- What: Grant Park 220 - NASCAR Cup Series regular season
- When: Sunday, July 2nd
- Where: Chicago Street Course
The NASCAR Cup Series continues on Sunday afternoon in the Windy City with the Grant Park 220 at the Chicago Street Course. Ross Chastain comes in with momentum after winning the Ally 400 last weekend but we actually have a different driver who is the favorite here in Chase Elliott, who finished fourth this past Sunday. He comes in at +650 odds, followed by Martin Truex Jr (+675), Kyle Larson (+700), Tyler Reddick (+750), and Chastain (+900). This is actually the first time ever the Cup Series heads to the streets of any city, which should make for an exciting watch for fans. Keep reading for the Grant Park 220 picks.
Before we get into the preview, odds, and predictions for Chicago, check out our how-to bet on NASCAR page.
Grant Park 200 Odds
| Driver |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Elliott | +650 | +700 | +750 |
| Martin Truex Jr | +675 | +650 | +650 |
| Kyle Larson | +700 | +700 | +700 |
| Tyler Reddick | +750 | +650 | +750 |
| Ross Chastain | +900 | +1200 | +850 |
| AJ Allmendinger | +1100 | +900 | +1000 |
| Kyle Busch | +1200 | +1000 | +1200 |
| William Byron | +1400 | +1800 | +1600 |
| Chris Buescher | +2000 | +1400 | +1800 |
As previously mentioned, this is the first edition of the Grant Park 200, which means there aren't exactly trends to keep an eye on here. That's exactly why the odds don't really favor any driver heavily. Technically, this should be similar to a road course since the race is literally on pavement. There are 100 laps for a total of 220 miles. Stages 1 and 2 have 30 laps apiece, while the third consists of 40. Elliott and Reddick are the best road course drivers in the Cup Series.
Race Preview
Chase Elliott (+650)
It's been a disappointing year for Elliott, but more because of his injury and suspension. When he's actually been available, Elliott has shown well. At the moment, he's in good form, too. Elliott has finished in the top five in four of his last five outings, including a fourth-place finish at Nashville last weekend. In 2020, he won three road courses at Daytona, COTA, and Road America, all inaugural races at the time. While Elliott hasn't collected a win yet in 2023, he should be considered a legitimate contender come Sunday.
Martin Truex Jr (+675)
There's a reason Truex Jr is one of the favorites in Chicago. He just won Sonoma earlier this month and has secured four top-five finishes in a row, including a runner-up finish on Sunday in Nashville, with Chastain just beating him out for first. Oh, and Truex Jr is currently the best driver in the Cup Series circuit with 576 points with two wins, six top fives, and nine top 10 finishes. You can't really ignore the leader, right? Sonoma is, after all, a road course, too. Keep an eye on Truex Jr, a seasoned veteran who knows what it takes to succeed.
Kyle Larson (+700)
Larson is usually the leading frontrunner every week and he's not far off here. There is a reason to have him in your sights on Sunday as well. Larson tends to turn up at inaugural events, winning Nashville in 2021 and then also taking home top spot at North Wilkesboro in May, the first race there since the late 90s. Larson has also finished within the top 10 in three straight appearances and was eighth at Sonoma and fifth at Nashville a few days ago. He's also fifth in the Cup Series standings.
Tyler Reddick (+750)
Reddick is at +750 here, but he's one I'd personally fade. The California native is in poor form at the moment, finishing 30th or worse in three races in a row. Toyota also hasn't won an inaugural race in 12 years, which happens to be Reddick's manufacturer. I don't see him being in the mix Sunday.
Ross Chastain (+900)
You have to talk about the guy who won the most recent Cup Series race. However, prior to that win, Chastain wasn't doing great, failing to finish above 10th in five consecutive races. He's currently 18 points behind Truex Jr for first place in the Cup Series table.
Sleepers
There are two drivers, in particular, I'm eyeing to potentially be competitive Sunday. First, Joey Logano has steep +2800 odds. He's won inaugural races twice in the last two seasons. Maybe a third could be in the cards? Don't forget, Logano is the 2022 playoff champion, too. You can never count him out.
Next, Denny Hamlin at +2500. He's really starting to find his best in recent weeks, finishing second at Worldwide Technology and then third at Nashville. He has four top-five finishes in the last seven races as well.
Grant Park 220 Picks
This is such a hard one to pick but I really like Elliott here. We all know just how talented he is and it feels like he's starting to find a rhythm. Also, take Larson for a top-10 finish. Lock in those two bets.
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