2018 Top Bets for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Odds and Predictions – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

2018 Top Bets for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Odds and Predictions – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: With the Daytona 500 in the books, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. Sunday’s race is the first of the year at a high-speed, 1.5-mile oval, and while there are always some questions marks early in the year about which drivers and which teams will be dominant, intermediate ovals like Atlanta are typically dominated by the top drivers from the top teams.

Last year, Brad Keselowski won at Atlanta and Kevin Harvick led the most laps, and at the end of the year, both drivers were competing for the championship at Homestead. In other words, there is a pretty good chance that a big name will be celebrating in victory lane this weekend.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at my frontrunners for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta.

2018 Top Bets for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Odds and Predictions – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

The Favorites

All Kevin Harvick has done since joining Stewart-Haas Racing is dominate at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He has led more than 100 laps in all four of his starts at the track with SHR, and last year, he led 292 of the 325 laps before a penalty on the final pit stop cost him the victory. Overall, Harvick ranks first in both laps led and fastest laps run at Atlanta, and his consistent, high-end speed at the track is tough to bet against.

Last year, Martin Truex Jr. put together what might have been the most impressive season at the 1.5-mile tracks in NASCAR history. He finished in the Top 10 in all 11 races, compiling a 2.5 average finish and winning seven times. Truex also led more than 1,100 laps in those races, leading at least 49 laps 10 times. Truex separated himself from the field at the mile-and-a-half tracks in 2017, and I expect him to remain a force in 2018.

Although he is still looking for his first Cup win, Chase Elliott has already established himself as one of top options at the 1.5-mile tracks. He has finished eighth and fifth in two Cup starts at Atlanta, and he closed last season with six straight Top 10s at mile-and-a-half tracks, notching five Top 5s in that span. Elliott should be in the mix for the win Sunday.

While he has been a little boom or bust at Atlanta, Kyle Busch won here in 2013 and was one of the dominant drivers at the 1.5-mile tracks a year ago. He led the third-most laps of any driver in the 11 races, and he led multiple laps in each of the final eight races, leading 40-plus laps six times in that span. Look for Busch to run at the front and contend for another Atlanta win this weekend.

He had a breakout season in 2017, and Kyle Larson was one of the best in the business at the intermediate ovals. He finished sixth or better in seven of the 11 races, logging four runner-up finishes. One of those second-place runs came at Atlanta, and Larson closed the year by leading more than 70 laps at Texas and leading the most laps at Homestead. It is only a matter of time before he starts reeling off wins at the mile-and-a-half tracks.

After a bit of a slow start at the intermediate ovals last year, Denny Hamlin hit on something he likes and became one of the top performers. He closed the year with seven straight Top 10s, posting six Top 5s over that same span and leading more than 40 laps in two of the final four races. Don’t be surprised if the momentum carries over into this weekend’s race.
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