The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Pennsylvania on Sunday for the 2023 Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond. Martin Truex Jr is coming off a dominant win at the Crayon 301 last weekend and will be hoping to carry that momentum into this race. By no surprise, he's one of the favorites here with +550 odds, while Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch also sit at +550. Others expected to contend include Kyle Larson (+800), William Byron (+1000), Ryan Blaney (+1000), Ross Chastain (+1100), and Tyler Reddick (+1400). Below, find the Pocono 400 picks.
Before we get into the preview, odds, and predictions for Pocono, check out our how-to bet on NASCAR page.
Pocono 400 Odds
| Driver |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | +550 | +500 | +500 |
| Martin Truex Jr | +550 | +650 | +500 |
| Kyle Busch | +550 | +700 | +550 |
| Kyle Larson | +800 | +750 | +750 |
| William Byron | +1000 | +850 | +850 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1000 | +1200 | +1100 |
| Ross Chastain | +1100 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Tyler Reddick | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Chase Elliott | +1400 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Christopher Bell | +1600 | +1400 | +1400 |
Pocono 400, also known as Highpoint.com 400, takes place on what it is known as the "tricky triangle" because of the track's shape. It's a 2.5-mile oval speedway, with the drivers going around 160 times in total for 400 miles. Toyota has been the most dominant team on this track in recent memory. This is the 21st race of the Cup Series season. Hamlin has won six times at Pocono in his career.
Race Preview
Denny Hamlin (+550)
Just read that last line. That's probably enough reason to put some money down on Hamlin this Sunday. Pocono is a place where he absolutely flourishes. Aside from the six victories, he nearly always finishes in the top-10 at the very least here. Oh yeah, and his manufacturer is Toyota. Hamlin was seventh in New Hampshire last weekend but has just one win this season at Kansas. If there was a time for him to secure another, it would be Pocono, right?
Martin Truex Jr (+550)
Truex Jr is coming off a win, which is a big reason his odds are +550. But, he was also seventh at Pocono last season, which is certainly respectable. Overall, Truex Jr is driving well this year, sitting at the top of the standings just one point above William Byron. Truex Jr has three wins, seven top-fives, and 10 top-10s. Every single weekend, he is in contention, except for a pair of forgettable performances before showing out in New Hampshire. Don't count out Truex Jr.
Kyle Busch (+550)
Busch is on quite the run right now. Prior to finishing 36th at NHMS, he was fifth, fifth, ninth, second, first, and sixth. Talk about in-form. He also has more top-10 finishes than any other Cup Series driver in 2023 with 12 of them. But, Busch was 36th last year at Pocono. Regardless, could he ride the recent momentum and find a big result here? It's possible. After all, he is third in the table, too.
Kyle Larson (+800)
Pocono appears to be a track where Larson has enjoyed success. He's secured two runner-up finishes in Pennsylvania and has finished within the top-10 in every race here. Plus, Larson is driving like an absolute stud at the moment. In his last six races, Larson has only finished outside of the top eight once. That includes third at NHMS and fourth in Chicago. Keep your eye on Larson in the Pocono 400 picks.
William Byron (+1000)
Byron is rolling along in 23' and trails Truex Jr by 17 points in the standings. He's actually got more wins than anyone else with four, finishing first at Atlanta, Darlington, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. Pocono last year resulted in a 12th-place finish. Byron is arguably one of the most consistent drivers on the circuit, but he was 24th at New Hampshire.
Ryan Blaney (+1000)
Blaney is usually a contender. However, he's struggling this season. He's only collected one win and has finished 20th or worse in four of the last five races. Pocono didn't go all that well a year ago either, finishing in 33rd. I just don't see him contending on Sunday considering his current form. Blaney is probably one to fade.
Ross Chastain (+1100)
Another one to fade. Chastain was 23rd, 35th, and 22nd in the last three races after winning at Nashville last month. He's just not high on confidence right now and landed in 32nd at Pocono in 22'.
Pocono 400 Picks
It's nearly impossible to pick a clear-cut winner for any of these races, which is why it's best to put some cash down on a few different picks. First, we'll go with Toyota as the winning team with +135 odds. Next, we're gonna ride Kevin Harvick for a top-five finish because he's had eight top-four finishes here in his last 12 appearances at Pocono. Lastly, take Truex Jr for a top-five finish as well just considering how hot he is.
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