Martin Truex Jr Leads the Way Again as Odds for the Clash at the Coliseum Are Out

Essentially Sports

25 January 2024

Martin Truex Jr Leads the Way Again as Odds for the Clash at the Coliseum Are Out

And just like that, the 2024 NASCAR season is almost upon us. With only two weeks to go before the Cup Series kicks things off at the L.A. Coliseum, the community is already amped to see how the field will shape up in possibly the most anticipated season in recent memory. While there are a few trump cards like the recovering Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott, there are also contenders who dominated the Clash last year and are eager to repeat the same.

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With things likely to swing either way, fans who have a keen interest in betting can prepare their strategy and choose their pick since NASCAR has officially revealed the betting odds are now open. However, there’s a big catch you should know about. Since the Busch Light clash has a unique format that conducts three practice sessions before heats and last chance qualifying, the entire weekend will involve major changes to the odds as things unfold. But as of right now, here’s what the odds look like.

Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott rank surprisingly high amongst the competition in odds for the Clash

Starting off with the favorite, Martin Truex Jr expectedly has odds placed at +800. Since he clinched the win last year after defending victory lane from Austin Dillon and two-time clash winner Kyle Busch, it could very well be a safe bet to go with the JGR star. But if one wants to take a slight risk, then the man who is taking on the momentous challenge of the Indy 500 and Coke 600 together is a close second. Betting on Kyle Larson will shell out odds of +900, which means fans could essentially get a tenfold return.

Following Larson down the list are Kyle Busch and William Byron, both with odds of +950. The winner of the 2022 Clash, Joey Logano also has potential with tempting odds of +1000. Moving on, it’s no surprise that the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion is also up on that list as Ryan Blaney brings in odds of +1200. But what is surely surprising is how well Denny Hamlin is placed (+1200) even after his shoulder is yet to fully recover from the surgery he had last year.

Hamlin is right ahead of Christopher Bell (+1400) and Chase Elliott (+1400), who also happens to be recovering from a shoulder injury. Moving on however, and we find Alex Bowman neck and neck with Tyler Reddick at +1500. Now that’s a tough match up to choose between! Things now get really risky now that we go even further down the line, and the reward is equally more fruitful. Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, Ryan Preece, and last year’s runner up, Austin Dillon, all are sitting at a tight +2000.

We keep seeing consistent jumps in multiples of 500 from here on out, with Chris Buescher, Brad Keselowski, Bubba Wallace, and Ty Gibbs sharing odds of +3000. But if these numbers still feel like rookie numbers to you, then some of the actual Cup Series rookies might just be your best bet. Placing a bet on Noah Gragson will fetch you $10100 in return for a $100! And if even that isn’t risky enough, if Zane Smith wins and you managed to call it, that would return over $15000! Closing the list out is Corey LaJoie, who has odds as low as +50000. But is anyone really that bold?

In order for anyone planning on placing a bet to get a better understanding of how the weekend will unfold, let’s take a look at the 2024 Busch Light Clash format.

Take a look at the 2024 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum’s weekend schedule

As the weekend for the Busch Light Clash kicks off on Saturday at the L.A Coliseum for the third year, upto 40 drivers will be split into three groups for practice. Each group will be given three timed sessions. How the weekend will unfold will largely be decided based on the fastest times that drivers clock in the last practice session, as that time will set the lineup for Saturday night’s heats.

There will be no single-lap qualifying, which means fastest in practice will be on pole for Heat 1, second-fastest for Heat 2 and so on and so forth. After practice, four heat sessions will take place in the evening with the top five drivers from each heat qualifying directly for the Clash. The other 20 drivers will all compete in the Last Chance Qualifying for 75 laps to decide on the top two winners who shall qualify for the Clash.

The last spot at 23 will be awarded to the driver outside of the current clash lineup that brought in the most points in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series. The Clash itself shall take place on Sunday at 8 p.m Eastern Time, with 150 laps of pure entertainment. With many drivers eager to get an early win before the Daytona 500, who do you think will be the best bet?