2023 Cook Out 400 picks, Richmond NASCAR predictions, odds: Legendary expert fading Kevin Harvick
Martin Truex Jr. will try to continue his strong run at Richmond Raceway when he competes in the 2023 Cook Out 400 on Sunday. The 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion has posted top-10 finishes in 11 of his last 14 starts at Richmond and reeled off eight in a row before finishing 11th at the track in April. Truex, who leads all drivers this season with 711 points, recorded three victories during that stretch, including two in this race. Truex is the +450 favorite in the 2023 Cook Out 400 odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Three-time race winner Denny Hamlin is +550, Kyle Larson is +600 and Christopher Bell is +650 among the 2023 NASCAR at Richmond contenders.
Kevin Harvick, who also has won this race on three occasions, rounds out the top five 2023 Cook Out 400 contenders at +700. The Cook Out 400 2023 is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET. You'll want to check out the NASCAR at Richmond predictions from Micah Roberts, the legendary Vegas bookmaker who pioneered wagering on racing, before locking in any 2023 Cook Out 400 picks of your own.
Roberts was the first to offer expanded NASCAR betting and now hands out NASCAR winners to his followers on SportsLine. Roberts is the nation's premier NASCAR betting expert, and his top pick, Hamlin, won the HighPoint.com 400 last weekend at +500. He also predicted Truex's victory at +650 in the Crayon 301 the previous week and Ross Chastain's triumph at +1000 in the Ally 400 last month. In addition, Roberts correctly called Larson's win at +650 in the NASCAR All-Star Race in May and nailed the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix winner in March by hitting Tyler Reddick's victory at +1000.
The expert also correctly predicted Chase Elliott to win the YellaWood 500 at +1200 last October and the Jockey Made in America 250 in 2021, nailed the 2021 Coca-Cola 600 winner by hitting Larson's victory at +550 and was on point by targeting Elliott as the winner of the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix at +160 the previous week. Anyone who has followed his picks has cashed ticket after ticket.
Now, Roberts has analyzed the field and odds for Sunday's NASCAR at Richmond 2023 race. He's only sharing his winner and leaderboard right here.
2023 Cook Out 400 expert picks
One shocker: Roberts is fading Kevin Harvick, even though he is one of the favorites at +700. In fact, Roberts says Harvick, who has recorded four victories and 30 top-10 finishes in 44 Cup Series starts at Richmond, barely even cracks the top 10.
"Harvick won this race last season, which is why his odds are so egregiously low," Roberts told SportsLine. "(He has) a 9.5 average finish in 44 Cup Series starts (at Richmond) with all different cars throughout his career." See who else to fade here.
Another curveball: Roberts is high on Christopher Bell, even though he's a longshot at +650 in the NASCAR odds. The 28-year-old Oklahoman is tied for second with 11 top-10 finishes this season and ended a three-race stretch during which he was 18th or worse with a sixth-place at Pocono. Bell leads all active drivers with at least three Cup Series starts at Richmond with a 5.67 average finish.
"In six (Cup Series races at Richmond), Bell has five top-10s and four top-fives," Roberts told SportsLine. "Flat tracks are his thing. They also are JGR's thing as the organization has recorded 13 wins at Richmond." See who else to back here.
How to make 2023 Cook Out 400 predictions
Roberts is high on a longshot who has "had great runs at Richmond in his last two shots at it." This driver is being underestimated by oddsmakers, and anyone who backs him could hit it big. You can only see who it is here.
2023 Cook Out 400 odds, top contenders, starting lineup
See full NASCAR at Richmond picks, predictions, best bets here.
Martin Truex Jr. +450
Denny Hamlin +550
Kyle Larson +600
Christopher Bell +650
Kevin Harvick +700
Kyle Busch +850
William Byron +850
Joey Logano +1300
Ross Chastain +1500
Chase Elliott +1500
Ryan Blaney +2000
Brad Keselowski +2500
Tyler Reddick +2500
Ty Gibbs +3000
Alex Bowman +3500
Aric Almirola +5000
Daniel Suarez +5000
Chris Buescher +6000
Bubba Wallace +6000
Chase Briscoe +7500
Ryan Preece +12500
Austin Dillon +15000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +20000
A.J. Allmendinger +25000
Austin Cindric +25000
Erik Jones +25000
Michael McDowell +30000
Justin Haley +35000
Harrison Burton +50000
Todd Gilliland +75000
Corey LaJoie +75000
Ryan Newman +75000
Noah Gragson +150000
J.J. Yeley +300000
Ty Dillon +500000
BJ McLeod +500000
