NASCAR returns to a more conventional oval track after last weekend’s road course race at Sonoma, with a stop at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois for the Camping World 400. Martin Truex Jr has all kinds of momentum following his impressive victory in Wine Country. Kyle Busch was right on his heels out west but didn’t have anything for the #19. Making this stop at Chicagoland brings up pretty interesting memories from the last trip to the track, as Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson put on a show in the memorable “SlideJob” call by Dale Earnhardt Jr last season. Will the Kyle’s put on a show once again this time around. Kyle Busch heads into the race atop the Odds chart once again, much as he has at most of the races this season. Busch is the defending winner of this event and has all the opportunity to repeat. But something tells me not to count out Kyle Larson or even Chase Elliott on Sunday.
Five Drivers to back in Chicagoland
Kyle Busch +325
Kyle Busch is coming off a runner-up finish at Sonoma and will be looking for his fifth win of the season as the drivers take to the track at Chicagoland. Busch has run very well at the track in the past as he is a two-time winner at the track. His most recent came at the track in last season’s race there in a thrilling battle with Kyle Larson. His eight top 10 finishes at the track don’t hurt either. Busch has led a lot of laps in each of the last six Chicagoland races. He always seems to be a factor when NASCAR visits the track. And driving a Toyota also favors him in a big way as they have won each of the last four races at Chicagoland. His three poles in the last six races at the speedway have been impressive, but only two top-three finishes at the track in the last 10 events their makes this a bit of head-scratcher. Nonetheless, Busch is a driver to watch no matter where NASCAR visits.
Kevin Harvick +450
Kevin Harvick may be one of the most successful drivers to ever race at the Chicagoland Speedway. He only trails his car owner Tony Stewart in wins at the track, Stewart was able to win their three times in his career. Harvick is a two-time winner at the track, but they both came very early in his career. In fact, the very first Chicagoland race took place in Kevin’s rookie season. Kevin not only was able to win the inaugural race but repeated the very next season by winning the race once again. He hasn’t won there since but has 11 top 10 finishes in his 18 starts at the track. Including finishing in the top three in each of the last two races at Chicagoland. Both were third place finishes. He was also able to lead over 30 laps in each of those races. Ford has only won at the track once in the 18 cup series events that have been raced their. Kevin still remains winless to this point, he probably won’t get it done this weekend either, but he is still a driver to watch.
Martin Truex Jr +650
Last weekend’s winner at Sonoma Raceway, Martin Truex Jr has plenty of momentum rolling into an event he has won twice in his career. A four-time winner so far this season Truex has really had a lot of success on tracks of this style in the last four seasons. His two wins at Chicagoland were in two of the last three races at the track. Back-to-back in fact in 2016 and 2017. Its kind of funny because he just did back-to-back at Sonoma, could this now be back-to-back wins on the season. He has three straight top-five finishes at the track. He should be a strong contender on Sunday as he has really lit of the sport in the last eight races winning four of them.
Chase Elliott +1000
Chase Elliott has shown that he can be very successful in NASCAR’s top series. He has also shown signs of greatness at Chicagoland, his most recent start there wasn’t what he was looking for though as he finished 19th in last season’s race at the track. But in his two starts prior to that, he finished top three in both races, including a runner-up finish back in 2016 in a race he nearly won, but ultimately was passed by Martin Truex Jr late. Elliott was really strong in his first two starts here leading a combined 117 laps. His last two races this season haven’t been his best as he failed to finish in the top 10 in both the race at Michigan and Sonoma. He brought his car home 20th at Michigan where prior to that race had never failed to finish in the top 10. Then last weekend at Sonoma he looked like the third best car of the field, but engine trouble deferred him to 37th late in the race in his second DNF of the season. Look for him to bounce back at a track he has run well at before.
Kyle Larson +1000
Yet another driver with a long odds, but still a contender. Heck Larson was a corner and a bump away from winning last season’s race at Chicagoland. He started on the pole for the third consecutive time at Sonoma last weekend and will look to build on a top 10 finish there. In his five starts at the track, Larson has a top 10 finish in four of those events. His worst finish of 18th came back in 2016. He has back-to-back top-five finishes at Chicagoland along with a runner-up last season. It’s only fitting that he should be a driver to watch at a track he will always be remembered for his side job battle with Kyle Busch in 2018. Could we see a rematch, this time around but Larson gets the flag this time, we will have to wait and see, regardless Kyle Larson may be a bit of a longshot, but he is a five-time winner in NASCAR, and shouldn’t ever be counted out?
