Following a rather remarkable result at Richmond, the NASCAR Cup Series championship playoffs puzzle is one piece closer to completion. Is there another major twist in store for today’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway (3:00 pm ET, USA Network)?
Entering last week’s Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway, Austin Dillon was 32nd in the Cup Series points standings and a long shot to reach the playoffs.
But thanks to some wild action on the final lap, Dillon scored his first win since the 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400 and just his third top-ten finish of the 2024 season.
Dillon is the 13th different winner this season, and with only three races remaining in the regular season, his Richmond win would have him poised for a spot in the Round of 16.
However, his controversial last lap “interactions” with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin, which led to his victory, have clouded that possibility. In the aftermath, NASCAR allowed him to keep his win but removed it from playoff eligibility.
If his appeal, which is slated to be heard Wednesday, is successful, Dillon will be in a promising position again. If his appeal is denied, he will be in Hail Mary mode again unless he wins today’s race.
The uncertainty around Dillon’s situation affects him and several other drivers, as there are five drivers inside the top 16 who have yet to win this season: Martin Truex Jr. (8th), Ty Gibbs (11th), Bubba Wallace (12th), Chris Buescher (13th), and Ross Chastain (14th).
Truex is safe unless the next three races are absolutely disastrous for the 2017 Cup Series champion, but Gibbs (602), Wallace (587), Buescher (584), and Chastain (584) are separated by only 18 points.
Current NASCAR Cup Series Standings (Through 23 of 26 Regular Season Races)
Drivers in bold have won at least one race this season.
- Kyle Larson – 779
- Tyler Reddick – 774
- Chase Elliott – 773
- Denny Hamlin – 758
- Ryan Blaney – 702
- Christopher Bell – 701
- William Byron – 678
- Martin Truex Jr. – 662
- Brad Keselowski – 636
- Alex Bowman – 615
- Ty Gibbs – 602
- Bubba Wallace – 587
- Chris Buescher – 584
- Ross Chastain – 584
- Joey Logano – 557
- Daniel Suarez – 497
If Dillon’s appeal is unsuccessful, two of those four drivers could still land in the playoffs even if none of them win this week, next week (Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona), or the following week (Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington).
In addition to the race for playoff positions, the battle for the regular season championship has significantly tightened. With Hamlin finishing second in Richmond and Reddick’s torrid recent run continuing with a third-place finish, we have a four-way fight to be in the catbird seat for the start of the playoffs.
All four contenders will start in the front three rows for the FireKeepers Casino 400. Hamlin is on pole for the second straight week and the fourth time this season, with Reddick joining him in the front row, Larson in fourth, and Elliott in sixth.
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Odds to Win the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400
- Denny Hamlin +525
- Martin Truex Jr. +600
- Kyle Larson +650
- Chase Elliott +800
- Ryan Blaney +825
- Tyler Reddick +900
- Joey Logano +1000
- Chris Buescher +1000
- Brad Keselowski +1000
- Christopher Bell +1200
- William Byron +1400
- Ross Chastain +1600
- Ty Gibbs +2000
- Kyle Busch +2500
- Bubba Wallace +2500
- Alex Bowman +4000
- Daniel Suarez +6600
- Austin Dillon +6600
- Josh Berry +8000
- Austin Cindric +10000
See more FireKeepers Casino 400 odds at BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites.
Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then snag some extra cash to bet on today’s Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway.
FireKeepers Casino 400 Predictions and Picks
- Josh Berry to finish in the top ten (+300 at Bovada): The #4 Stewart-Haas Racing car has quite the history at Michigan, as Kevin Harvick scored five wins there from 2018 to 2022. Berry, who is 23rd in the standings, will start 16th, but that doesn’t put me off here.
- Austin Dillon to finish in the top ten (+300 at Bovada): Dillon hasn’t had consecutive top tens since doing so in three straight races in the 2022 playoffs. But after finishing 13th in the Brickyard 400, he was set for a strong showing at Richmond even before the controversial finish. He will start tenth in today’s race, and I think he will be inspired to get another good (and far less controversial) result.
- Tyler Reddick to finish in the top five (+135 at Bovada): Reddick’s result at Richmond was his sixth straight top-six finish, and he has finished fourth or better four times in the last five races and six times in the last ten races. Expect him to be near the front once again today.
- Bubba Wallace to finish in the top ten (-120 at Bovada): Wallace has boosted his playoff hopes with three consecutive top tens, coming in tenth at Pocono, fifth at the Brickyard, and fourth at Richmond. Look for another strong week for the other 23XI car.
- Kyle Larson to win: Polesitters have won only once this season, so while it’s tempting, I’m moving away from my initial inclination to back Hamlin here. Instead, I’m rolling with Larson, who will be attempting to put some valuable space between himself, Reddick, Elliott, and Hamlin. Larson won three times at Michigan while with Chip Ganassi Racing (2016 and a sweep in 2017), but he has yet to do so since joining Hendrick Motorsports. That will change today.
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Other NASCAR Betting Information
Where Can You Bet on NASCAR This Season?
NASCAR odds are widely available, as many sports betting sites offer race winner odds for the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Additionally, sportsbooks like BetOnline, BetUS, and Bovada offer finishing position odds for each of NASCAR’s top national series. For example, you can bet on top 3, top 5, and top 10 finishing position odds for today’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Bovada.
Are you unfamiliar with any of them? Check out our sportsbook reviews to learn more about each book. Our sportsbook reviews cover betting options, deposit and payout options, mobile and live betting, and the kind of sportsbook sign-up bonuses and other promos available at each book, as well as other factors like customer support.
- BetOnline Sportsbook Review
- BetUS Sportsbook Review
- Bovada Sportsbook Review
Other NASCAR Betting Content at Betting News
Are you new to betting on NASCAR? Use our in-depth NASCAR betting guide to learn more about the basics about betting on the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Truck Series.
Did you like this betting breakdown of the Brickyard 400? At Betting News, you can find coverage for every Cup Series race, as well as many Xfinity Series and Truck Series races. So, bookmark us and come back for more next week.
We’re in the home stretch of the regular season portion of the NASCAR Cup Series season, and with a few regular season races and the playoffs to come, there is still a lot of money to be made this season. Strap in, enjoy the ride, and last but certainly not least, bet responsibly.
