Grant Park 220 Betting Preview
30 June 2023
Street circuits are increasingly commonplace in open-wheel racing series like Formula 1, IndyCar, and Formula E, where these series take over the streets, line them with barricades, and race where commuter vehicles, transport trucks, and buses ran mere days ago.
While the Chicago Street Circuit once only existed digitally in the e-Racing world, NASCAR has taken that circuit and brought it to life, providing fans with the kind of urban scenery that becomes characteristic to NASCAR's open-wheel brethren's street circuits, like Formula 1 in Monaco, Azerbaijan, Singapore, or the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix.
With Buckingham Fountain, South Lake Shore Drive, Lake Michigan, and the Loop's three statues in the turn 8-10 turning complex that crosses Ida B. Wells Drive, NASCAR is giving fans a potential first look at what new future NASCAR races could like.
With an entirely unknown circuit that will demand different downforce packages and setups while placing extraordinary stress on the brakes, the Dunkel Index has done an in-depth review of the Drivers most likely to excel in Chicago and win for our Grant Park 220 betting preview.
Grant Park 220 Favorites: Will Road Course Skill Translate to Street Track Success?
Among the biggest questions heading into the Grant Park 220 is how drivers more accustomed to banked turns, different surfaces, and ovals will handle the entirely new challenge of heavy braking zones and 90-degree turns that only a downtown-centered street circuit provides.
NASCAR has visited two purpose-built road courses this season: Circuit of the Americas (CoTA) and the Sonoma Raceway. Will previous success on these winding, undulating, and difficult road courses translate to street circuit success?
We here at the Dunkel Index firmly believe that previous skill and excellent performances on road circuits will translate into success in Chicago, while those who aren't as versatile or experienced in road course races and maybe excel at superspeedways or short tracks might struggle more so this weekend.
Four of our betting favorites have had excellent results on the two road courses this season. Current NASCAR Drivers' Championship leader Joe Gibbs Racing's Martin Truex Jr. (263.785) is on a run of form you need to take note of. Truex Jr led the most laps and won at Sonoma, following that up with a second-place finish last weekend in Nashville. Truex Jr. has finished in the top five in his last four races and has two race wins and nine top-ten finishes this season.
Richard Childress Racing's Kyle Busch (266.409) is always a threat to win every weekend and is on a run of form trumped only by Truex Jr. Busch has finished in the top ten in the last five races and has two race wins and ten top-ten finishes this season. More importantly, Busch has finished second at both CoTA and Sonoma.
While Tyler Reddick (263.538) finished a disappointing 33rd at Sonoma, his weekend-long battle with William Byron and win at CoTA made Reddick look like a prime candidate to jump into an IndyCar or Formula 1 seat. Reddick was at the top of the timing sheet in practice, falling just short of pole position behind Byron, then engaged in a two-car race until caution flags brought the duo back to the pack. Reddick overcame the numerous chaotic restarts and emerged with an ultra-impressive race win and weekend.
The Hendrick Motorsports Trio
Kyle Larson (267.792) and Chase Elliott (268.854) are racers through and through. Given time, these two drivers can adapt and excel in any motorsports category they choose.
Larson finished 14th at CoTA and eighth at Sonoma, one of eight top-ten finishes on the season.
Elliott was recovering from a broken leg and missed CoTA but finished fifth at Sonoma, one of six top-ten finishes in the ten races he's competed in.
Hendrick Motorsports' third driver has been its most successful this season. William Byron (267.792) is currently second in the Championship standings, with three race wins and ten top-ten finishes.
While Byron finished a disappointing 14th at Sonoma, his performance at CoTA - despite dropping to fifth in the restart chaos - has us brimming with confidence he'll be excellent on a street circuit.
The Dunkel Index's Pick to Win the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220
The Dunkel Index is taking 23XI Racing's Tyler Reddick (263.538) to shine in Chicago as he did at CoTA and win the inaugural Grant Park 220.
Keep up with your latest NASCAR news coverage and betting pick previews at The Dunkel Index.
All Media on this page by Associated Press.
