The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Crayon 301 on Sunday afternoon. William Byron is coming off a big win at the Quaker State 400 in Atlanta, Georgia but surprisingly, none of the favorites for this weekend's race finished in the top five. Christopher Bell is the frontrunner at +600 odds for this event, followed by Martin Truex also at +600, Kyle Larson (+700), Denny Hamlin (+800), Kyle Busch (+900), Byron (+1000), and Chase Elliott (+1100). With the playoffs slowly approaching, it's an important race. Below, find the Crayon 301 picks.
Before we get into the preview, odds, and predictions for Chicago, check out our how-to bet on NASCAR page.
Crayon 301 Odds
| Driver |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Bell | +600 | +600 | +550 |
| Martin Truex Jr | +600 | +600 | +550 |
| Kyle Larson | +700 | +850 | +700 |
| Denny Hamlin | +800 | +800 | +650 |
| Kyle Busch | +900 | +1000 | +900 |
| William Byron | +1000 | +1000 | +1200 |
| Chase Elliott | +1100 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Kevin Harvick | +1200 | +1000 | +800 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1400 | +1400 | +1200 |
| Joey Logano | +1600 | +1500 | +1400 |
The Crayon 301 has been around since 1993 but there's been many different names over the years. Coincidentally enough, hence the name, there are 301 laps in total. Stage 1 has 75, stage 2 has 110, and stage 3 has 116. The race takes place in Loudon, New Hampshire. Bell is the defending champion, having won it in 2022. Multiple winners in the current Cup Series include Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and Kevin Harvick, all with two titles apiece. The only driver to win it three times was Jeff Burton from 1997-1999.
Preview
Christopher Bell (+600)
Bell has enjoyed no shortage of success here. He not only won in 22' but was also runner-up the year prior. But despite his track record at NHMS, Bell isn't exactly in the best form at the moment. He finished 23rd in Atlanta and 18th in the streets of Chicago. In fact, he hasn't finished top five since Daytona 500 in February. Bell could be one to fade come Sunday unless he can magically come up with his first win since Bristol.
Martin Truex Jr (+600)
Truex Jr got off to a hot start when he first started racing at NHMS, finishing in the top five in seven of his first 10 tries there. While there was a cold spell after that, he's now finished eight times in the top 10 in his 10 appearances here. Overall, the veteran is having a good year, sitting third in the Cup Series standings with two wins, six top-five finishes, and nine top-10 finishes. Truex Jr 21 points behind Byron in first place. He's finished 29th and 32nd in the last two races, though.
Kyle Larson (+700)
Larson was 17th in this race last year, but he's having a respectable season. Larson is fifth in the table with two wins, eight top-five finishes, and nine top-10 finishes. He's also on a heater right now, finishing top 10 in four of the last five weeks. Atlanta wasn't great though, landing in 36th. Hopefully, he can find some momentum again.
Denny Hamlin (+800)
Okay, there is reason to keep an eye on Hamlin. The two wins at NHMS are one thing but he's also finished in the top 15 in 11 consecutive outings here. This is clearly a track where Hamlin thrives. Martinsville, Dover, and Gateway are all similar tracks and he was top five at all three this season. Hamlin is seventh in the standings with only one win, but perhaps another could be in the cards on Sunday.
Kyle Busch (+900)
Busch does well on this track and was great at Gateway, a similar course. He's also driving out of his mind right now with six straight top 10 finishes, including fifth in Atlanta, first at Worldwide Technology, and second at Sonoma. Just based on current form, Busch has to be worth a look, even if it's only for a specific bet like a top five or top 10 finish.
William Byron (+1000)
How can we leave out the Cup Series leader? Byron is 36 points ahead of second-place Busch and has a circuit-best four victories at Atlanta, Darlington, Vegas, and Phoenix. Don't forget his eight top-five finishes and 11 top 10 finishes, too. Last season, Byron was 11th at NHMS. However, you simply cannot ignore how consistent he's been in recent weeks and to be honest, for most of the campaign.
Crayon 301 Picks
There are a few worthy bets to eye this Sunday. First, I have to go with Byron for a top-five finish just considering how hot he is at +110 odds. We'll also go with Hamlin for the same at +125. Lastly, I'm liking Truex Jr for top 10. Lock those in.
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