Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 Predictions & Picks

After a very stressful Saturday night at Bristol last week, the Round of 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs commences today with the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway (3:30 pm ET, USA).

In last week’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol, last year’s Cup Series champion, Joey Logano, saw his championship hopes end. So did Kevin Harvick, who is retiring at the end of this season, as well as Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Michael McDowell.

While that quartet felt the agony of defeat, regular season champion Martin Truex Jr. was able to advance to the Round of 12 despite finishing only 19th. Along with Truex, Bubba Wallace snatched the final spot in the Round of 12, just as he snatched the final spot in the playoffs at the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Standings (Entering the Round of 12)

• 1. William Byron – 3036 points
• 2. Martin Truex Jr. – 3036
• 3. Denny Hamlin – 3032
• 4. Kyle Larson – 3023
• 5. Chris Buescher – 3021
• 6. Kyle Busch – 3019
• 7. Christopher Bell – 3016
• 8. Tyler Reddick – 3014
• 9. Ross Chastain – 3011
• 10. Brad Keselowski – 3011
• 11. Ryan Blaney – 3008
• 12. Bubba Wallace – 3000

Wallace may have gotten into the playoffs and then advanced by the hair on his chin, but he will go into the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 with a real chance to make the next couple of weeks a lot less stressful for himself.

The #23 car will start on the pole at Texas Motor Speedway, the first time he will do since the 2022 FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan last year. Will it help lead to Sunday success for the #23?

Odds to Win the 2023 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400

Odds are via Bovada.

• Denny Hamlin +500
• Kyle Larson +500
• Kyle Busch +1000
• Ross Chastain +1000
• Tyler Reddick +1000
• William Byron +1100
• Chris Buescher +1200
• Christopher Bell +1200
• Martin Truex Jr. +1200
• Brad Keselowski +1400
• Bubba Wallace +1400
• Ryan Blaney +1600
• Ty Gibbs +2000
• Chase Elliott +2500
• Joey Logano +3000
• Alex Bowman +3300
• Erik Jones +4000
• Kevin Harvick +5000
• Daniel Suarez +6000
• A.J. Allmendinger +8000

Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 Predictions and Picks

This will be the first time that this race is 400 miles, as it had been a 500-mile event since its inception in the 2005 NASCAR Cup Series season.

In its years as a 500-mile race, there were only nine different winners, but there have been four different winners in the past four editions of the race.

NASCAR Cup Series Texas Fall Race Winners

• 2022: Tyler Reddick
• 2021: Kyle Larson
• 2020: Kyle Busch
• 2019: Kevin Harvick
• 2018: Kevin Harvick
• 2017: Kevin Harvick
• 2016: Carl Edwards
• 2015: Jimmie Johnson
• 2014: Jimmie Johnson
• 2013: Jimmie Johnson
• 2012: Jimmie Johnson
• 2011: Tony Stewart
• 2010: Denny Hamlin
• 2009: Kurt Busch
• 2008: Carl Edwards
• 2007: Jimmie Johnson
• 2006: Tony Stewart
• 2005: Carl Edwards

Only three times has this race been won by someone who started outside the top ten. In 2005 and 2010, Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin won after starting 30th, while Edwards won from 16th in 2008.

So, even though this year’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive race will be 100 miles shorter, there’s a lot of reason to stick to the top ten qualifiers when determining a winner pick for the race.

Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 Starting Lineup

1. Bubba Wallace
2. Chris Buescher
3. Brad Keselowski
4. Ty Gibbs
5. Ross Chastain
6. A.J. Allmendinger
7. Kyle Busch
8. Daniel Suarez
9. Christopher Bell
10. Denny Hamlin
11. Kyle Larson
12. Erik Jones
13. Austin Dillon
14. Alex Bowman
15. Tyler Reddick
16. Martin Truex Jr.
17. Michael McDowell
18. William Byron
19. Carson Hocevar
20. Joey Logano
21. Aric Almirola
22. Kevin Harvick
23. Ryan Blaney
24. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
25. Ryan Preece
26. Ty Dillon
27. Corey LaJoie
28. Justin Haley
29. Chase Elliott
30. Harrison Burton
31. Ryan Briscoe
32. Austin Cindric
33. Zane Smith
34. B.J. McLeod
35. J.J. Yeley
36. Todd Gilliland

Last week, Hamlin picked up his third win of the season, taking the checkered flag ahead of Larson and polesitter Bell.

Hamlin appears to be a man on a mission right now, and he also seems to be feeding off of the disdain that he generates from crowds.

Perhaps embracing the villain role will give him the edge that he needs to finally win the big prize that has eluded him for almost two decades. Perhaps it is just a matter of things coming together at the right time, with his car, with his own driving, and having the good fortune outweigh the misfortune both in frequency and in timing.

Whatever the case may be, I passed on picking him last week because I had a lot of confidence in Truex winning at Bristol. But I’m back on the Hamlin wagon this week. Let’s ride, folks.

Where to Bet on the NASCAR Cup Series

Many of the top sports betting sites offer a variety of NASCAR betting odds. Throughout the season, you can bet on races like the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, and others.

Along with being able to bet on the winner of each Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and/or Truck Series race, sportsbooks like Bovada and BetUS offer finishing position odds (top 3, top 5, and/or top 10).

Also, odds on who will finish at the top of the championship standings are available at many reputable sportsbooks.

In addition to Bovada, where the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 odds in this article are from, here are some of the sites that we recommend if you are interested in NASCAR betting: