FireKeepers Casino 400 Betting Preview
04 August 2023
While two weekly betting favorites with oddsmakers and fans alike - Denny Hamlin (270.529) and Kyle Busch (272.612) - finished second and third, it was long shot Chris Buescher from RFK Racing-Ford who scored his first race win of 2023 in Richmond.
Buescher booked his spot in the fast-approaching NASCAR playoffs, while the rest of the playoff-bound aim to take as many points as possible into the round of 16.
However, a larger two-mile oval awaits the NASCAR Cup Series as it leaves the short track at Richmond for Ford Country and the Michigan International Speedway.
The Dunkel Index has your FireKeepers Casino 400 betting preview, going inside our favored contenders to finish in the top ten for our pick to win at Michigan.
Joe Gibbs Racing's Dynamic Duo
While Ty Gibbs has two chances to impress at Michigan - a circuit he's been very successful at, he'll have to beat out the tremendous trio of Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Christopher Bell (271.186) to do so, with Truex and Hamlin as the significant mountains to climb.
Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Truex Jr. (270.117) has finished in the top ten in the last four trips to Michigan, with two top-five finishes mixed-in. Truex Jr.'s incredible season continues, having three top-ten finishes in a row - including his dominating win at New Hampshire, giving him twelve top-ten finishes and three wins this season.
Truex Jr.'s likely going to finish in the top ten again but should be in the mix for his fourth race win of the season.
Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin (270.703) has historically gone well at Michigan, having four top-ten and three top-five finishes in the last four races.
Hamlin has four top-ten finishes in the last six races - including a win at Pocono - and will contend for his third race win and 11th top-ten finish this season.
Harvick's Summer Lovin' in Michigan
Historically, Michigan is Ford Motor Companies' home base, and a Ford-driven NASCAR has won the last five races at Michigan International Speedway. But four of those wins have come from one driver: Stewart-Haas Racing's Kevin Harvick (272.218).
In the Summer running at Michigan, Harvick has five Summer race wins (2010, 2018-2020, 2022), tied with all-time circuit wins leader David Pearson (ten total NASCAR wins) with five apiece.
Harvick's best finish this season was second place at Darlington - one of six top-ten finishes - and having had three top-ten finishes in a row means he might be on form to win his fifth Summer race at Michigan in the last six races.
Team Penske
While Ryan Blaney won this race in 2021, we're fading him into a top-20 finish and instead looking to Team Penske teammate Joey Logano (273.944), who won the Summer race at Michigan in 2013.
Logano has two top-five and three top-ten finishes in the last four races at Michigan while having finished in the top-five in two of the previous three races, including second in New Hampshire.
Logano is on the edge of our top ten but could use a second-race win heading into the playoffs and the defense of his Cup Series Championship.
The Dunkel Index's Pick to Win the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400
The Dunkel Index is taking Joe Gibbs Racing's Martin Truex Jr. (269.775) to win the FireKeepers Casino 400, preventing Kevin Harvick from his sixth Summer win in Michigan.
Keep up with your latest NASCAR news coverage and betting pick previews at The Dunkel Index.
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