NASCAR Q&A: Pick a Cup championship favorite . . . seriously, it's pretty tough
Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson atop the odds board? Have the bookies not been watching?
Let’s start with a little downshifting there, sport. We don’t call ’em “bookies” anymore. You been watching too many old Jimmy Cagney movies? They’re oddsmakers, dutiful number crunchers for the sportsbook. Sounds downright scholarly, you know. And yes, entering the 10-week stretch to close the regular season, Chase and Kyle are co-favorites. Given their season of inconsistency — at least so far — it seems as if the Boys in Numbers are leaning too heavily on popularity (Chase) and recent results (defending champ Kyle). And frankly who can blame them? It’s not like anyone has shown any signs of a steady ship, combined with some trophies, capable of going deep into the playoffs and paying off at the end. Well, with the possible exceptions of Kyle Busch, who’s suffered some ill-timed clankers this year, and Ross Chastain, who’s been steadier than all but doesn’t have the contender’s pedigree oddsmakers trust. Right now, I’d flip a coin, assuming I could get a 12-sided coin.
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Does it sound like a Chicago street race is inevitable for 2023?
Yes, but if you follow Chicago’s politics and penchant for red tape, you brake-check your assumptions until you hear the command to fire engines. A potential street-race has been on the table for a few years now, and Chicago became an option (at least publicly) a couple years ago. NASCAR’s suits are hinting at one bombshell when the 2023 schedule is released in the coming weeks, and Chicago is the betting favorite. It would be quite a logistical challenge, perhaps heavier than the L.A. Coliseum, but would be worth it for the TV images, and in the end, that’s the big driver. Unfortunately, it sounds like it might come at the cost of the Road America race, which is just in Year 2 of its Cup Series tenure. Nothing personal, as they say, just business.
— Ken Willis, ken.willis@news-jrnl.com
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR Q&A: Why do oddsmakers like Chase and Larson? No options!
