2018 Lilly Diabetes 250 Odds, Picks and Predictions – Lilly Diabetes 250 Favorites, Dark Horses and Sleepers: The NASCAR XFINITY Series heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for just the seventh time, but even though the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is also in town, the field for Saturday’s Lilly Diabetes 250 isn’t overly loaded with Cup stars.
Whether they will admit it or not, one of the reasons is probably because of the restrictor-plate package being used at the track, but while the package turned the Michigan race into a crap shoot, it didn’t have a huge impact at Pocono.
Between the long straightaways and flatter corners, Pocono and Indianapolis have a lot more in common than Indianapolis and Michigan, so I’m not expecting the package to impact the driver hierarchy all that much this weekend. With that in mind, here is a closer look at the my top betting options and favorites sleeper bets for Saturday’s Lilly Diabetes 250.
2018 Lilly Diabetes 250 Odds, Picks and Predictions: Lilly Diabetes 250 Favorites, Dark Horses and Sleepers
The Favorites
Christopher Bell (+300)
He has been the class of the XFINITY regulars this year, piling up four wins and 13 Top 5s and leading laps no matter how strong the fields have been. Bell will make his first start at Indianapolis this weekend, but in this field, there are only a handful of drivers that have a realistic shot at hanging with him Saturday.
Ryan Blaney (+350)
His combination of career accomplishments, elite equipment and Cup Series experience are second to none in the field this weekend, and the last time Blaney raced at Indianapolis in the XFINITY Series, he led 24 laps and came within a restart of winning the race. Blaney has a 3.0 average finish and a win in three XFINITY starts this year, and he is going to be tough to beat this weekend.
Value Bets
Cole Custer (+1000)
He has been the model of consistency in his sophomore season, piling up 20 Top 10s in the first 24 races. More importantly, he has kept improving as the year has progressed. Nine of his 10 Top 5 finishes have come in the last 14 races, and Custer has three straight Top 5s coming into Indianapolis, a track where he finished in the Top 5 in his debut last year. He is a nice alternative to the betting favorites.
Ryan Preece (+1000)
Preece will take his turn in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 this weekend, and whenever he has gotten the opportunity to drive for JGR, he has delivered. In 10 starts for the organization, he has nine Top 10s, eight Top 5s and a pair of wins. No, he isn’t a full-time driver, but Preece has been an elite driver whenever he has been in the field the last two seasons.
Chase Elliott (+1800)
In terms of overall value, Elliott might be the biggest bargain on the board this weekend. He is subbing for an injured Spencer Gallagher, and while GMS Racing might not be a powerhouse on the level of Joe Gibbs Racing or Team Penske, the team has been battling for Top 10s all season long. More importantly, Elliott piloted this same No. 23 car to a second-place finish at Pocono earlier this year in a race that featured the restrictor-plate package that will be used this weekend at Indianapolis. Outside of the two favorites, I’d direct most of my money to Elliott.
Ty Dillon (+2000)
He’s a mediocre talent as a racecar driver, but since his grandfather is Richard Childress, Dillon has access to excellent equipment. He has been able to make the most of this equipment at Indianapolis over the years, finishing in the Top 10 in all five of his XFINITY starts at Indianapolis and winning the 2014 race. At +2000, his career numbers at Indy are tough to ignoe.
The Sleeper
Austin Cindric (+4000)
Cindric has split time between Roush Fenway Racing and Team Penske this year, but when he has been driving Penske equipment, he has shown the ability to lead laps and run in the Top 10. You might not guess it from his odds, but Cindric will actually be in a Penske car this weekend, and superior equipment should pay dividends at a track like Indianapolis that requires elite horsepower and aerodynamics. I’ll take a flier at +4000 on any driver in Penske equipment.
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