Three best futures bets to make for NASCAR cup series includes Martin Truex Jr. going out on top

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series has officially hit the halfway point. Kyle Larson, the 2021 Cup Series Champion, leads the regular-season and playoff standings behind three victories and eight stage wins.

It’s no surprise that Larson is the favorite to win it all this year, but Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and William Byron aren’t far behind. All four drivers have a series-high three wins.

With eight races remaining in the regular season and six spots remaining up for grabs in the playoff field, there’s still plenty of time for odds movement.

How should you bet on the 2024 Cup Series Championship at the halfway point? Here are my best bets.

Bell was one of my favorite Championship picks earlier in the season. I had my doubts after a rough six-race stretch with one top-10 finish. Since then, Bell has been the best driver in NASCAR.

He has two victories over the last five races and hasn’t finished worse than ninth. That stretch could easily be three wins if not for a late engine issue at Gateway.

What makes Bell especially dangerous is his speed on short flat tracks. He already has victories at Phoenix and New Hampshire and should’ve won the aforementioned Gateway race.

Bell is only one point behind Larson in the playoff standings. He has a great chance to make the Championship 4, where he’ll likely be the favorite after winning at Phoenix in the Spring.

It’s been nearly 15 years since we’ve had a back-to-back Cup Series Champion. Blaney doesn’t seem like the driver to end that trend, but his recent performance could be a sign of things to come.

Like Bell, Blaney has hit his groove recently. He won his first race of the season at Iowa and would’ve won Gateway had he not run out of gas on the final lap.

Last season, Blaney went on a late-season surge to capture the Championship. Much of that came because of his speed at short flat tracks. Bell has been the driver to beat on the track type, but Blaney is a close second.

We always have to look at Phoenix when considering a Champion. Blaney has six straight top-five finishes at the track, including three runner-up finishes.

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Two weeks ago, Truex announced this would be his final full-time season in the Cup Series. I’m not sure if he will go out on top, but a Championship 4 appearance is well within reach.

It wasn’t long ago that Truex was up there with Larson and Hamlin for the drivers to beat. He has regressed lately, finishing ninth or worse in six straight races.

This could be a good opportunity to buy low on Truex. That recent stretch doesn’t tell the whole story, as he displayed top-five speed at Gateway, Sonoma and New Hampshire.

The value of his Championship 4 odds stems from not winning a race. Once he finds victory lane, you won’t find a better price.

The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.