NASCAR Toyota 500 Top Betting Pick
NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 6 p.m. ET on FS1
NASCAR Back In Action
On Sunday, NASCAR drivers started their engines for the first time following a two-month pause initiated by the panic surrounding COVID-19.
After Tuesday’s installment was postponed due to rain, today will feature the second race since the long break.
Darlington Raceway
Today’s race takes place at Darlington Raceway, as did Sunday’s.
Darlington Raceway is the oldest speedway on NASCAR’s circuit.
We need to know a few things about this venue for betting purposes.
It is a 1.366-mile track that is known for its egg-like oval shape.
The reason for its unique shape is that it was constructed to accommodate a minnow pond that the race designer did not want to disturb.
Given the accommodation, one end of the track has tighter corners.
As they struggle trying to pass opponents in this narrower end of the track, drivers are more likely to scrape the wall.
When drivers do so, they are said to have earned their „Darlington Stripe.“
Another unique feature of Darlington Raceway is its rough, asphalt surface that is more likely to shed tires.
Given its roughness, and shortness, Darlington Raceway is also a slow track.
A Few Changes
You should avoid placing too much emphasis on Sunday’s racing results because Wednesday’s set-up will be different in two respects.
One change from Sunday is that the starting position will be inverted for Sunday’s top 20 finishers.
So, Sunday’s winner, Kevin Harvick, will start at 20th.
The second notable change is that today’s race will be 65 laps, or about 90 miles, shorter than Sunday’s.
Because Darlington Raceway is rather narrow and because Wednesday’s race is shorter, starting position becomes more important as passing opponents becomes more difficult.
Match-Up Betting
I want to focus on one match-up offered by oddsmakers that seems most enticing for me.
At BetOnline, for example, you find Erik Jones listed at -135 to finish ahead of Jimmie Johnson.
I strongly recommend you to take Jones for a few reasons:
Starting Position:
Since passing is more difficult, it helps that Jones will start 24 spots ahead of Johnson. Jones will start 13th, Johnson 37th.
History
Darlington Raceway is such a difficult course — given its uneven structure, its unfavorable surface, and its narrowness.
So, you need to be a good driver and probably an experienced one at the course.
More than at other courses, it’s important for predicting race results here to know who has already figured out how to succeed on this track.
Erik Jones has raced four times at Darlington in his career. He finished top-10 every time.
Jones won once, finished fifth once, and finished eighth twice.
While he averages a 13.0 starting position, he averages a 5.50 finishing position.
Passing — which means being relatively patient and navigating the track’s complexities — is evidently no problem for Jones at this track.
In contrast, in his career at Darlington Raceway, Johnson averages a 12.9 starting position and only a 13.27 finishing position.
Johnson has, in each of his last six races at this track, finished outside the top 10.
Admittedly, Jones did not have his best performance in Sunday’s rendition at Darlington.
Yet his finishing position still managed to reflect his recurring superiority at this raceway relative to Johnson’s history there.
After all, Sunday's disappointment was due to a loose tire issue that surfaced towards the end of the race.
Before that tire issue, Jones was cruising in fifth place, which is where I expect him again today.
The Verdict
Take Erik Jones ahead of Jimmie Johnson because of Jones’ advantageous starting position and his significantly stronger history at Darlington Raceway.
Best Bet: Erik Jones (-135) With BetOnline
NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 6 p.m. ET on FS1
NASCAR Back In Action
On Sunday, NASCAR drivers started their engines for the first time following a two-month pause initiated by the panic surrounding COVID-19.
After Tuesday’s installment was postponed due to rain, today will feature the second race since the long break.
Darlington Raceway
Today’s race takes place at Darlington Raceway, as did Sunday’s.
Darlington Raceway is the oldest speedway on NASCAR’s circuit.
We need to know a few things about this venue for betting purposes.
It is a 1.366-mile track that is known for its egg-like oval shape.
The reason for its unique shape is that it was constructed to accommodate a minnow pond that the race designer did not want to disturb.
Given the accommodation, one end of the track has tighter corners.
As they struggle trying to pass opponents in this narrower end of the track, drivers are more likely to scrape the wall.
When drivers do so, they are said to have earned their „Darlington Stripe.“
Another unique feature of Darlington Raceway is its rough, asphalt surface that is more likely to shed tires.
Given its roughness, and shortness, Darlington Raceway is also a slow track.
A Few Changes
You should avoid placing too much emphasis on Sunday’s racing results because Wednesday’s set-up will be different in two respects.
One change from Sunday is that the starting position will be inverted for Sunday’s top 20 finishers.
So, Sunday’s winner, Kevin Harvick, will start at 20th.
The second notable change is that today’s race will be 65 laps, or about 90 miles, shorter than Sunday’s.
Because Darlington Raceway is rather narrow and because Wednesday’s race is shorter, starting position becomes more important as passing opponents becomes more difficult.
Match-Up Betting
I want to focus on one match-up offered by oddsmakers that seems most enticing for me.
At BetOnline, for example, you find Erik Jones listed at -135 to finish ahead of Jimmie Johnson.
I strongly recommend you to take Jones for a few reasons:
Starting Position:
Since passing is more difficult, it helps that Jones will start 24 spots ahead of Johnson. Jones will start 13th, Johnson 37th.
History
Darlington Raceway is such a difficult course — given its uneven structure, its unfavorable surface, and its narrowness.
So, you need to be a good driver and probably an experienced one at the course.
More than at other courses, it’s important for predicting race results here to know who has already figured out how to succeed on this track.
Erik Jones has raced four times at Darlington in his career. He finished top-10 every time.
Jones won once, finished fifth once, and finished eighth twice.
While he averages a 13.0 starting position, he averages a 5.50 finishing position.
Passing — which means being relatively patient and navigating the track’s complexities — is evidently no problem for Jones at this track.
In contrast, in his career at Darlington Raceway, Johnson averages a 12.9 starting position and only a 13.27 finishing position.
Johnson has, in each of his last six races at this track, finished outside the top 10.
Admittedly, Jones did not have his best performance in Sunday’s rendition at Darlington.
Yet his finishing position still managed to reflect his recurring superiority at this raceway relative to Johnson’s history there.
After all, Sunday's disappointment was due to a loose tire issue that surfaced towards the end of the race.
Before that tire issue, Jones was cruising in fifth place, which is where I expect him again today.
The Verdict
Take Erik Jones ahead of Jimmie Johnson because of Jones’ advantageous starting position and his significantly stronger history at Darlington Raceway.
Best Bet: Erik Jones (-135) With BetOnline
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is anyone even going to read this?
