We’re a quarter of the way into the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season and we’ve seen which drivers are among the top contenders for the championship.
William Byron leads the series with three wins, including the Daytona 500.
Denny Hamlin is the only other repeat winner, while Kyle Larson leads the standings behind a victory and five stage wins.
Those drivers represent the favorites, but things can change quickly. The standings may look different over the next few months, or we could be talking about Byron, Hamlin, and Larson as bigger favorites.
Here are the drivers I’m targeting in the futures markets:
2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship best bets
William Byron (+525, BetMGM) — Larson has been the top dog at Hendrick Motorsports since his sensational 2021 season, but Byron appears to have surpassed the No. 5 car.
After leading the series with six wins last season, Byron jumped out the gates with three wins in eight races. What makes him so dangerous is he can win on any track. His three wins include a superspeedway, road course and short track.
Byron’s consistency keeps him among the top drivers in the standings. He likely won’t lose many spots before the playoffs as he wins more races.
Last season, Byron came up short after making the Championship 4. This could be the year it all comes together for the 26-year-old.
Christopher Bell (+825, BetMGM) — Like Byron, Bell was a Championship 4 driver in 2023. Bell showed speed, but it came to a sudden end when a crash ended his race. So far, it appears Bell is well on his way to redemption.
He has five top 10s in nine races, including a victory at Phoenix. That’s extremely important because the Championship race is held at Phoenix. He clearly had the car to beat in the Spring race and will be tough to beat if he makes the Championship 4.
The Round of 8 lines up well for Bell. He’s had multiple strong performances at Las Vegas and won last year’s race at Homestead.
He’s a tier below Byron, Hamlin, and Larson, but Bell is in the thick of things. If he can clean up his consistency in the playoffs, he’ll be a good bet to win his first championship.
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2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 best bet
Tyler Reddick (+350, Caesars) — Reddick is quietly having a strong season in his second year with 23XI Racing. Reddick is riding a streak of six top-10 finishes in his last seven races.
He’s yet to reach victory lane, but Reddick showed race-winning speed at Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Texas.
Had things gone a little differently, he could’ve easily captured the checkered flag at Vegas and Texas.
Last season, Ryan Blaney got hot at the right time and rode it to a championship. I could see a similar outcome with Reddick, as his strong start makes him a prime Round of 8 candidate.
That round includes a pair of strong tracks in Vegas and Homestead. With his early-season speed, it wouldn’t surprise me if Reddick were to win his way to the Championship 4.