NASCAR’s slate of events at Kentucky Speedway this weekend comes to an end with the Cup Series race — the Quaker State 400. The race is set for 2:30 pm Eastern time, and you can catch the broadcast on FS1. Despite the fact that the track will have no fans in person, NASCAR has been popular since the sport resumed, with each race having more than 1 million viewers. This will be the first time that the Cup Series race has taken place during the daytime since 2013, when the Saturday night race was rained out and moved to Sunday afternoon. Track temperatures will be higher than normal, which will play a role on grip levels and car balance. We have your NASCAR betting odds on the drivers as well as suggestions for your wagering cards.
NASCAR Cup Series: Quaker State 400 Preview (July 12)
Driver Odds
- Kevin Harvick +400
- Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott +600
- Martin Truex Jr +700
- Joey Klogano, Brad Keselowski +750
- Ryan Blaney +900
- Alex Bowman +1500
- Kurt Busch, William Byron, Jimmie Johnson, Aric Almirola +2500
- Erik Jones +4000
- Tyler Reddick +5000
- Austin Dillon, Cole Custer, Christopher Bell, Ryan Newman, Chris Buescher +7500
- FIELD (all unlisted drivers) +1500
Martin Truex Jr has not raced well recently, with four finishes outside the top ten in his last five races. At Indianapolis, he had his worst race of 2020. However, he has won two Quaker State 400s in the last three years, and in his last eight races at Kentucky Speedway, he has five top-ten finishes. But does he offer enough value here? I’m not sure that he’s a smart pick.
Brad Keselowski had a couple of chances to win at Indianapolis last weekend, so even though he couldn’t edge out Kevin Harvick, he’s worth considering. No one has more Quaker State 400 wins that he does (3), and in the last nine races overall, he has six top-seven finishes. He also has three wins at the Kentucky Speedway racing in the Xfinity Series. Given his value, he’s a smart pick.
Kurt Busch has been a bit of an enigma. It looked like he was starting to heat up, but now he has failed to crack the top ten in three straight races. He did win the 2019 Quaker State 400, though, and he has four top-six finishes in his last seven starts at Kentucky Speedway. If you’re looking for someone who’s a bit of a dark horse, he’s a pick to think about.
Aric Almirola has finished in the top ten one time at Kentucky Speedway as a NASCAR Cup Series driver. He also didn’t race here much when he was with the Xfinity Series. It’s been almost two years since Almirola won a Cup Series race. However, he’s been sniffing the checkered flag more than anyone else who has failed to win lately, with an average finish of 3.8 over his last five races — the best five-race average in the NASCAR Cup Series. He offers a ton of value and is worth the risk.
Denny Hamlin has four wins this season, and he has six top-five finishes in his last nine starts. He didn’t make the top ten in Indianapolis last week, but he has followed up his last four failures to make the top ten with a finish in the top five, which includes a win at Homestead-Miami. At the 2019 Quaker State 400, he came in fifth, and he has four top-five results in his last eight starts at Kentucky Speedway. He has a little more value than Harvick even though he has just as many wins in 2020, so think about adding him.
Kevin Harvick is the other NASCAR Cup Series driver with four wins this season. Neither he nor Hamlin has ever won in the Cup Series at Kentucky Speedway. However, he won last week in Indianapolis, and that combination explains why he is the clear favorite. But should you put down money at favorite odds for someone who has never won here? I’m not sure I play him.
