Racing fans are in for a treat on this Independence Day Weekend. For the first time since 1956, the NASCAR Cup Series will run at Road America. The Wisconsin-based road course extends over four miles in length, making it the longest track on the series schedule. While the road course aces amongst the field are certainly licking their chops, the unknowns that come with a new track can present challenges for all drivers. Pay attention to practice and qualifying prior to Sunday’s race. Bettors are advised to proceed with a degree of caution when making NASCAR betting picks for the Jockey Made in America 250. Play the odds correctly and you could come away from the Fourth of July a winner.
The following article offers a breakdown of the NASCAR odds and best NASCAR betting picks for Sunday’s Jockey Made in America 250 race at Road America.
Jockey Made in America 250 Race Info
2nd Jockey Made in America 250
Date: Sunday, July 4, 2021
Start Time: 2:30 p.m. EST
Track: Road America — Elkhart Lake, WI
Coverage: NBC
Distance: 250 miles
Stages: Three (Laps 1-14; 15-29; 30-62)
Pole Sitter: TBD
Check out the complete Jockey Made in America 250 starting lineup and race stats!
Jockey Made in America 250 NASCAR Betting Odds
It should come as no surprise that reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott (+300) is the NASCAR betting favorite for Sunday’s race. Elliott has been the class of the field for a few years now at road courses. He took the checkered in the first-ever race at Circuit of the Americas earlier this year. Elliott drove to a pair of top-5 finishes in his two prior Xfinity Series starts at Road America. Although he has never won here, he holds the best average finish among all drivers in Sunday’s field who have made at least two starts at the track. It’s always tough to beat the No. 9 car on a road course. The Fourth of July will be no exception.
NASCAR Odds Showing Love to Larson
When it comes to NASCAR betting, line movement can be very telling. It’s certainly worth noting that Chase Elliott has company at the top of the heap ahead of Sunday’s race. After leading the NASCAR odds alone for most of the week, Elliott was joined by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson (+300). The two are identical co-favorites at the time of writing. Larson had his winning streak snapped last weekend at Pocono but was very fast in both races. He dominated the last road course event at Sonoma and was also a clear contender at Circuit of the Americas. While he isn’t necessarily known for being a road racer, Larson’s body of work this season has earned him the respect of the NASCAR betting market.
How Do The Road Course Ringers Stack Up?
Like any other time the NASCAR Cup Series visits a road course, it is worth noting where the best road racers stack up amongst the NASCAR betting odds. Even if you don’t intend to pick them to win the Jockey Made in America 250 outright, there are bound to be opportunities among the various race props.
The road course ringer with the shortest NASCAR betting odds to win at Road America is Martin Truex Jr. (+850). He joins Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson as the only drivers with odds shorter than 12-1. While Truex cannot be ignored on any road course, the No. 19 team has been struggling mightily of late. The most recent race in which he was even remotely impressive came at Sonoma.
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Bettors can find a pair of NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers with swaths of road racing talent between them at identical 20-1 odds. A.J. Allmendinger (+2000) has a win and two top-5 finishes in three prior starts at Road America. Meanwhile, Austin Cindric (+2000) won the 2020 Xfinity Series race at the track. Both drivers will compete in Saturday’s Henry 180 and will gain plenty of seat time prior to taking the green flag for Sunday’s Cup race.
Jockey Made in America 250 NASCAR Betting Picks
Jockey Made in America 250 Race Winner: Kyle Busch (+1200)
After winning the second race of last weekend’s Pocono doubleheader and finishing runner-up on Saturday, no one is hotter coming into Road America than Kyle Busch. The No. 18 team has been showing signs of progress for several weeks now. Even as Hendrick Motorsports bunch has dominated the past couple of months, Busch has easily been their most consistent competition. Practice has proven to do wonders for Rowdy and he will have plenty of it this weekend. In addition to scheduled practice and qualifying for the Jockey Made in America 250, Busch is also running in the Henry 180 Xfinity Series race on Saturday. Shortly before writing, Busch posted the fastest time in Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series practice session. With momentum and seat time on his side, Busch is a great NASCAR betting value choice to win at 12-1 odds.
Other Jockey Made in America 250 NASCAR Betting Picks
Top 10 Finish: Kurt Busch (+140)
One driver who comes into the Jockey Made in America 250 with momentum is Kurt Busch. After being plagued by bad luck for much of the year, Busch and the No. 1 team for Chip Ganassi Racing have thrown down some solid finishes recently. He has finished in the top-10 in three of the last four races. This includes a sixth-place showing in the last road race at Sonoma. Busch has an accomplished career as a road racer dating back long before this season. The NASCAR betting odds have moved tremendously on him throughout the week. This +140 price for a top-10 still affords a great return.
Race Matchup: Michael McDowell (-110) vs. Chris Buescher
Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell is one of the best drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series on road courses. He finished top-10 at both the Daytona Road Course and Circuit of the Americas this season. If not for a last-lap feud that saw him get spun in the final turn, he likely would have grabbed a third top-10 at Sonoma. Meanwhile, Buescher’s road course finishes this season include 11th at Daytona, 13th at COTA and 16th at Sonoma. The No. 17 team has been struggling over the past few weeks after a very strong first half of the season. Not only does a play on McDowell in this head-to-head align with the better road racer, but it also goes against a struggling Buescher.
Top 10 Finish: Ryan Blaney (+110)
When one thinks of the top NASCAR Cup Series road-course racers, Ryan Blaney probably doesn’t immediately come to mind. Nonetheless, he continues to pick it up and put it down on tracks that require righthand turns. Blaney scored a top-10 finish at Sonoma earlier this year. He also finished runner-up in his single Xfinity Series start at Road America. Look for the No. 12 at some decent prices for this week’s NASCAR betting picks.
Team of Race Winner: Joe Gibbs Racing (+300)
While we may not know much about Road America coming into the weekend, it does seem safe to say that a quartet of drivers has separated themselves from the pack at road courses. Two drivers in that said group both drive Camrys for Joe Gibbs Racing. Both Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch have proven their effectiveness as road racers over the years. They finished third and fifth in the most recent road race at Sonoma, respectively. In addition, Denny Hamlin has run well in all three road races this season. Oh, and Christopher Bell nabbed a win on the Daytona Road Course back in February. He also has a prior Xfinity Series win at Road America on his resume. Don’t count out the Joe Gibbs Racing foursome when making NASCAR betting picks this weekend.
