EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix Picks for March 2: Bet Buescher to Rule Road

Will a road course ace clinch a coveted playoff spot? Or will a weekly contender take the checkered flag? Let’s break it down with our NASCAR best bets for the week.

3 Top Picks for EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix

1. Bet Buescher, Fade Road Course Aces

While it is no surprise to see SVG atop the list of favorites, he is followed by an unfamiliar name to the casual fan: 18-year-old phenom Connor Zilisch, who is headlining NASCAR news by making his Cup debut as a teammate to SVG for Trackhouse.

While having just +700 odds to win are a bit generous, this is not completely unfounded. In his Truck Series debut at COTA last season, Zilisch went a lap down multiple times, but put his incredible talent on display by coming back to finish fourth. He also won his first Xfinity race in his first start at Watkins Glen.

Zilisch’s talent is undeniable, but his lack of experience could bite him against the Cup Series field. We will stay away from him, but we will be watching.

You can never count out AJ Allmendinger, who has returned to full-time competition for Kaulig Racing. Per NASCAR betting trends, COTA is not one of Allmendinger’s best road courses. He has two finishes outside the top-30 in four races, with a best finish of fifth. We will be far more inclined to take Allmendinger for a top-five at +250 rather than his +1400 winning odds.

But we will stay away from this trio in favor of someone who is still being overlooked at road courses: Chris Buescher. In his last 15 starts turning left and right, the RFK Racing driver has a whopping 12 top-10s, including his win at the Glen last season, per NASCAR stats.

Buescher is consistent as can be. After missing the playoffs last season, he should be hungry for a win. We are absolutely betting on Buescher to score a top-10 at even-money, but we will go further and make him our winner in our NASCAR predictions.

Bet this pick: Chris Buescher +2000 to win the EchoPark Grand Prix

2. Bet Chastain to Challenge Leaders

Now that we’ve picked our winner and covered the road course aces, which regular contenders will be up front? Tyler Reddick has been crowned one of the best in the series. He has been outstanding at COTA, with a win and two other top-fives. He is +750 to win.

Another driver that has excelled here is Ross Chastain. He won back in 2022 and has never finished worse than seventh. While his top-10 odds aren’t terribly appealing, we will take the leap and bet online on the Melon Man for a top-five at +290.

Bet this top-5 pick: Ross Chastain +180

The BetUS sportsbook odds have slightly caught on to Alex Bowman at road courses. COTA is his best of them all, with three top-fives, and the other finish being an eighth. While not providing a plus-money return, his -105 top-10 odds still pose strong value.

Bet this top-10 pick: Alex Bowman -105

3. McDowell, Gibbs Among Values Bets

Road courses are one of favorites to find values when making our NASCAR picks. While underwhelming in his first two seasons, Ty Gibbs has notched top-10s in his first two COTA starts. He was also a prolific contender at road courses during his time in the Xfinity Series. His -125 odds are good enough for us to put him in this section.

Another driver who was outstanding on road courses in the Xfinity Series is Austin Cindric. But the Team Penske driver has failed to live up to those results as a Cup driver. But he has been strong at COTA, with two top-10s, along with a strong run in the making in 2021, before issues to him out of contention. With the road course talent, +150 for a top-10 driver prop pick is nice value.

Michael McDowell is always looked to at road courses. But his odds are not what you would expect as he has struggled at COTA, with just one top-10, coming in the inaugural race in 2021. But he is still a great road racer, finishing runner-up at Sonoma last season. We will bank on his reputation rather than COTA history and bet on his +160 top-10 odds.

Bet these top-10 picks: Ty Gibbs -125; Austin Cindric +150; Michael McDowell +160

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets

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