NASCAR Betting – Toyota 500 Odds

After two months of inactivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NASCAR returned to the oval on Sunday and is making up for lost time. The Toyota 500 from Darlington Raceway is the second of four Series Cup races in an 11-day span and the second in four days at the South Carolina track. The green flag waves at 7:30 p.m. ET with FS1 airing the race. Kevin Harvick earned his 50th career win taking the checkered flag Sunday at the Real Heroes 400, NASCAR’s first race since March 8. Harvick opened as the betting favorite at BookMaker.eu with a trio of racers close behind. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete updated odds list and to place your wager.

NASCAR Cup Series Toyota 500
Date and Time: Wednesday, May 20, 2020, 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Darlington Raceway, Darlington, SC
Opening NASCAR Odds: Kevin Harvick +330
Toyota 500 TV Coverage: FS1

NASCAR Cup Series Toyota 500 Odds at BookMaker.eu

Kevin Harvick +330
Kyle Busch +725
Denny Hamlin +725
Alex Bowman +725
Chase Elliott +900
Martin Truex Jr +900
Brad Keselowski +1050
Joey Logano +1200
Kurt Busch +1250
Jimmie Johnson +1400
Erik Jones +1600
William Byron +1600
Ryan Blaney +2300
Matt Kenseth +2600
Tyler Reddick +4000
Matt Dibenedetto +4500
Clint Bowyer +5500
Aric Almirola +5500

Toyota 500 Preview

With no practice or qualifying due to the pandemic, the drivers got in their cars and navigated the 293 laps Sunday at Darlington with Harvick holding the lead for 159 of those laps. The last one was the most important. It’s a short turnaround for drivers and teams as the Cup Series attempts to make up some events that were cancelled or postponed during the last two months.

The Toyota 500 is significantly shorter than Sunday’s run. The field will attack the 1.366 mile, egg-shaped Darlington oval for 228 laps. It’s hard to say how or if the fewer trips around the track will affect the drivers. One thing we can be sure of is having Harvick finish inside the top-10. He’s been there in all five Cup Series races this season, including a runner-up showing in Phoenix in March right before NASCAR closed its doors.

In order to reduce the risk of being infected with the coronavirus and to comply with distancing protocols, there are no qualifying runs. Sunday’s lineup was determined by a random draw with Wednesday’s starting spots based on the order of finish. The top-20 finishers from Sunday will be inverted to start the Toyota 500. By finishing first Harvick was slotted into the 20th position.

The battle to finish 20th on Sunday was won by Ryan Preece, who edged Bubba Wallace for the spot. Preece gets the pole position on Wednesday, though having the front spot hasn’t meant much so far this season. Only one driver on the pole in the previous five races placed among the top-10. Chase Elliott had the front row at the FanShield 500 in Phoenix and finished seventh.

Making the challenge of repeating even more difficult for Harvick is that he hasn’t started any race this season further back than 10th. He moved up from the sixth position on Sunday to claim his second career victory at Darlington and 50th overall. With all the success he’s had it’s tough to pass on Harvick, but there are better value picks out there.

Kyle Busch should probably have shorter odds considering how successful he’s been over his career. However, finishing well off the pace in 26th on Sunday increased his value. The reigning Cup Series champion was runner-up in California and third in Phoenix before the season was put on hold. He’s tamed The Lady in Black once in his career and should bounce back from a disappointing run on Sunday.

You can’t go wrong backing the big-name drivers at Darlington, but if you’re looking for value Erik Jones is one who stands out. He won at Darlington last year and finished a respectable eighth on Sunday. In fact he’s never finished lower than eighth in four starts at Darlington. Jones won the unofficial Clash at Daytona in February.

Bet Toyota 500 at BookMaker

It’s a wise betting strategy to stick with high-profile drivers considering the obstacles they have to overcome returning to the track. Harvick put on a good show Sunday as did veteran Matt Kenseth, so knowing the ropes helps. Darlington is a tough track and knowledge of it is invaluable. As much as I want to throw down on Harvick, there are plenty of capable drivers. Sunday’s finish is going to stick with Kyle Busch until he tops the field on Wednesday.

Toyota 500 Odds Pick: Kyle Busch

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- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com