One race in the Round of 8 is complete, and only two remain for Cup Series drivers hoping to reach the Championship 4. Next up is Homestead-Miami Speedway, a track where two championship contenders lead the odds to win.
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According to BetMGM, Kyle Larson enters the playoff weekend with the best odds at +350. He is ahead of defending winner Christopher Bell at +600.
Tyler Reddick (+650), William Byron (+700), Denny Hamlin (+1,000), and Ryan Blaney (+1,000) are the other drivers with top-five odds to win. Chase Elliott, the other driver still in contention for the Championship 4, enters the weekend at +1,500.
Martin Truex Jr., who brings back his championship-winning scheme this weekend, has the sixth-best odds at +1,400.
After what he called the biggest loss of his career, Christopher Bell redeemed himself one week later by winning at Homestead-Miami.
Will he do it again? #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/7ZEXfzpW5J
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 23, 2024
Bell is the defending winner of the Homestead-Miami Speedway race, and he finished second last week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Yet there are a couple of reasons why he would enter the weekend behind Larson.
The first is Bell's history at Homestead. He has had speed at the 1.5-mile track in the past, but he only has two top-10 finishes in four starts. Bell was also vocal before his win about past struggles at Homestead in Cup competition.
Another reason is Larson's run of success since joining Hendrick Motorsports. He has won 23 races in the No. 5 Chevrolet. This includes six wins this season and two since the start of the playoffs.
Larson's stats at Homestead include five top-five finishes in 10 starts and one win (2022). He led 96 laps at the 1.5-mile track last season before a stunning crash at the entrance of pit road.
The two drivers lead the BetMGM odds, as well as the playoff point standings as they prepare for a return to Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Joey Logano has a secure spot in the Championship 4 after winning last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but Bell leads the other seven playoff drivers with a 42-point cushion to the cutline. Larson is second with a 35-point cushion while Byron is third with a 27-point cushion.
