The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the heartland on a short week for the AdventHealth 400 this Sunday at Kansas Speedway.
After last Sunday’s Würth 400 at Dover’s Monster Mile was postponed a day because of rain, this week’s event at the 1.5-mile track in Kansas City, Kansas, will be the second Cup race in the last six days.
And Martin Truex Jr. comes to a track where he’s had a lot of success riding the momentum from a victory at Dover Motor Speedway, which snapped a 54-race winless streak.
In 29 starts at Kansas Speedway, Truex, who drives the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, has two wins – sweeping both races in 2017 – to go with 16 top-10 finishes, 10 of which were top-5s.
FrontPageBets takes a look at drivers to watch as the green flag falls on the AdventHealth 400 on Sunday afternoon from Kansas (3 p.m., FS1).
(All odds courtesy of FanDuel and are subject to change)
Pick to win: Denny Hamlin (+800)
Driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Denny Hamlin is one of three active drivers who has three career wins at Kansas – the most of any current Cup driver – joining Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick.
Hamlin, who won at the 1.5-mile speedway in 2012, 2019 and 2020, hasn’t seen victory lane in 33 Cup starts. But he is currently seventh in Cup points this season, racking up four top-10s, including two top-5s through 11 races.
In 29 starts at Kansas, Hamlin has led 349 laps and carded 11 top-5s for an average finish of 13.3.
Top-3 pick: Kyle Larson (+140)
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, has one career win at Kansas, which came in 2021. That year, he led 130 of the 267-lap race.
In 16 career starts at the 1.5-mile track, Larson has five top-5 finishes and an average finish of 14.2.
A two-time winner so far this season, Larson also has two other top-5 finishes on his 2023 resume.
Top-10 pick: Kevin Harvick (-125)
A three-time winner at Kansas (2013, 2016 and 2018) Harvick’s average finish at the track is 9.9, bolstered by 19 top-10s and 12 top-5s in 34 starts.
He’s led 949 laps at the speedway and completed 96.2% of the laps in which he’s raced there.
The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford is currently third in Cup points this season, as he has five top-10s and three top-5s through 11 races.
Odds-on favorites to win AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway
Kyle Larson +400
Tyler Reddick +750
William Byron +750
Denny Hamlin +800
Christopher Bell +950
Martin Truex Jr. +950
Chase Elliott +1200
Ross Chastain +1200
Kyle Busch +1400
Bubba Wallace +1400
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Mike Szvetitz is the General Manager and Content Director for FrontPageBets.com. Szvetitz is a 23-year veteran reporter and editor, including serving 17 years as a sports editor in Florida, Alabama and Virginia, covering everything from preps to pros. His "View From The Lazy Boy" column won multiple state and national awards. He can be reached at mszvetitz@timesdispatch.com.
