It’s a nostalgic weekend for the NASCAR Cup Series as Darlington (S.C.) Raceway hosts its annual spring race.
It will be difficult to repeat last week’s thrilling finish at Kansas, but Darlington typically produces great races.
Caesars Sportsbook lists Kyle Larson (+400) as the favorite to defend last season’s victory at the track known as the Lady in Black.
He will be joined by past Darlington winners Denny Hamlin (+450), Martin Truex Jr. (+650) and William Byron (+800).
For my favorite bet, watch the Goodyear 400 race on Sunday at 3pm on FS1.
Martin Truex Jr. wins (+700, BetMGM)
The dominance of Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson overshadowed Truex’s great season.
He is the most consistent driver and his first win in 2024 is just around the corner.
Truex has won twice at Darlington, but could easily surpass that. He has led more than 28 laps in five of the past seven races.
He had issues when leading late in races at playoff events in 2020 and 2022. Truex led the most laps in last year’s spring race, but crashed in the closing stages while running third.
Despite his bad luck and poor finish, Truex has always been fast at Darlington. That speed could lead to their first win of the season.
Kyle Larson finishes in the top three (+140, bet 365)
Larson remains on top of his game after winning last week’s Kansas State race in the closest finish in Cup Series history.
Heading into Darlington, Larson has a great chance to earn his third consecutive top-three finish.
Like Truex, he had speed, but issues prevented him from finishing well.
Excluding races where accidents occurred, Larson has five consecutive top-three finishes at Darlington, including a win in last year’s playoff race.
He had been fast in the top five in the past two spring Darlington races, but crashed while running in the top three. Larson has done a better job of avoiding problems in 2024.
Backing Larson is never a bad idea, especially in Darlington.
William Byron Top 5 finish (+150, bet 365)
Byron could have a strong run after back-to-back finishes outside the top 20. Thankfully, he returned to the track that brought him good fortune.
He used a late carnage to win last spring’s race.
He would have won this race in 2022 if Joey Logano hadn’t driven him into the wall with two laps left.
Overall, Byron is No. 1 in the speed rankings for the past four Darlington races.
If it weren’t for Logano’s problems, he would have finished 8th or better at this course four years in a row.
Byron needs a strong run after the last two races. We are looking forward to the powerful performance of the No. 24 Chevrolet.
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Erik Jones Top 10 finish (+175, bet 365)
Jones missed two races with a back injury but will return this week.
He was ready last week but chose to play it safe and return to Darlington. The decision may pay off, as “Lady in Black” is one of his best songs.
He started his career at Darlington with six consecutive races in eighth place or better. He has two wins at this track, including a playoff race in 2022.
Jones struggled in last spring’s races, but brought top-10 speed in his final three starts at Darlington in the Next Generation era.
It’s also worth mentioning that he has never finished outside of the top 10 in a Toyota at Darlington.
Jones may be a risky pick in his first game back, but his potential is too good to pass up.
