After the thrill of pack racing and speeds at nearly 200 miles per hour in Daytona, NASCAR heads west to the famed Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, just outside Los Angeles for its second race of the year in 2023, the Pala Casino 400.
While Daytona brings lots of pack racing that allows almost the entire field to have a shot at winning, that likely won’t be the case in Fontana, where the 2-mile track is one of the tougher tests on the circuit. It’s a track that allows drivers to run multiple lines, wears down tires, and requires a driver to be able to make passes without the help of a pack of cars pushing them from behind.
Expect a week where many of the usual favorites, not just for weekly races, but for the 2023 title, are in contention to win as the laps wind down Sunday. Here are this week’s NASCAR betting picks for the Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway.
Pala Casino 400 Betting Pick
| ℹ️ The Pick: | Kyle Busch (+1000) |
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Why Bet On Kyle Busch:
✅ Busch is the active leader in wins at the track, taking the checkered flag four times over 23 races at the track, while also finishing among the Top-10 on 16 different occasions. There may not be a driver in the field who knows the track better than him.
✅ Even with a new team and a new manufacturer, Busch showed the speeds needed last week at Daytona to keep him in the running for a win, and at a track that requires high skill from a driver, he should be in good position to win.
✅ Busch also presents a bit better odds for a big payout than some of the other usual cars you might expect to find up front.
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Pala Casino 400 Track Breakdown
Auto Club Speedway is a 2-mile oval that, while producing high speeds, also requires a lot of skill. It’s a very wide track, room for as much as five-wide if drivers want, and will require drivers to be able to pass in traffic, while avoiding slower cars.
It’s an old-worn surface at the track which also presents challenges, so drivers must figure out the right combination of speed, tires, gas, and keeping a steady car as they navigate their way around the track.
Generally, the most skilled drivers regardless of their team, tend to shine on this track, and it can be tough on those who might not have a ton of time on the track.
Also, enjoy this race while you can, because it is reportedly the last time the race will be held on the 2-mile configuration of the track. The track’s future remains in question, with the prevailing thought that it will be reconfigured into a half-mile track, which would require closing the track for at least the 2024 season, and possibly even the 2025 season. It could be the last NASCAR points race in California for a long while.
Other Drivers Who Can Win the Pala Casino 400
Kyle Larson (+650): The favorite and with good reason. In eight trips to Fontana, he’s got two wins, including last season’s race, and four top-five finishes. He took last season’s race in an exciting finish where he bumped teammate Chase Elliot up the track and into the wall, causing damage for Elliot and allowing Larson to grab the win.
Erik Jones (+3000): A good longer shot to look at, Jones has the second-best finishing position of anyone in the field, averaging around a 10th place finish, including a third-place finish last year. A very skilled driver who tends to do well on difficult tracks like this.
Austin Cindric (+8000): A longshot worth considering, Cindric drives for a good team that will give him a car with plenty of speed. Not the most experienced driver here, but in his rooke go-round at the track last season, placed a respectable 12th.
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