By: Harry Gagnon
Title: Harry’s NASCAR Prop Bets for Michigan: FireKeepers Casino 400 Odds and Consumers Energy 400 Odds
What: FireKeepers Casino 400
Where: Brooklyn, Michigan
Michigan International Speedway
When: Saturday August 8th
This will be an interesting weekend in NASCAR considering we will have back-to-back races on Saturday and Sunday (FireKeepers Casino 400 on Saturday and the Consumers Energy 400 on Sunday). With Brad Keselowski pulling off a solid victory last week he now trails Kevin Harvick in cup points by 85.
Moreover, Michigan International Speedway suites Harvick’s style of racing perfectly. Harvick, who also leads in laps this season, has two wins and a second-place finish in his last four runs in Michigan. This racing on back-to-back days is really something that has never happened so for me to tell you who to take on Sunday would be wrong.
However, if a favorite doesn’t do well in the first race it would make sense to try him on the second. Below are a few statistics from the season and my plays for Saturday’s Firekeepers Casino 400.
NASCAR Stats to Keep in Mind for Michigan
500+ Laps Led
1-706 Kevin Harvick
2-628 Brad Keselowski
3-615 Denny Hamlin
4-517 Ryan Blaney
NASCAR Cup Points
1-803 Kevin Harvick
2-718 Brad Keselowski
3-688 Denny Hamlin
4-677 Ryan Blaney
In that four-driver grouping, there is a combined 39 top 5 finishes and 13 victories this season.
NASCAR Matchups for Michigan
-140 Kevin Harvick over Martin Truex, Jr
Truex finished third here two races ago but Harvick’s stats in Michigan are far better… plus Harvick has been way more reliable.
+115 Kurt Busch over Brad Keselowski
Kurt has two top three performances here in his last four runs and Keselowski may hang back and focus more on Sunday after getting his third win of the season.
+140 Ryan Preece over Cole Custer
Because Custer is a rookie, he hasn’t raced here before and I’ll take a shot at a +140 considering Preece finished 7th the last time racing was in Michigan.
-135 Denny Hamlin over Chase Elliott
Hamlin is always up around the front of the leaderboard and since winning the All-Star race in Bristol, Tennessee, Chase Elliott has seemed to be running slow especially early in races. Add on top of that the fact he is not the greatest at playing catchup, and you have yourself your NASCAR betting pick.
NASCAR Drivers to Fade in Michigan at the FireKeepers Casino 400
Jimmy Johnson & Aric Almirola
Jimmy Johnson is having a tough final season and he’s also a guy who has had his issues racing in Michigan. Johnson has not had a solid race here in quite some time, which includes his 34th place finish the last time there was racing here.
Almirola also has had some historical and recent issues here. Historically he has not had much luck on this track and the last time he took to the track in Michigan, he finished 33rd.
FireKeepers Casino 400 Odds and NASCAR Longshot Picks
A couple of Sleepers to ponder at a Top 10 finish
+1000 Daniel Suarez and +850
As mentioned earlier, Ryan Preece ran a fantastic race last time here and grabbed a seventh place finish whereas Daniel Suarez finished 3rd and 5th in Michigan last season.
Any Driver to Win Stage 1 & 2 and Win the Race
+650 Yes
-1200 No
Denny Hamlin is the only driver to accomplish this so far this season and even though I’d love to take the yes, the no is the winner
-1200 No
Three Driver Top 10 Finishing Parlay
-500 Harvick
That is as solid as a bet that you will find
-250 Truex, Jr
He could use a strong race and did finish in 3rd here two races ago.
-250 Logano
Logano won here two races ago so I’ll use past history for the third part of this Top 10 three driver parlay
Top 3 and Winner
Kevin Harvick
+115 and +400
The 44-year-old Harvick has won in Michigan twice in his last three tries and has dominated the entire racing circuit this season. It seems like a bland pick, but he is always at the top of the leaderboard. He also finished second four races ago here, so overall he’s the most consistent driver out there today.
Enjoy the racing on both days this weekend everyone. Happy betting!!!
