#Michael McDowell

For anyone who is drawn to the sight of fast cars and those who drive them, Saturday nights in the spring and summer mean nights spent watching racing at the local short track. In no place is this truer than Southern Virginia and the Carolinas, the very places where NASCAR racing came to be and where some of the most iconic short tracks in the…

The spotlight will be on one of the newest additions to the NASCAR Cup Series schedule on Sunday at the 2022 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. Last year's NASCAR at Austin race featured 10 different lead drivers. Champion Chase Elliott only led for the final five laps, but he returns as the 9-4 favorite to win again in the latest…

The moment that NASCAR fans have been waiting for is here. The Daytona 500 will take place on Sunday and bettors will certainly be intrigued by the first race of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series. Last year's Daytona 500 saw a shocking result, as 66-1 longshot Michael McDowell emerged from a final-lap wreck to earn the victory. It was his first win on the…

The 65th running of the Daytona 500, the biggest race of the NASCAR season, is only about two months away! As we painstakingly await the arrival of this big race, we are lucky enough to have odds available for who will win the Super Bowl of NASCAR. Remember on a Superspeedway style track, more so than any other week, any driver in the field can win…

It's anyone's race in this year's Daytona 500, but behind clear superspeedway MVP Denny Hamlin, the favorites might be nothing but fool's gold. Find out why we're approaching the top of the odds board with caution in our Daytona 500 picks and predictions. NASCAR is back in full force for 2022, with the legendary Daytona 500 running this weekend. As…

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Daytona International Speedway Sunday for the 2022 Daytona 500. The green flag is set to drop a little after 2:30 p.m. ET. Below we analyze the 2022 Daytona 500 odds and lines, with NASCAR picks and predictions. Front Row Motorsports driver Michael McDowell, in the No. 34 Ford machine, is the defending Daytona 500…

One great thing about gambling on NASCAR races, you know you'll get a good payday, because not since Jeff Gordon's dominance has it been relatively easy to pick a winner. Chase Elliott is the favorite on most boards entering Saturday night's Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, and at+1000 most places, he's getting 10-to-1 odds - a $100 bet will win you…

The NASCAR Cup Series took another turn last weekend when Pocono winner Denny Hamlin and second-place finisher Kyle Busch were disqualified for failing post-race inspections. It was the first time the winner of a Cup Series race had been disqualified since 1960. Chase Elliott never led a lap, but was deemed the official winner after finishing…

This week, Chase Elliott will try to pull off a feat that has not been accomplished since the legendary Jimmie Johnson was in his prime. Elliott, one of four remaining contenders for the NASCAR Cup Series title, will attempt to become the first driver to win consecutive since Johnson's run of five from 2006 to 2010. Elliott is one of two Hendrick…

Since last year's race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Martin Truex Jr. is the reigning winner of the Toyota Owners 400. The former NASCAR Cup Series champion led 186 of the event's 400 laps en route to recording the first of his seven series victories in 2019. Truex will attempt to become the sixth repeat winner and first since Kyle…

Chase Elliott must have begun thinking his 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship was a curse, as he failed to capture a checkered flag over the first 13 races of the 2021 season. The drought finally ended last weekend, as the 25-year-old won the rain-shortened EchoPark Texas Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas road course in Austin. After…

Kevin Harvick won his fourth career NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship a year ago after notching seven victories, including one at Darlington Raceway. The 45-year-old opened the playoffs with another triumph on the track and finished the year with a personal-best nine wins. Harvick will attempt to start the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series…

The Daytona 500 takes place Sunday, Feb. 20 (2:30 p.m. ET on Fox), ushering in a new era of Next Gen cars. The Athletic Motorsports' resident experts, Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck, are here to help pick the winners, long shots, winning manufacturer, and more. Denny Hamlin at 8-to-1 is technically "the favorite," but there are several drivers…

Five races have taken place during the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series schedule thus far, and five different drivers have captured checkered flags. The latest was William Byron, who registered his third career victory and first in 38 starts last weekend at Atlanta. The 2018 Cup Series Rookie of the Year will try to become the first repeat winner of the year…

There are 10 races remaining in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season. The NASCAR Digital Media editorial team has 10 questions its staff answered. Now you can, too. ALBERT: Aric Almirola. The SHR pilot started solidly with three top 10s in the first three Cup Series races of the year, but his spot on the bubble remains precarious. That perch will…

With a 25-point cushion over Austin Dillon for the 16th and final spot in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, a conservative strategy may be the way to go for Tyler Reddick at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday. This notion is part of oddsmakers' thought process, as they price the No. 8 Chevrolet at longer odds than they would have had…

Alex Bowman overcame a penalty and used a late surge to edge Denny Hamlin for the win at Richmond Raceway last spring. The Hendrick Motorsports driver will hope to repeat when he participates in the 2022 Toyota Owners 400 on Sunday. Bowman received a pit-road speeding penalty in last year's NASCAR Austin race and did not own the lead until after a…

Kyle Larson will begin the defense of his NASCAR Cup Series championship when the new season begins with the 2022 Daytona 500 on Sunday. Larson won 10 races last year, including four of the final five, after recording a total of six over his first eight Cup Series seasons. The 29-year-old has yet to finish in the top five in 15 series starts at…

Kyle Larson will try to become the ninth driver with multiple NASCAR Cup Series victories at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when he takes part in the 2022 Pennzoil 400 on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The reigning series champion, Larson was runner-up twice in his first nine starts on the track before taking the checkered flag last year. Denny Hamlin, who won…

When the engines start and the green flag flies for the first time, almost anything can happen during a new NASCAR Cup Series season. And last year, it certainly did. Michael McDowell entered the 2021 season having never won a Cup Series race, until the story of his career changed entirely when he won the Daytona 500. Kyle Larson has gone from a…

There is only one more opportunity to bet on NASCAR for the next few months, as the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship will take place on Sunday at Phoenix. Chase Elliott, who won the fall race at this track in 2020, is one of four drivers in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship field who is still alive for the title. He is the 12-5 favorite to…

With just six races left in the Cup Series regular season, a number of NASCAR veterans are still searching for their first victories of the year. Entering the 2022 M&M's Fan Appreciation 400 on Sunday, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Blaney have yet to claim a checkered flag, though all are still in contention for the NASCAR Playoffs.…

Last Wednesday, Kaulig Racing Fan Day solidified two more seats in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series driver lineup, as Kaulig Racing confirmed that Justin Haley is set to remain behind the wheel of the #31 Chevrolet and current Xfinity Series driver A.J. Allmendinger is set to go from part-time to full-time driver of the #16 Chevrolet. The lineup for next…

Martinsville Speedway has been one of Martin Truex Jr.'s favorite tracks, as he has posted top-10 finishes, including three wins, in 15 of his 22 NASCAR Cup Series starts there. The former series champion will try to capture his third straight checkered flag in the NASCAR Martinsville spring race when he participates in the 2022 Blue-Emu Maximum…

Kevin Harvick has gone 46 NASCAR Cup Series starts without a victory since posting his career-best ninth of the 2020 season at Bristol. If there's a venue at which the 2014 series champion can end the lengthy drought, it's Phoenix Raceway, where he's captured nine checkered flags, his highest total at any track. Harvick will hope to reach…

The new NASCAR Cup Series season officially commences at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, when the 2022 Daytona 500 takes place at 2:30 p.m. ET. Three-time winner Denny Hamlin hopes to make it three victories in four years and pull even with Cale Yarborough for second-most wins in "The Great American Race." Richard Petty took the checkered…

The 2022 NASCAR playoffs will continue on Sunday with the 2022 YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. The green flag drops at 2 p.m. ET. With only two races remaining until the number of championship-eligible drivers is slashed from 12 to eight, every point becomes more and more critical. Chase Briscoe is currently eighth in the 2022 NASCAR…

Saturday's 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona will mark the final regular season race of the year, as several drivers are still trying to punch their ticket to the playoffs. Kyle Larson was another repeat winner in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series last week, so Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. are still fighting for a playoff spot. Blaney has a 25-point…

It took until the eighth NASCAR Cup Series race before a repeat winner was crowned last year. The 2022 season has begun with similar parity, as four drivers have won the first four races, with Austin Cindric, reigning series champion Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman and Chase Briscoe capturing checkered flags. Each member of the quartet will be in action…

The 2022 NASCAR playoffs are starting to wind down, as this weekend's race at Martinsville will set the table for the season finale. As has been the case numerous times this season, Chase Elliott is favored to win the 2022 Xfinity 500. Elliott is priced at 13-2 in the latest 2022 Xfinity 500 odds at Caesars Sportsbook, while Denny Hamlin is 7-1.…

The 2022 NASCAR season gets underway at 3 p.m. ET Sunday at the Los Angles Memorial Coliseum on FOX. The main race is at 6 p.m. You're not alone in thinking about why NASCAR is running at a football stadium. While strange, it might be the most anticipated NASCAR race of the year outside of the Daytona 500 for casual fans. As our Jordan Bianchi…

The NASCAR Cup Series O'Reilly Auto Parts 253 at the Daytona Road Course begins Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Ahead of this weekend's road racing, take a look at some important highlights and information you need to know. SCHEDULE The exciting pre-race coverage starts this Sunday at 11 a.m. ET with an all-new NASCAR…

Welcome back to our weekly "NASCAR predictions!" column, where our resident experts, Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck, help us narrow down what to expect, who might pull off a long shot victory, what it means when crew members are shuffled - and more. They even tell us what, exactly, a "road course" is, for the NASCAR beginners out there. Something…

Kevin Harvick (4) and William Byron (24) race during the NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 10, 2021. The picture is finally becoming clearer in the 2022 NASCAR playoffs. After four races won by drivers outside the playoffs, Chase Elliott was victorious at Talladega last week to punch his ticket to the…

Leave it to Talladega Superspeedway, of all places, to inject a dose of normalcy into these NASCAR Playoffs. The track known for unpredictability gave us the first race winner still eligible for the championship, and at+1200 Chase Elliott also carried the shortest odds of any playoff race winner so far. Hardly the craziness we expected, given the…

Silly Season is winding down as only a few remaining seats are still open for the 2023 season.

The 2022 Kwik Trip 250 marks the 18th NASCAR Cup Series race of the season. The green flag is set to drop on Sunday, July 3, at 3:00 pm ET at Road America. The 1.33-mile-long track features 14 turns with a total distance of about 250 miles done in 62 laps for the race. The first 17 NASCAR Cup races of the 2022 season have seen 12 different winners:…

The picture is finally becoming clearer in the 2022 NASCAR playoffs. After four races won by drivers outside the playoffs, Chase Elliott was victorious at Talladega last week to punch his ticket to the next round. That leaves 11 playoff drivers fighting for the final seven spots available in the Round of 8, which will begin after this weekend's…

Road courses are always tricky to bet. Not every team is gunning for the win, opting instead to get stage points early on. Then you add in extra chaos with teams turning left and right for 2.5 hours. This week is extra tough. The Bank of America Roval 400 in Charlotte is the final race of the second round of the playoffs. This means you've got some…

If you are looking for an action-packed way to consume sports on the weekend, NASCAR may be a great avenue to explore. Far from just driving in circles, some of the world's best compete nearly every weekend from February to November on tracks across America. NASCAR drivers are scored ultimately based on how they finish in the race, how many spots…

Buckle up, it's Talladega week. It's one of the four races each NASCAR season where you have your best chance of catching lightning and cashing in. They no longer use carburetor restrictor plates to sap horsepower at the two fastest tracks - Talladega and Daytona - but horses are still restrained and we continue calling them "plate races." Some…

Once upon a time, Ricky Craven predicted a change in NASCAR. He surmised that a day would come when drivers in NASCAR's national divisions would look back and remember when they used to crash into bare concrete walls on a weekly basis. Craven's prediction has long since come to pass; most of today's drivers in those series can't even look back and…

Update Sunday, 5:51 a.m. ET: Saturday night's race at Daytona International Speedway was rained and rescheduled for Sunday. The regular-season finale, which will decide the final 2 playoff spots, is now slated to start at 10 a.m. ET (CNBC/Peacock). (Original column below - published Friday, 5:02 p.m. ET) The NASCAR Cup Series is at Daytona…

The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs roll on to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500. It's a race name as hard to say as this track has been for teams to figure out. TMS has been an enigma, indeed, since its first race on the Cup calendar in 1997. That weekend, qualifying had to be postponed because of water…

Aric Almirola's No. 10 team will lose a crew member for the race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. NASCAR officials ejected an engineer after multiple failed pre-race inspections at the intermediate track. The Cup Series teams went through inspection on Friday, September 23. All of the entries passed on the first or second attempts, with the…

The simplest of betting strategies would be resulting in a tidy profit this NASCAR season. Had you bet $100 on the favorite in every Cup race so far, including the All-Star event, you'd be up $455, a return on investment of 14.67%. It would have taken some fortitude to get there, of course. You would have been down $700 after the first seven races…

The 2022 NASCAR Playoffs will continue on Saturday night when Bristol Motor Speedway hosts the Bass Pro Shops Night Race with the green flag scheduled to drop at 7:30 p.m. ET. The field of 16 postseason drivers will be cut to 12 following the race and two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch is currently right on the bubble. Busch is 13th in…

Two weeks ago, we suggested you look into Erik Jones, at+6000, for the Southern 500 at Darlington. He won. Last week, we practically begged you to strongly consider Bubba Wallace, at+2000, at Kansas. He won. And now we're headed to Bristol for the annual free-for-all, the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race, and frankly, it feels like one of those weeks…

This was supposed to be the year of the Next Generation car and it has been a celebrated year indeed. We've seen a season of parity unlike any we've seen in probably at least a couple of decades, if not longer. We've seen drivers win races that in most other years might not have done so. On the flip side, we've seen drivers fail to win even once…

Austin Dillon spent lap 125 of the NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 driving in reverse. The victim of a multi-car wreck, he fell a lap off the pace as the crew serviced the car rolling backwards down pit road. 15 minutes later, a raging downpour left Dillon the leader of the race. The No. 3 car drove away from catastrophe, a lone survivor as…