Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 2023 Predictions & Picks

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02 September 2023

Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 2023 Predictions & Picks

Late drama has been a frequent occurrence in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as of late. More of it could be in the cards for today’s Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 at Darlington (3:30 pm ET, USA).

In last week’s Wawa 250 at Daytona, Justin Allgaier survived late carnage all around him to win his second race of the season. Allgaier is now second in the points standings, 27 behind Austin Hill and one ahead of John Hunter Nemechek, both of whom were part of that late carnage.

The Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 is the penultimate race of the Xfinity Series regular season, and both the regular season championship and spots in the playoffs are still up for grabs.

Will we see someone like Parker Kligerman lock themselves into a playoff spot with a win? Or will one of the Cup Series regulars like race favorites Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin start double duty at Darlington with a win in the Xfinity Series?

Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 Odds

Odds are via BetUS.

Kyle Larson +200
Denny Hamlin +240
Kyle Busch +600
Justin Allgaier +700
John Hunter Nemechek +900
Josh Berry +1600
Cole Custer +2000
Austin Hill +2000
Sam Mayer +2000
Sheldon Creed +2200
Ross Chastain +2800
Brandon Jones +3300
Sammy Smith +3300
Chandler Smith +5000
Riley Herbst +8000
Parker Kligerman +8000
Corey Heim +8000
Daniel Hemric +10000

Sport Clips VFW Help a Hero 200 Predictions and Picks

NASCAR Cup Series regulars have had won five races in the Xfinity Series this season. Three of those wins have come on the road courses, with A.J. Allmendinger winning at Circuit of the Americas, Aric Almirola winning at Sonoma, and Ty Gibbs winning at Indy.

One of the two non-road wins by a Cup Series regular came in the earlier race at Darlington, as Larson took the victory in the Shriners Children’s 200 in May after a last-lap duel with Nemechek.

However, Xfinity Series regulars have more than held their own with the likes of former Cup Series champions Larson, Busch, and Chase Elliott. So, while Hamlin, who has five Xfinity Series wins at Darlington, or one of the two Kyles could very well end up winning the Sport Clips VFW Help a Hero 200, it is far from automatic.

With two races left in the regular season, there is a lot on the line for a lot of drivers at Darlington, from the top of the points standings and beyond.

Current NASCAR Xfinity Series Points Standings (Through 24 Races)

Drivers in bold have won at least one race this season.

1. Austin Hill – 919 points
2. Justin Allgaier – 892
3. John Hunter Nemechek – 891
4. Cole Custer – 817
5. Sam Mayer – 755
6. Josh Berry – 733
7. Sheldon Creed – 683
8. Daniel Hemric – 679
9. Chandler Smith – 675
10. Parker Kligerman – 643
11. Riley Herbst – 623
12. Sammy Smith – 609
13. Jeb Burton – 573
14. Brandon Jones – 555
15. Brett Moffitt – 527

After the drama at Daytona, the battle for the regular season championship is now a three-horse race going into the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200.

While Allgaier won, Hill finished 23rd and Nemechek 28th. With Hill’s finish somewhat offset by picking up 19 points thanks to a Stage 1 win and crossing the line second at the end of Stage 2, the biggest impact was on Nemechek, who only picked up five stage points and 14 total.

Still, Nemechek, who leads the series with five wins, remains the Xfinity Series championship favorite, according to oddsmakers.

Odds to Win the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship

Odds are via BetUS as of Saturday, September 2, 2023.

John Hunter Nemechek +120
Austin Hill +250
Justin Allgaier +340
Cole Custer +550
Josh Berry +900
Sam Mayer +1000

Will things be even tighter at the top after the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200? Allgaier owns two wins at Darlington, as he won the May race in 2021 and 2022. Also, he came in second to Larson in the May race this year.

Rounding out the top five in that race were Custer, Hill, and Nemechek, the remainder of the top four in the points standings.

I’m zeroing in on that group with the picks for this race, starting with Allgaier to win his second straight race.

Since the Xfinity Series went back to doing two Darlington races in a season–which took place from 1984 to 2004, restarted in 2020 due to the pandemic, then became permanent again–Allgaier has finished third, 31st, first, sixth, first, fourth, and second.

Were Larson, Hamlin, and Busch not in the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 field, Allgaier’s odds would be shorter, so I’m more than happy to lock him in at +700. I’m also locking him in at +120 for a top-five finish and +200 for a top-three finish.

Recent NASCAR Xfinity Series at Darlington Race Winners

2023 (May): Kyle Larson
2022 (September): Noah Gragson
2022 (May): Justin Allgaier
2021 (September): Noah Gragson
2021 (May): Justin Allgaier
2020 (September): Brandon Jones
2020 (May): Chase Briscoe
2019: Cole Custer
2018: Brad Keselowski
2017: Denny Hamlin

I’m also backing Custer for a top-five finish, which comes in at +300.

In addition to his third-place finish in May, Custer has had a lot of success at Darlington as well, including a win in 2019.

Prior to his run in as a Cup Series regular from 2020 to 2022, Custer finished ninth, second, and first at Darlington. Also, he had some decent results in the fall Cup Series race there, coming in 12th in 2020, 11th in 2021, and 14th last year.

Lastly, I’m also locking in Nemechek for a top-five finish at +150.

He’ll be eager to make a run at the win after the way things panned out last week and in his last appearance at Darlington, and he has top-ten finishes there in the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Truck Series, including a Truck Series win there last year.

Where to Bet on the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 and the NASCAR Xfinity 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 Wawa 250 odds in this article are from, here are some of the sites that we recommend if you are interested in NASCAR betting: