The NASCAR playoffs will officially enter the Round of Eight at the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500, which means only four races remain on the season—and three before the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. If there was ever a time to perfect your NASCAR picks, it's now. And we've got the lowdown on the best NASCAR bets.
Our latest 2021 NASCAR playoff picks will focus on AutoTrader EchoPark 500 predictions. Let's take a look at the latest NASCAR odds, courtesy of BetOnline:
| Driver to Win |  |
|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | +250 |
| Denny Hamlin | +650 |
| Chase Elliott | +650 |
| Kyle Busch | +700 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +700 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1000 |
| Kevin Harvick | +1400 |
| Joey Logano | +1400 |
| Brad Keselowski | +1400 |
| William Byron | +1600 |
| Alex Bowman | +2500 |
| Kurt Busch | +2800 |
| Christopher Bell | +3300 |
| Tyler Redick | +3500 |
| Austin Dillon | +5000 |
| Matt DiBenedetto | +6600 |
| Ross Chastain | +6600 |
| Aric Almirola | +6600 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | +20000 |
| Daniel Suarez | +20000 |
| Chris Buescher | +20000 |
| Chase Briscoe | +20000 |
| Bubba Wallace | +25000 |
| Rick Jones | +25000 |
| Cole Custer | +25000 |
| Ryan Newman | +30000 |
| Michael McDowell | +40000 |
| Ryan Preece | +75000 |
| Corey LaJoie | +75000 |
| Anthony Alfredo | +100000 |
| Justin Haley | +100000 |
| Quin Houff | +150000 |
| Cody Ware | +150000 |
| David Starr | +150000 |
| Garretth | +150000 |
| Smithley | +150000 |
| BJ McLeod | +150000 |
| Timmy Hill | +150000 |
| Joey Gase | +150000 |
| Josh Bilicki | +150000 |
Always remember to confirm these NASCAR betting odds before making any NASCAR playoff picks. The lines will move at BetOnline and other top online sportsbooks prior to the start of the race.
NASCAR AutoTrader EchoPark 500 Predictions
- When: Sunday, October 17
- Start Time: 2 p.m. EST
- Where: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas
- Length: 334 Laps (501 miles)
Like all of our NASCAR playoff predictions, we will be going through our best betting options—potential outright picks you should be keeping an eye on. Though we will make an official AutoTrader EchoPark 500 prediction at the end, we highly suggest you consider every driver mentioned within this article.
Should Kyle Larson be the Favorite?
After ceding ground in the NASCAR standings, Kyle Larson (+250) wasn't messing around at the Bank of America Roval 400. He finished in the first place, owning much of the evening. This marked his seventh victory of the season, which is by far and away the most in NASCAR. The next most first-place finishes belong to Martin Truex Jr. (+700), and he only has four.
Forecasting a second-straight victory is always risky. Larson is worth the roll of that dice. He has taken home the first-place spot on back-to-back occasions not once but TWICE this season. And with Hamlin still nipping at his heels, you better believe he'll continue to drive aggressively from the opening gun.
Better Bet: Denny Hamlin or Chase Elliott?
Denny Hamlin (+650) took a more conservative approach after winning the South Point 400. As the first driver to clinch a spot in the Round of Eight, after leapfrogging Larson in the NASCAR standings, he didn't need to go all out on every lap.
That style goes out the window now. He currently sits second in the NASCAR Cup Series standings but desperately needs to pick up another first-place trophy to hang with the big boys. Though he has been a mainstay in top-10 finishes, with 23, his two victories on the year barely rank within the top five.
Chase Elliott (+650) is in a similar boat. He has just two wins this season and has remained in the top seven of the standing by virtue of his 18 top-10 finishes.
Giving him the second-best odds for the AutoTrader EchoPark 500, though, feels a little ambitious. He dropped outside the top 15 at the YellaWood 500 and then remained outside the top 10 at the Bank of America Roval 400. As it stands, he's not racing at his peak right now. We default to Denny Hamlin pretty confidently here.
Better Bet: Kyle Busch or Martin Truex Jr.
Kyle Busch (+700) has gradually snuck up on the NASCAR championship field. Like many others, he has fewer than three victories on the season, but he's ramped up his wire-to-wire driving of late and currently owns 13 top-five finishes and 19 top-10 placements.
Martin Truex Jr. (+700), on the other hand, has somewhat faded. He was scooping up victories left and right in the middle of the year. But he's now won just once since the beginning of May, and his past few races haven't been all that convincing—including his most recent performance at the Bank of America Roval 400.
For our money, we're rolling with Busch's momentum.
Official AutoTrader EchoPark 500 Pick
Late-season NASCAR races always invite off-the-beaten-path picks. That's why the list of drivers laying odds above is so long. So much of the standings is normally fait accompli at this point.
That's not the case this season. There's still a lot up for grabs over the next few races. And while it once looked like Kyle Larson might be a runaway first-place finisher atop the standings, to the extent he wouldn't have much to vie for right now, the ground beneath him has started to shake.
This should come as bad news for the rest of the field. Larson has always done a good job racing under pressure and responding to lulls. His first-place grab at the Bank of America 400 is a perfect example. With so much at stake here, and knowing that he's no stranger to snagging back-to-back victories, we're picking him to win on Sunday.
OSB Prediction: Kyle Larson (+250)
Check out this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all your NASCAR betting:
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