Auto Club 400 Betting Preview/Prop Picks
25 February 2022
NASCAR heads to California for the second race of the year. Many favorites have driven well in the past at the Auto Club Speedway, but some have great value heading into the Wise Power 400.
Kyle Busch, for example, has increased odds compared to when the market opened. Below you can see who has the best chance to win and who might surprise a top-five result.
Race Details
Date: Sun, Feb 27, 2:30 PM
Watch on: FOX
Track: Auto Club Speedway
Betting Overview
Austin Cindric was able to overcome odds and perform under pressure to win the Daytona 500. His odds are high once again, as it is unlikely that he could perform a back-to-back miracle.
No race was held here in 2021, so you have to look back in 2020 to find the recent winner. This was Alex Bowman, who also led the most laps.
Albert Pujols will be driving the TRD Pace Car, and maybe some good luck will fall in the hands of other California natives that are driving, such as Kyle Larson. As you will see, the odds are back to “normal,” where the favorites are considered the best to win.
Head to Head Matchup to Watch
Kyle Larson (151.074) and Kyle Busch (163.958) are the one-two punch for the best chance to win this race. Both Kyle’s have solid history on shorter tracks that could translate into a tight race at the end.
Busch has had his ups and downs over the years, but he still can pull off surprises every now and then, like his victory in 2019. Larson will be driving close to his hometown, so the conditions match perfectly for him.
Dunkel Index For This Event
The Dunkel Index is showing these top 10 drivers that could win this event. The following ten are:
1 Kyle Larson 151.074
2 Denny Hamlin 157.960
3 Kevin Harvick 158.588
4 William Byron 159.277
5 Chase Elliott 159.648
6 Ryan Blaney 161.158
7 Kurt Busch 163.264
8 Kyle Busch 163.958
9 Martin Truex Jr 164.394
10 Joey Logano 166.489
*index is subject to changes
Drivers That Could Win
Martin Truex Jr. (164.394) won this event back in 2018 and also led the most laps that day. This is a common trend for this event, so if you have a good lead, then chances are you can win.
Denny Hamlin (157.960) is favored to give Kyle Larson a run for his money this year. A win here on this intermediate track would boost his chances of winning the Cup Series.
Potential Winning Pick
Hate to keep repeating the favorite over and over, but until someone shows consistency this year to beat Kyle Larson, he is the man to beat. He has averaged 10.6 place finishes in two-mile tracks since 2019 and won here in 2017.
Larson has a lot to prove in defending his Cup Series this year. He needs every race to count in his quest to repeat.
Prop Picks
Matchup: Kevin Harvick (-120) OVER Kurt Busch
Fontana is a homecoming of sorts for Harvick, who grew up in Bakersfield, CA. He’s had success at the track in the past with a win, seven Top 5 finishes and 10 Top 10 finishes.
Busch made his debut for the 23XI Racing Team last weekend at Daytona while finishing 19th. He’s tied with Harvick with the most starts at Auto Club Speedway with 27 apiece.
With Harvick rated No. 3 in this week’s Dunkel Index and Busch No. 7, these two veterans should be in the mix all day long, but take Harvick (-120) to get the edge in this matchup.
Matchup: Tyler Reddick (-110) OVER Brad Keselowski
Fontana is also a homecoming for Reddick, who grew up in Flournoy, CA. The Xfinity Series champ in 2018 and 2019 has been steadily moving up the NASCAR Cup-series ladder with 26 Top 10 finishes.
Keselowski had a tough week at Daytona as he was involved in multiple crashes and accused of “wrecking the field.” This will be his 13th Cup start at Fontana where he has a 13.7 average finishing position.
With Reddick rated No. 11 in this week’s Dunkel Index and Keselowski No. 13, take Reddick (-110) to continue his rise and get the better of the veteran Keselowski.
Keep up with your latest NASCAR news coverage and betting pick previews at The Dunkel Index.
