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There are three races remaining in the Cup Series regular season, and several winless drivers are battling for the final playoff spot. They will next head to Richmond Raceway where the odds favor the first man below the cutline.
According to DraftKings, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. will have the best odds to win at the short track. He enters the weekend at 6-1, putting him in a tie with teammate Denny Hamlin. They are both just ahead of JGR’s Kyle Busch (7-1), Christopher Bell (9-1), and Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott (9-1).
Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, who currently holds the final transfer spot, also has decent odds to win at Richmond Raceway. He enters the weekend at 12-1, putting him in a tie with Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain for seventh on the initial odds. Blaney only has two top-10 finishes at Richmond in 12 starts, but they were in the two most recent races.
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Truex Has Multiple Wins at Richmond Raceway
GettyMartin Truex Jr. celebrates a win at Richmond on Sept. 11.
There are multiple reasons why the driver of the No. 19 Toyota has the best odds to win at Richmond Raceway. The first is that Toyota has recently been very strong at the track with nine wins since 2015.
The other reason is that Truex has been strong at the track throughout his career. This includes the past seven races when he has posted top-five finishes every single time. His most recent trip to Richmond resulted in a fourth-place finish while Hamlin won.
Three of these top-fives resulted in trips to Victory Lane. Truex swept the 2019 season while leading a combined 295 laps. Truex then won his third career race at Richmond during the 2021 season. He led 80 laps and moved on in the playoffs.
Other Winless Drivers Have Less Favorable Odds
GettyErik Jones will pursue a win at Richmond Raceway.
Truex and Blaney will dominate the conversation at Richmond Raceway while battling for the final spot in the 16-driver field. However, there will be some other winless drivers that will draw attention.
This list includes Erik Jones, who has 10 starts and one top-10 finish from his time at Joe Gibbs Racing. The Michigan native will take on the track for the 11th time while facing 50-1 odds.
Jones hasn’t contended for wins at Richmond Raceway during his career, but the No. 43 team has been strong in 2022. Jones and crew chief Dave Elenz have combined for eight top-10 finishes and two top-fives while embracing the Next Gen era.
The other main driver that will spark conversations is Bubba Wallace. The 23XI Racing driver is fresh off a runner-up at Michigan International Speedway, and he has four straight top-10s. Now he will head to a track where Toyota has traditionally been strong.
Wallace has eight starts at Richmond, but he hasn’t posted a top-10 finish at the track. His closest brush was a 12th-place run in 2019 while driving for Richard Petty Motorsports. Now he will try to extend his recent hot streak while facing 20-1 odds to win.
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Richmond Odds Favor Winless NASCAR Driver