The NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series heads over to Michigan for the 2019 Firekeepers Casino 400. As always, most eyes will be on the likes of Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski but the world of NASCAR doesn’t just revolve around them, especially for bettors looking to upset the order of things as an upset on the track equates a big payday. Will Busch double down on his victory last week in Pocono or will another driver swoop in and get the win? We take a look at five key drivers and their chances below.
We just can’t ignore Kyle Busch. He has been the best driver on the season, and by a wide margin. Last week, he hit the mark again, winning the Pocono 400 to follow up a pair of third-place finishes in his last two starts. Busch now has four wins on the season, and will be gunning for a back-to-back win, which he had already once this year, when he topped the races in Phoenix and California back in mid-March. Bush only has a win in 28 career races at Michigan International Speedway, but has six top-10 finishes there. Also, he has made it inside the top seven in three of his last four races at the track, including a third-place finish at the 2018 Consumers 400.
Chase Elliott
Elliott is among the most consistent drivers over the past several weeks in NASCAR, as the Hendricks Motorsports driver has finished no worse than fifth in five of his last six races. He had a back-to-back fourth-place campaign in Charlotte and Pocono, and a win at Talladega last April. What makes him a favorite at Michigan International Speedway? While Elliott hasn’t won a race in Michigan so far in his career, he hasn’t failed to finish inside the top 10 in six races at the track. He has an elite average finish of 5.33 there. It sounds like it’s just a matter of time before Elliott scores his first victory in Michigan, and this weekend’s race could be the one he’s long been waiting for.
SLEEPERS
Kyle Larson
Larson is in a precarious spot on the NASCAR Cup standings, as he is currently on the edge of the playoff cut-off with 342 points — tied with Jimmie Johnson, who’s at 17th. Larson can make some much-needed breathing room between him and the other drivers who are on the outside looking in with a strong performance at the Firekeepers Casino 400. Larson knows what it takes to succeed at the Michigan International Speedway, having won three-straight races there from 2016 to 2017. In 10 career starts in Michigan, Larson owns five top 10s and eight top 20s with an average finish if 13.20.
Clint Bowyer
Bowyer is still chasing for his first win of the season, but he’s trending positively following a fifth-place finish at Pocono — his third top 10 finish in five races. The race in Michigan offers Bowyer another shot at breaking into the win column. He’s had back-to-back notable performances at the track in his last two visits there, going 12th in last year’s The Consumers 400 race and also winning the 2018 version of the Firekeepers Casino 400. A combination of his performance of late and his resume at the Michigan International Speedway make Bowyer a man to watch over the weekend.
LONG SHOT
Paul Menard
If you’re looking for a long shot, maybe Menard is your guy. The 398-year-old Woods Brothers driver hasn’t done anything exceptional this season. He has zero wins in 14 starts and will burn rubber in Michigan on the heels of an 18th-place finish at Pocono. He could be a sneaky play in Michigan, though, where he was 16th in the 2018 Consumers 400 and placed fifth at the 2018 Firekeepers Casino 400.
Writer’s Prediction
It’s Kyle Larson’s day on Saturday, as he gets his first win at the Michigan International Speedway.
