NFL Previews 
MLB Previews 
NBA Previews 
NHL Previews 
Soccer Previews 
The NASCAR Cup Series is heading to Darlington, South Carolina for the Goodyear 400 and the fan- favorite “throwback” weekend. Cars will be carrying the colors and designs seen in years past. The cars are not the only thing that will look different on Sunday as there is a new name at the top of the favorite’s list!
Kyle Larson comes into the race as a co-favorite with Denny Hamlin. Both drivers come in at +400 with last week’s winner at Kansas, Kyle Busch, rounding out the top-five at +750.
This is the first time this season that Larson has been considered a favorite. It follows a race weekend where he had the strongest car before Busch took the lead on the final laps following a caution. Busch went on to win the race, his first this season.
One thing that has to be pointed out, Larson drives a Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports and Chevy’s have not had great luck at the track known as “the Lady in Black” and “the Track Too Tough to Tame” over the last few years. Kevin Harvick, then driving a Chevy, was the last driver to win at the track behind the wheel of a bow tie. That win came in 2014.
Since then Toyota and Ford have almost evenly split the wins. Ford has four checkered flags with Toyota at five. Of those nine wins, Harvick and Hamlin have both won two times. Here are the favorite drivers to win the Buschy McBusch Race 400 outright according to Intertops.
Kyle Larson +400
Denny Hamlin +400
Kevin Harvick +650
Martin Truex Jr +650
Kyle Busch +750
We Teach You How to Bet on NASCAR
One side note, the term, “the Darlington stripe” refers to drivers having problems keeping their cars off the wall – thus leaving a strip on the side of the car and one on the safer barrier wall. That causes changes of position, car damage, cut tires, crew chief grief, and betting/fantasy havoc.
2021 Darlington Goodyear 400 Preview
Date: Sunday, May 9, 2021, 3:30 pm EST
Track: Darlington Raceway – Darlington, South Carolina
Type: Oval – Asphalt – 1.366 miles
Race Distance: 293 laps – 400.238 miles
Defending Track Winner: Kevin Harvick
TV/Radio: FOX / MRN
NASCAR Fantasy Tips and Strategies
2021 Goodyear 400 Predictions
Kevin Harvick +650
This may be the week that Kevin Harvick returns to the winner’s list. Harvick as three wins at Darlington with two coming last season during the three-race Darlington stretch that NASCAR used to help get the altered COVID-19 season back on track. Harvick has finished eight times in the top-ten out of eleven races this season. He finished 2nd at Kansas last week.
Brad Keselowski +900
Brad Keselowski won at Darlington in 2018 and during his fourteen Cup Series starts at the track, he has completed 4906 laps out of 4916. That’s a completion rate of 99.8%. In his last five trips to the track, he’s finished 5th or better three times with the other two races being an 11th and 13th place run.
William Byron +1600
William Byron already has a win this season and is currently inside the top-five in points at the third spot. Last year at Darlington he had a 5th place finish in only his 5th time at the track in a Cup Car. Byron has improved this season and has finished 9th or better in the last nine races including the homestead win and a 2nd place finish two weeks ago at Talladega.
Others to Consider: Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin have both been strong in 2021 and they could both win at Darlington this week. But, they have had trouble closing out great runs. So, my two other drivers to consider are Martin Truex Jr. at +650 and Kyle Busch at +750. Truex and Busch both have had trouble shutting the door a few times this year but they’ve also had a win this season.
Top 7 Need to Know NASCAR Statistics
2021 Darlington Goodyear 400 Odds
Kyle Larson +400
Denny Hamlin +400
Kevin Harvick +650
Martin Truex Jr +650
Kyle Busch +750
Brad Keselowski +900
Chase Elliott +1000
Joey Logano +1400
William Byron +1600
Alex Bowman +1800
Ryan Blaney +2000
Christopher Bell +2200
Kurt Busch +4000
Tyler Reddick +4000
Austin Dillon +5000
Matt Dibenedetto +5000
Aric Almirola +8000
Erik Jones +12500
Daniel Suarez +12500
Ryan Newman +15000
Chris Buescher +15000
Darrell Wallace Jr. +15000
Cole Custer +15000
Michael McDowell +15000
Ryan Preece +15000
Ross Chastain +20000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr +20000
Chase Briscoe +25000
Corey Lajoie +50000
Justin Haley +100000
Josh Bilicki +100000
Quinn Houff +100000
James Davison +100000
