The Season Rolls On
The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season is well underway, as we’re nine races from the playoffs. Admittedly, a lot has happened over the opening 16 races, but now, it’s still not certain what driver has the best chance to claim the crown.
While some started strong and fell off as the season progressed, others found traction just in time to emerge as one of the top online sports betting favorites to win the NASCAR Cup Series. But even though a lot is still in the air, the question remains – who will win the trophy?
Let’s check the latest news, stats, reports, and NASCAR odds for 2022 NASCAR Cup Series. We’ve plenty of predictions for you to consider.
Larson Could Repeat
The Cup Series Championship NASCAR odds today show defending champion Kyle Larson as the favorite to retain his crown, albeit he sits tied with Chase Elliott, with both priced at +600. The offered betting odds make a lot of sense, as there isn’t much to separate the two drivers results-wise.
Larson completely dominated the field last season on his way to his maiden Cup Series crown, so it wasn’t surprising to see him priced as the top dog on the preseason markets. Now, fast forwards to 16 races later, and Larson is still the main favorite to win the championship, albeit at lower odds.
Had you bet online on Larson to win the NASCAR Cup Series before the season began, you would have gotten him at around +300. Now, he’s at double the price which isn’t that shocking.
Admittedly, Larson is still a world-class driver, but 2022 has not seen the same results for him. Currently, in the seventh spot in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, Larson has managed just one win in the second round but has since not seen the same heights, having managed just six top-5s across the 16 races.
Elliott Is A Threat
Whether you like him, Chase Elliott has been phenomenal. Admittedly, he did not show nearly as much as Larson in 2021, but Elliot has produced just enough to sit atop of the standings with 536 points.
He has recently gone through a slump, placing outside of the top 20 at Kansas, Charlotte, and Madison. But he got back on track with an eighth-place finish at Sonoma. One good result after three disappointing finishes does not mean much, but Elliott has sat atop of the standings virtually all season, so when we talk consistency, Elliott is your guy.
And let’s not forget that Elliott is the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series champion and one of the most experienced drivers in the field. Exactly what you should be looking for in a potential Cup Series champion. However, Elliott noted two weeks back that he is not fully comfortable in NextGen cars.
“I’m still learning. There’s just a lot of little details that I’m still trying to become accustomed to, feel good about and have enough experience to know what I want in the car,” said Elliott.
Whether he can find some traction before the playoffs remains to be seen, but you have to have some faith in the 2020 champion.
2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Betting Lines
| ODDS TO WIN 2022 NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP | MONEYLINE |
| Kyle Larson | +600 |
| Chase Elliott | +600 |
| Denny Hamlin | +800 |
| William Byron | +800 |
| Kyle Busch | +750 |
| Martin Truex Jr | +1200 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1000 |
| Joey Logano | +800 |
| Kevin Harvick | +2800 |
| Alex Bowman | +1600 |
| Christopher Bell | +2500 |
| Brad Keselowski | +12500 |
| Kurt Busch | +2500 |
| Tyler Reddick | +2800 |
| Austin Cindric | +4000 |
| Ross Chastain | +1000 |
| Chase Briscoe | +2000 |
| Austin Dillon | +10000 |
| Daniel Suarez | +3300 |
| Justin Haley | +20000 |
| Bubba Wallace | +15000 |
| Aric Almirola | +10000 |
| Cole Custer | +25000 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | +25000 |
| Erik Jones | +15000 |
| Chris Buescher | +12500 |
2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Prediction
There is a good reason why Larson and Elliott are the favorites to win the NASCAR Cup Series crown. But that doesn’t mean that other drivers don’t stand a chance. On the contrary, the gap between the top of the field and the rest seems small, suggesting we could end the year with an upset winner.
One of the outsiders who has shown that he has the tools to compete for the ultimate glory is no other than Ryan Blaney. Currently No. 4 on the NASCAR Cup Series standings, Blaney is priced as a +1000 underdog to lift the trophy, which might seem fair, but we feel like the sportsbooks are underestimating the 28-year-old.
The 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race marks Blaney’s only victory but even though he is technically winless, Blaney has known more than enough to earn our trust. We have to remember that he is the eight-seeded driver in the playoffs picture, thanks to his consistency and series-leading four-stage wins.
Moreover, Blaney has five top-5s and eight top-10s, a figure that could be much higher had he not slumped between Dover and Concord. We can’t see the future, but if Blaney can keep the wind in his saily, it’s only a matter of time before he reaches the victory lane, and we can be sure that it will happen before the playoffs.
And even if he fails to collect his first W of the season, it’s highly unlikely for Blaney to lose his spot in the playoffs. An outsider pick indeed, but a very appealing one at the offered odds.
