While we’ve had on-track action for a few weeks, the NASCAR schedule truly kicked off with Speedweek, concluding with an always wild and caution-filled Daytona 500. NASCAR’s focus trunks to the west coast as the Cup Series returns to the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana for the Pala Casino 400.
We’ll review the preseason events, Speedweeks grand finale – the Daytona 500, and the odds to make our Pala Casino 400 betting picks.
NASCAR Cup Series Pala Casino 400 Odds
Before making our Pala Casino 400 betting picks, we need to review where the oddsmakers have set the NASCAR odds. Here are our favorites to win when the Casino 400 schedule concludes on Sunday afternoon.
| Driver (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports-Chevrolet) | +650 |
| Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports-Chevrolet) | +700 |
| Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing-Toyota) | +800 |
| Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing-Toyota) | +1100 |
| Martin Truex Jr. (Joe Gibbs Racing-Toyota) | +1200 |
| Joey Logano (Team Penske-Ford) | +1200 |
| Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports-Chevrolet) | +2000 |
Here are some of our favorite drivers who are Pala Casino 400 picks that are long shots: 23XI Racing-Toyota’s Bubba Wallace (+3300), Stewart-Haas Racing-Ford’s Chase Briscoe (+4000), and Team Penske-Ford’s Austin Cindric (+8000).
JTG Daugherty Racing’s sole driver and Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is listed at +5000.
NASCAR Cup Series Pala Casino 400 Recent Race Results
While the Pala Casino 400 might sound unfamiliar to NASCAR fans, the Auto Club Speedway is not. NASCAR has raced at Fontana every year since 1997, except 2021 for covid reasons, and has been called the Napa Auto Parts 500 and Auto Club 500 before moving to a 400-mile race and being called the Auto Club 400 and finally the WISE Power 400 in 2022.
Regardless of the sponsor name, six active Cup Series drivers hold a win at Fontana. Richard Childres Racing-Chevorlet’s Kyle Busch (+1000) leads that pack with three wins (2013-14, 2019), while betting favorite in every race and in the chase for the Cup Series Championship, Hendrick Motorsports-Chevrolet’s Kyle Larson (+650) is the only other active driver with at least two wins (2017, 2022).
Larson’s Hendrick Motorsport teammate Alex Bowman (+2000) won in 2020, while Joe Gibbs Racing-Toyota’s Martin Truex Jr. (+1200) won in 2018. In wins from what seems like ancient history, Stewart-Haas Racing-Ford’s Kevin Harvick (+2000) won in 2011, while RFK Racing-Ford’s Brad Keselowski won in 2015.
NASCAR Cup Series Pala Casino 400 Race Information
NASCAR Cup Series: Pala Casino 400 (400 miles: 200 Laps/3 Stages)
Location: Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, California
Day/Time: Sunday, February 26th, 2023, 3:30 pm ET
Television: FOX | NASCAR Live
NASCAR Cup Series Pala Casino 400 Analysis
Before we analyze the potential winners and divers we expect to finish in the top five or ten places, we always stress the importance of qualifying before making any picks, including this weekend’s Pala Casino 400 betting picks. Practice sessions and qualifying can provide insight into who could be at the front of the grid and potentially avoid collisions from behind.
Qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Pala Casino 400 takes place on Saturday, February 25th at 2:50 pm ET, hours before the Xfinity Sereis’ Production Alliance Group 300.
After having a rough start during the preseason Clash at the Coliseum, reigning Cup Series Joey Logano leads the NASCAR standings after an excellent weekend at Daytona. Logano won the first Duel at Daytona and was battling with eventual Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in overtime when a final caution ended Logano’s pursuit of first, with a few inches separating the drivers.
Logano is among our favorites every week and finished fifth at Fontana in 2022.
Possible Top Ten Contenders at Pala Casino 400
While oddsmakers and the betting public tend to favor Denny Hamlin, he hasn’t shown any flashes of greatness that make us think he is going to put his Joe Gibbs Racing-Toyota on Victory Lane. However, while we’re not selecting Hamlin to win the Pala Casino 400, we do think he could land in the top ten for those who like to explore prop bet lines.
Team Penske-Ford’s Austin Cindric followed up a 2022 Daytona 500 win by winning the pole position at Fontana last season. Cindric finished 12th last year and could be a long shot to pick up a victory after finishing a disappointing 23rd at Daytona.
As mentioned, Kyle Larson has been atop the betting lines since preseason NASCAR future bets opened. Laron qualified second at Daytona but finished 18th when Daytona came to its messy conclusion. While Larson should be in the playoff mix, he needs to start stacking points at Fontana to make all those future bets on him to win the Cup Series Championship hit.
Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota’s Christopher Bell (+1100) is higher up the betting odds, which is partly based on his third place at Daytona. While we’re ranking Hendrick-Motorsport’s Alex Bowman higher than his +2000 odds, considering he captured pole position at Daytona, finishing fifth, and has had success at this event in the past.
NASCAR Cup Series Pala Casino 400 Betting Picks
Now that we have previewed the next stop on the NASCAR schedule to make our final Pala Casino 400 betting picks. We’ve got three drivers who we’d pick to win this weekend and would also pick them to finish in the top ten.
Cup Series Championship leader Joey Logano has been very good to start the season and is one of our Pala Casino 400 betting picks. Logano should be somewhere between +750 and +1000 odds, so we’re considering Logano at +1200 pretty good value for a driver who has an excellent shot at winning.
Our second driver is Hendrick Motorsports Alex Bowman. Bowman has been the best driver on the team this season and should continue that form at Fontana. A past winner who just won the pole position, we consider Bowman at +2000 as another potential winning pick with great value.
Our final Pala Casino 400 betting pick to win is Hendrick Motorsports Kyle Larson. The betting favorite on every line should win eventually, right? We’re putting Larson’s Daytona 500 finish aside, focusing on his qualifying performance, and think he could win his third 400-mile race at Fontana, going back-to-back in 2022 and 2023.
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