{"id":526961,"date":"2026-03-10T14:30:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T14:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/526961\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T14:30:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T14:30:14","slug":"betting-favorites-see-shakeup-following-phoenix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/526961\/","title":{"rendered":"Betting favorites see shakeup following Phoenix"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many drivers, the 2026 NASCAR<\/a> Cup Series season truly kicked off with Sunday\u2019s race at Phoenix Raceway, the first traditional oval on the schedule. It was a race dominated by Christopher Bell, though won by Ryan Blaney, who overcame difficulty on pit road to get his first checkered flag of the season. <\/p>\n

Blaney\u2019s victory at Phoenix pushed him forward in the latest championship odds list\u00a0on\u00a0BetMGM<\/a>. In general, the top 10 saw some interesting shakeup. <\/p>\n

But at the top, one driver continues to occupy the top spot. Meanwhile, another driver has completely fallen out of the top 10 after a disastrous start to the season. The list should continue to show movement as the season goes on. This coming Sunday sees a trip to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a chance for someone to join Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney as winners this season. <\/p>\n

1. Denny Hamlin (+400)<\/p>\n

Hamlin, despite having led just 18 laps to open the season, continues to be the championship favorite. After a 31st-place finish at Daytona, he\u2019s responded by tallying three finishes of 13th or better. <\/p>\n

Hamlin wasn\u2019t nearly as fast at Phoenix on Sunday as he was back in November, but he still had a good car. He finished fifth and moved up to 12th in the points standings. <\/p>\n

2. Kyle Larson (+450)<\/p>\n

\"\"Greg Atkins-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Larson has now compiled back-to-back top 10s at COTA and Phoenix. He was a third-place car in the desert \u2014 for him, not nearly good enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just need to be a lot better,\u201d Larson said after the race. \u201cAside from strategy and pit road, we never really have a shot here at Phoenix. We\u2019ll just keep working hard on hitting the setup to feel like we can be a contender here from start to finish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Larson did, however, do enough to climb into 10th position in the points standings. <\/p>\n

T3: Christopher Bell (+500)<\/p>\n

Heartbreak was the story for Bell at Phoenix. He led a race-high 176 laps and Blaney even admitted the Joe Gibbs Racing driver had the best car. <\/p>\n

But the best car doesn\u2019t always win and that was the case for Bell at Phoenix. Bell jumped all the way to sixth in the points standings with his runner-up finish at Phoenix. <\/p>\n

T3: Ryan Blaney (+500)<\/p>\n

Blaney was expected to be a contender at Phoenix, and he did not disappoint. The mustache man has been far and away the top Ford thus far, hardly a surprise. <\/p>\n

With a win and two additional top 10s, Blaney is certainly locked-in. He sits second in the points standings, 60 points behind Reddick. <\/p>\n

5. William Byron (+550)<\/p>\n

\"\"Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a solid start to the season for Byron, who hasn\u2019t quite been able to put it all together just yet. He was the second top performing Hendrick Motorsports driver at Phoenix, finishing seventh.<\/p>\n

Given the capabilities of the No. 24 team, leading only two laps through four races feels underwhelming. But sitting 11th in the points standings puts them within striking distance of being in the mix at the top. All it takes is one spectacular run. <\/p>\n

6. Tyler Reddick (+1100)<\/p>\n

At some point, Reddick had to leave the racetrack without a trophy, right? Maybe he disagrees with that, but four in-a-row wasn\u2019t in the cards for him at Phoenix. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s not say he didn\u2019t have a good car as he collected 39 points and finished eighth. Thanks to three consecutive victories to begin the season, Reddick still has a whopping 60-point lead over Blaney in the points standings.<\/p>\n

7. Chase Elliott (+1200)<\/p>\n

Elliott took a step back at Phoenix. He qualified 26th and finished 23rd, his race hurt by getting caught up in someone else\u2019s mess. <\/p>\n

Based on Elliott\u2019s track record, expect a 23rd-place finish to be an outlier as this team simply knows how to pick up points and finish races. Elliott managed to leave Phoenix fourth in the points standings. <\/p>\n

8. Chase Briscoe (+1400)<\/p>\n

\"\"Greg Atkins-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Is it time to press the panic button for Briscoe and the No. 19 team? It\u2019s early, yes, but Briscoe has a massive hole to climb out of. <\/p>\n

If you can believe it, Briscoe is 33rd in the points standings following a last-place finish at Phoenix. Briscoe now has a pair of DNFs to go along with a 36th-place finish at Daytona. The unfortunate part for Briscoe it is has nothing to do with the car or his ability. He\u2019s had plenty of speed, leading 58 laps. The one race (Atlanta) that he didn\u2019t end up in a wreck or have a tire\/mechanical failure, he finished second. <\/p>\n

9. Joey Logano (+2500)<\/p>\n

Logano sat on the pole at Phoenix and had one of the best cars in the field. His day came to a disappointing end in Stage 3 when he came up the track in the dogleg of Turn 1 and made contact with AJ Allmendinger.<\/p>\n

Logano did pick up 23 points before his exit. The three-time champion dropped just one spot in the points standings, now in the seventh spot.<\/p>\n

10. Ross Chastain (+3500)<\/p>\n

Chastain, like Briscoe, can\u2019t seem to escape trouble on the racetrack. At COTA, is was a loose wheel that contributed to his 35th-place finish. He was caught up in a wreck at Phoenix and finished 28th. <\/p>\n

Chastain looks to be OK on speed, the issue is being able to finish the race without issue. He finds himself 23rd in the points standings after four races.<\/p>\n

Full 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds:<\/p>\n

Connor Zilisch\u00a0(+5000)<\/p>\n

Bubba Wallace (+5000)<\/p>\n

Carson Hocevar\u00a0(+6000)<\/p>\n

Ty Gibbs\u00a0(+6000)<\/p>\n

Chris Buescher\u00a0(+6000)<\/p>\n

Kyle Busch\u00a0(+6000)<\/p>\n

Alex Bowman\u00a0(+8000)<\/p>\n

Josh Berry\u00a0(+10000)<\/p>\n

Austin Cindric\u00a0(+10000)<\/p>\n

Brad Keselowski\u00a0(+10000)<\/p>\n

Ryan Preece\u00a0(+10000)<\/p>\n

Shane van Gisbergen\u00a0(+15000)<\/p>\n

Austin Dillon\u00a0(+35000)<\/p>\n

Daniel Su\u00e1rez\u00a0(+35000)<\/p>\n

Erik Jones\u00a0(+35000)<\/p>\n

John Hunter Nemechek\u00a0(+35000)<\/p>\n

Noah Gragson\u00a0(+50000)<\/p>\n

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.\u00a0(+50000)<\/p>\n

AJ Allmendinger\u00a0(+50000)<\/p>\n

Michael McDowell\u00a0(+50000)<\/p>\n

Zane Smith\u00a0(+50000)<\/p>\n

Cole Custer\u00a0(+100000)<\/p>\n

Todd Gilliland\u00a0(+100000)<\/p>\n

Ty Dillon\u00a0(+100000)<\/p>\n

Riley Herbst\u00a0(+100000)<\/p>\n

Cody Ware\u00a0(+100000)<\/p>\n

DISCLAIMER:\u00a0This site is 100% for entertainment purposes only and does not involve real money betting.<\/p>\n

The content provided in this article is intended for entertainment purposes only. All views and opinions expressed are the authors and reflect their individual perspectives on sports, betting, and related topics. This content should not be considered professional betting advice or the official views of On3. Please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know is experiencing issues related to gambling, seek help from a licensed health professional. This blog is not liable for any losses, damages, or consequences resulting from betting activities.<\/p>\n

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