NASCAR Martinsville odds, picks and predictions for the NOCO 400 short-track Cup race

In the final race of the early season short-track trilogy, NASCAR heads to Martinsville Speedway this weekend for the NOCO 400 on Sunday (3 p.m. FS1).

The Toyota Owners 400 kicked off three straight weeks of less-than-a-mile-track racing to begin the month of April, followed by the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Easter.

Now the Cup Series heads to the 0.526-mile Martinsville Speedway, a venue that has the distinction as the longest running track on the Cup circuit. It’s also the only active track that was part of NASCAR’s first Cup Series season in 1949.

Originally a dirt track, Martinsville held 12 Cup races on that surface before paving it in 1955. All in all, there have this Sunday’s race will be the 149th Cup start at the speedway.

FrontPageBets takes a look at drivers to watch when the green flag drops on the NOCO 400.

Pick to win: Denny Hamlin (+700)

Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, has the most victories at Martinsville out of any active driver. The Virginia native has won five times at the track, including sweeping both spring and fall races in 2010.

His last victory at Martinsville was in 2015. Since then, however, he’s racked up six top-5 finishes. In 34 career starts at the half-mile track, Hamlin’s led 2,190 laps and has an average finish of 10.5.

Hamlin is also third on the list of active drivers with the most short-track wins with 17. Kyle Busch has the most of any current driver with 26, followed by Kevin Harvick’s 24.

Top-3 pick: Martin Truex Jr. (+195)

Also part of Joe Gibbs Racing, Martin Truex Jr. has the second-most wins at Martinsville out of any active Cup driver with three. And all three have come since the fall of 2019.

The driver of the No. 19 Toyota also has 15 top-10 finishes and nine top-5s at the Southwest Virginia track. His average finish in 34 career Cup starts is 16.4, and he’s led 1,016 laps there.

Truex has 10 all-time short-track wins.

Top-10 pick: Christopher Bell (-270)

Christopher Bell, who now leads the Cup Series in points with his win last week on the Bristol dirt track, won last fall at Martinsville in the playoff race.

In eight races this season, Bell has five top-5 finishes and six top-10s.

At Martinsville, to go along with last year’s win, Bell has also posted two top-10s and one top-5 in six starts at the half-mile track.

Odds-on favorites to win the NOCO 400 at Martinsville

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