding him is already off the chart but a checkered flag would bring millions of eyes to NASCAR. At +10000 odds, if you don’t bet on Raikkonen then you are missing out on a chance to be part of history. The odds are so big on Raikkonen that you can bet small and still come away with an awesome payday.

Remember, my suggestions are based on what I see at the track and from past performances by drivers. It’s called gambling for a reason and there is no guarantee the drivers I pick will end up in victory lane. If you can’t afford to bet, then don’t. And if you aren’t 21 years of age, you cannot legally gamble, so don’t even think about it. Should you have a problem with sports betting or other forms of gaming, you can get help at 1-800-522-4700.

NASCAR Go Bowling At The Glen

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