IndyCar Visits Alabama
The 2022 IndyCar season continues with the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, slated for Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
It will mark the fourth race of the season, and according to the IndyCar odds for this weekend, the upcoming race will also provide plenty of excellent betting opportunities.
Let’s check the latest news, stats, reports, and motorsports odds for Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. We’ve plenty of predictions for you to consider.
Colton Herta Leads The Way
Colton Herta has great odds to win the 2022 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. The 22-year-old is priced at around +900 on online sports betting sites, and there is a good reason for that.
Interestingly, Herta has yet to win a race this season and has come close to once. He claimed a fourth-place finish at St. Petersburg but has since managed only 12th in Texas and was 23rd in Long Beach. But there’s more to his less-than-convincing results.
Herta has raced on the Birmingham track twice in his career and has managed two fairly disappointing finishes in 24th (2019) and 22nd (2021). However, we must mention that Herta has suffered issues in both races, so it wouldn’t be fair to say he can’t deliver on the track.
Moreover, Herta’s 23rd-place finish at Long Beach was also a byproduct of a crash, so though his figures on the Alabama track last race aren’t great, there’s more to them than meets the eye. Herta is a world-class driver, and he usually does well on tracks similar to Motorsports Park in Birmingham, so watch out for him!
Newgarden and Palou Are Threats
While Herta leads the betting markets, he is just slightly ahead of Josef Newgarden and Alex Palou, who travel to Alabama as the second and third favorites.
Newgarden enters off a commanding victory in Long Beach, where he won his second consecutive race.
Admittedly, his success over the last two races doesn’t guarantee him another victory, but with the form he has been showing, Newgarden is tough to ignore.
Adding to that, if he wins, Newgarden will earn a $500,000 bonus and another $500,000 to donate to a charity for winning on all three track types.
“That would be cool,” said Newgarden.
“It makes me feel like a real IndyCar driver, to be honest with you. I think that’s what makes our sport great. We talk about it a lot, but it’s the truth. The thing that sets IndyCar apart is the diversity of the racing.”
As a three-time winner in Alabama and a two-time series champion, Newgarden is a solid choice. So if you’re looking to bet now on a driver who has already proven the Alabama tracks suit him and is in great shape, Newgarden is the driver.
At the same time, it’s hard to forget about Alex Palou, the current No. 3 in the IndyCar standings. He already has two podium finishes from St. Petersburg and Long Beach and a seventh-place finish from Texas.
Moreover, Palou is the reigning IndyCar champion, who won the Alabama race in 2021 on his first try. So even though we saw Palou race here only once, he clearly likes the track, and given his success in 2021, he is definitely talented enough to claim his second W at Barber Motorsports Park.
2022 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama Race Information
- Race: Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama
- Location: Birmingham, Alabama
- Day/Time: Sunday, May 1, 11:15 PM ET
- Live Stream: Indy Car
2022 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama Betting Lines
Rinus Veekay +400
Patricio O’Ward +450
Alex Palou +550
Josef Newgarden +800
Colton Herta +900
Scott McLaughlin +900
Romain Grosjean +1100
Alexander Rossi +1400
Scott Dixon +1600
Felix Rosenqvist +2500
Marcus Ericsson +2500
2022 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama Prediction
Many great drivers will head to Alabama this weekend chasing the victory, and a handful of drivers have a realistic chance to do it. But there is a good reason why Herta, Palou, and Newgarden are considered the top dogs.
Of the three, Newgarden stands out with his past success on the track and his recent form. But while he is an excellent choice, we’re most excited about Alex Palou, priced at around +550. Admittedly, he wasn’t as impressive as Newgarden over the last two races, and he has only one appearance in Alabama.
However, Palou is still the reigning IndyCar champion and the defending champion of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, which he won convincingly last year. So while you could argue Newgarden comes off as a most likely winner, Palou seems a bit undervalued at the offered odds.
