“All bets are off!” That is the quote most associated with the Talladega Superspeedway. Restrictor plate racing is a different animal. It can break the best drivers. And it can make the worst drivers. Which is part of its excitement and charm. Kyle Busch remains the hottest name in NASCAR betting. Busch is on top of the Monster Energy standings with three consecutive wins. Kevin Harvick has been nearly as impressive. Harvick won three straight checkered flags earlier in the year. He has four straight runs of seventh place or better. Busch and Harvick now face the beast of Talladega.
Geico 500 From Talladega
Date and Time: Sunday, April 29, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Location: Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln, Alabama
NASCAR Betting Online Odds at SBG: Click Here!
GEICO 500 TV Coverage: FOX
Important Names on the Track
Kyle Bush leads the Monster Energy standings with Joey Logano in second. Clint Bowyer is a quiet third place with Harvick behind him. Brad Keselowski has been erratic but in fifth place. Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. are next in the standings. Ryan Blaney, Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson close out the top ten. This week makes for a challenging NASCAR betting handicap. This track offers far different factors from a typical race.
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is the fastest track on the circuit. In fact, it proved to be too fast. Restrictor plates are used to slow down the cars. Reason being cars were literally flying into the grandstands due to super high speeds. As at Daytona the restrictor plates tend to cause tight races. Packs of cars just inches apart make for breathtaking competition. It also makes for the likelihood of what is known as “The Big One.” Multiple car wrecks are often part of a day at Talladega. The track is a tri-oval 2.66-mile track with 33 degree turn banks.
The GEICO 500
The GEICO 500 has been run under various names since 1970. It is the first of two races run each year at Talladega. The track gets both a spring and fall race each year. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. beat the online sportsbook in last year’s spring race. Brad Keselowski was the winner in 2016 with Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning in 2015. Denny Hamlin took the checkers in 2014. Keselowski has three wins in the GEICO 500. That is best among active drivers.
Stenhouse Jr.
Stenhouse Jr. is 19th in the current standings. But Talladega may provide much needed remedy. There he has an average finish of 12.11 in nine career starts. Along with one win he has five top tens at the Super Speedway.
Keselowski
Keselowski is going to be a favorite this week. He has an average finish of 14.11 at Talladega with five wins and 11 top tens. Experience often pays there and Keselowski has 18 total runs on this track.
Jimmie Johnson
Quietly lurking is Jimmie Johnson. After a bad start he has finished sixth or better the past two weeks. He has two wins and 12 top tens in 32 Talladega starts.
Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch has had terrible luck at Talladega with an average finish of 20.80. Harvick on the other hand has done well there. He has one win and 14 top tens in 34 starts.
Matchup to Watch
Kyle Busch will be a big NASCAR betting chalk. But his record at Talladega does not inspire confidence. Keselowski is the strongest choice. He is in good form both currently and at this track.
NASCAR games Betting Odds Picks
Brad Keselowski is the call to win the GEICO 500!
NASCAR Betting Online Pick: Brad Keselowski
These highlights show why “The Big One” is part of the deal at Talladega.