2024 Cook Out 400 Odds: Hamlin favorited for Another win
Hamlin Earned Second Win of Year in Richmond, Can He Do it Again in Martinsville?
The NASCAR Cup Series treated fans to another exciting finish in Richmond last weekend as Denny Hamlin earned his second win in the last three races. After a clutch pit stop, Hamlin held on over the last two laps of overtime for the win over Joey Logano. Thanks to this recent good form he’s the favorite this week in the 2024 Cook Out 400 Odds.
2024 Cook Out 400 Odds: Favorites in Martinsville
Denny Hamlin (+400)
Martinsville is a unique short track on the NASCAR schedule but Hamlin’s enjoyed it during his Cup Series career. His five career wins and 19 top-five finishes are the most among active drivers.
He’s the form man of the moment and sits third in the NASCAR standings thanks to his wins and great results in Las Vegas and Phoenix. It’s been nearly a decade since his last win in Martinsville but he’s consistently near the front. He’ll be in for a good result this week.
Martin Truex Jr. (+650)
Hamlin’s teammate looked poised for victory last weekend after leading 228 laps and winning Stage Two. He ultimately ended up fourth but retained his lead in the Cup Series standings.
Luckily, he’s one of the best drivers in Martinsville on the grid. His three career wins there are second only to Hamlin and all of those have come in the last five years. He started the last Cup Series race there from pole position and led 47 laps. He’ll be gunning for a win after disappointment in Richmond.
Christopher Bell (+700)
Bell extended his streak of top-10 finishes to four in a row with sixth place in Richmond. Only two other drivers can match that run: Chris Buescher and Truex Jr. Bell’s win in Phoenix has him sixth in the championship.
He’s been solid in Martinsville before and won the playoff race there in 2022. Besides that victory, it’s been solid but unspectacular with two other top-10 results in seven events there. He’s consistently banking good points in 2024 but a win here would be a bit of a surprise.
Ryan Blaney (+700)
The same can’t be said for Blaney. The defending champions the best active driver in Martinsville by career average finish. Sixteen races have yielded eight top-five finishes, including a win there in the penultimate round of the 2023 season.
The last driver to win the fall race and the following spring race was Truex Jr. in 2019-2020. With his track record, Blaney could do the same.
Kyle Larson (+750)
Larson benefitted from Truex Jr.’s late fall in Richmond and finished third after winning Stage One. That marked his third top-five result of the season already and keeps him second in the standings.
His NASCAR odds are a bit surprising compared to the other favorites. His track record in Martinsville isn’t great as he’s managed just one win and another three top-five finishes in 18 career races there. Larson could bank a top-10 result again this week but a win would be a surprise.
Sleepers this weekend
Joey Logano (+1100)
At +1100, Logano isn’t much of a sleeper but offers a nice payout for a win. The Team Penske driver had a bounce-back performance in Richmond with second place. He’s still well down the standings but could be a good play this weekend.
Over the last 10 Cup Series races in Martinsville, Logano’s been the second-best driver in the field by average result. Only Blaney has a better average finish in that span. Logano’s made the top-10 nine out of 10 times but hasn’t won a race. That could change.
Brad Keselowski (+1600)
Keselowski’s eighth-place finish in Richmond made it three top-10 finishes in the last four races. After a rough start in Daytona (33rd) and Atlanta (33rd), Keselowski’s on the upswing.
That could continue this weekend. Keselowski’s won this race twice – 2017 and 2019 – and could get back in victory lane once again. He’s a long shot but worth taking a chance.
Chase Elliott (+1800)
Elliott earned his first top-five result of the season in Richmond. This continues his trend in 2024 of consistently solid results. He’s one of just three drivers in the field to finish no worse than 19th so far in 2024. The others are Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs.
Elliott won the Xfinity 500 there in 2020 but hasn’t converted solid qualifying performances to race results since then. He finished second at this NASCAR race in 2021 but took 16th after leading 289 laps in the fall race that year. Similarly, he started on pole in this event in 2022 and led 185 laps before finishing 10th. Hopefully he can buck that trend and pull through in the race.
Chase Briscoe (+2000)
Bruscoe’s one of the better drivers in Martinsville in recent history. He’s run just six Cup Series events there but finished in the top five twice. Last year he led 95 laps combined at both Martinsville races and finished fifth and fourth in those events. It’d be a surprise to see him win but his track record there shows good pace.
2024 Cook Out 400 Odds:Picks for Martinsville
Martinsville’s a fixture on the calendar in both the Cup Series and the lower categories. Drivers up and down the grid are familiar with The Paperclip and it’s been the site of many exciting finishes.
Of the favorites, it feels like Truex Jr.’s chance to shine. He’s raced very well in Martinsville recently and is the form driver of the grid. Of the sleepers, look to Logano or, if that payout’s not enough, Briscoe for a surprise win.
For NASCAR news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
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