2023 NASCAR Cup Prediction, Race Preview, Live Stream, Odds and Picks

Can Team Penske-Ford Repeat?

Team Penske-Ford’s Joey Logano (+1000) won his second NASCAR Cup Series Championship in 2022, but he didn’t score his first race win after the 2022 Clash until the Goodyear 400. Logano’s Penske-Ford teammate, Ryan Blaney (+1000), is high on many oddsmakers’ lists to move beyond the group of eight and compete for the Cup Series Championship this season.

While Hendrick Motorsports was the last team to win back-to-back NASCAR Cup Series championships in 2020-21, the last driver to win consecutive titles was Jimmie Johnson when he strung together five consecutive Cup Series Championships from 2006 to 2010. If Team Penske-Ford is going to repeat as Cup Series Champion, either Logano will put together another excellent campaign or Blaney will need to have his best season ever.

Could Team Penske-Ford’s Austin Cindric’s (+5000) sophomore season improve on his excellent rookie campaign in which he won the Daytona 500 and finished 12th in the Cup Series Championship in 2022?

Other Ford Challengers

RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski (+6600) would have made it to the final four last season had he not been disqualified and could repeat that level of performance as another potential Ford ride challenging for the Cup Series Championship.

Stewart-Haas Racing has two drivers that could keep the Cup Series Championship in a Ford ride. Kevin Harvick (+1600) and Chase Briscoe (+3300) are longer shots to win the Cup Series Championship when betting online, but both finished in the top 16 last season and could break into the top eight and maybe the top four.

Will a Chevrolet Ride Reclaim the Championship?

Many Chevrolet rides are ranked among the favorites to win the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Hendrick Motorsports has four drivers that finished in the top 16 last year, each with a possibility, while Richard Childress Racing has Kyle Busch (+1200) as a contender for the Cup Series Championship.

A longer shot in a Chevrolet ride is Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain (+1200), who finished second in the Cup Series playoffs last season after starting the season by finishing 40th at the 2022 Daytona 500.

However, if a Chevrolet ride is going to take the Cup Series Championship, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson (+600), Chase Elliott (+550), or William Byron (+1000) will be the likely Cup Series Champions.

Toyota Rides Primed to Make a Charge

Only two teams use Toyota rides in NASCAR, yet there are four to five drivers who could contend for the NASCAR Cup Series. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin (+800) is always a threat to make the final four while Martin Truex Jr. (+1100) has shown flashes of excellence. Christopher Bell (+1200) finished third last season, giving us three viable candidates from Joe Gibbs Racing.

23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace (+4000) and Tyler Reddick (+1400) finished 19th and 14th, respectively, in the Cup Series last season. Both drivers could improve this season, making it into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and toward a Cup Series Championship.

Favorites to Win the 2023 NASCAR Cup

Here are our top six drivers we think are in contention to win the 2023 NASCAR Cup:

• Hendrick Motorsports-Chevrolet – Chase Elliott (+550)
• Hendrick Motorsports-Chevrolet – Kyle Larson (+600)
• Joe Gibbs Racing-Toyota – Denny Hamlin (+800)
• Team Penske-Ford – Austin Cindric (+5000)
• Team Penske-Ford – Ryan Blaney (+1000)
• Trackhouse Racing-Chevrolet – Ross Chastain (+1200)

2023 NASCAR Cup Betting Odds

The odds in this chart are based on the time of publication. They are subject to change.

2023 NASCAR Cup Championship Picks and Prediction

We might have six potential candidates to win the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023, but only four drivers make it to the Championship round, and only one driver can be crowned champion. Although we have two drivers from Team Penske-Ford listed among our favorites, we don’t think either will bring consecutive Cup Series Championships back to the team.

If we have to make one pick on who wins the NASCAR Cup Series Championship in 2023, we’re going to take Hamlin to finally break through and score his first NASCAR Cup Series Championship.

Let’s check the latest NASCAR news for 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship.