This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series visits the Texas Motor Speedway. The 2023 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 marks the opening race in the second round in the Playoffs. Michael McDowell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano were all eliminated last weekend. This time around, the Top 12 drivers are vying for the Round of 8 positions. Among the many contenders are Joe Gibbs Racing star Denny Hamlin and Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson.
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As per several odds makers, Larson and Hamlin are two of the strongest drivers. So, the two of them will be among the 12 Playoff contenders battling for 267 laps. It is interesting to note that previous editions of the race, since 2005, ran a distance of 500 miles, but has been reduced to 400 for this year. According to the betting odds, Hamlin and Larson as 5-1 co-favorites, because they are both former winners as well.
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Who could rain on Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson’s parade?
Of course, Larson and Hamlin are far from the only contenders at the Texas Motor Speedway. Bubba Wallace starts on pole position, ahead of Chris Buescher, Brad Keselowski and Ty Gibbs. Meanwhile, his teammate Tyler Reddick has been given a 7-1 odds of winning, from 15th on the grid. Meanwhile Playoff points co-leaders William Byron and Martin Truex Jr. are both on 8-1 odds from 18th and 16th respectively.
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DARLINGTON, SC – SEPTEMBER 03: Denny Hamlin, driver of the 11 Clips Haircuts Toyota, stands during the National Anthem before the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Playoff Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina on Sep 3, 2023. Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire AUTO: SEP 03 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Cook Out Southern 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon230904029
Another strong contender for the race win and automatic Round of 8 qualification is Kyle Busch. Admittedly, odds makers have given him a 14-1 chance, despite that, he is still a strong contender. What works in his favour is that he is one of four Playoff drivers on the grid, who have won this race before. The others are Hamlin, Larson and Reddick, so the battle for victory should be interesting.
Hamlin and Larson will be fired up to win at the Texas Motor Speedway
For this Sunday’s race, Hamlin starts at the tail of the Top 10, with Larson one place behind him. Although it is a bit of a climb up the pack, they do have 267 laps and three stages to navigate. Winning the first and second stages earns valuable points, so even if neither win the race, the points should help keep them away from elimination.
So Wallace leads the two Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing drivers, Gibbs and Ross Chastain. Meanwhile, AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, Daniel Suarez, Christopher bell and Hamlin, complete the Top 10. Larson is leading the Hendrick Motorsports charge from 11th, while teammates Alex Bowman starts 13th. William Byron is in 18th place, and a bitterly disappointed Chase Elliott is all the way down in 29th.
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