Team Penske, which claimed back-to-back NASCAR Cup Series championships, has won three of the past five events, with each of the organization’s pilots visiting Victory Lane.
Ryan Blaney capped the trifecta with an emotional win during the circuit’s debut at Iowa Speedway on Sunday. The 2023 Cup champion considers the 0.875-mile oval to be his home track.
Blaney followed Joey Logano, who captured the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 19, and Austin Cindric, who won at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway on June 2. If one of the three drivers wins the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 10, Team Penske would be the first organization to garner three consecutive circuit titles since Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports won five straight (2006-10).
Will one of the Team Penske associates continue their surge next Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway?
Below, we’ll preview the top storylines heading into Sunday’s USA Today 301, go over the odds, and give our best bets for race No. 18 on the 2024 NASCAR schedule.
9 years later. Welcome home Ryan, welcome home 🤩 #IowaCorn350 | @Blaney pic.twitter.com/HgjwspAtIg
— Iowa Speedway (@iowaspeedway) June 17, 2024
USA Today 301 Storylines
- Lost in the hoopla of the Cup series’ debut at Iowa was Christopher Bell earning a P4 in a backup car after crashing during the practice session. The back-to-back Championship 4 qualifier has earned four consecutive top-10 finishes.
- Josh Berry continues to outperform his fellow rookies, compiling one top-five finish and three top-10s. Carson Hocevar has two top-10s, while Kaz Grala and Zane Smith have yet to finish among the lead pack.
- A sold-out Iowa Speedway last weekend likely indicates the Cup Series will return to the corn fields again next season – and beyond.
A weekend we will never forget. Thank you to the best fans! pic.twitter.com/3Loy86Tdhf
— Iowa Speedway (@iowaspeedway) June 17, 2024
USA Today 301 Driver Odds
Here is an early look at the drivers’ odds for the USA Today 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, according to BetOnline Sportsbook:
| Driver | NASCAR Cup Series USA Today 301 Odds |
Play |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Truex Jr. | +450 |  |
| Christopher Bell | +450 | |
| Denny Hamlin | +500 | |
| Ryan Blaney | +650 | |
| Kyle Larson | +700 | |
| Joey Logano | +850 | |
| William Byron | +1200 | |
| Chase Elliott | +1400 | |
| Brad Keselowski | +1600 | |
| Tyler Reddick | +1800 | |
| Ty Gibbs | +1800 | |
| Josh Berry | +2500 | |
| Ross Chastain | +2800 | |
| Chris Buescher | +3300 | |
| Kyle Busch | +3300 | |
| Bubba Wallace | +4000 | |
| Alex Bowman | +5000 | |
| Noah Gragson | +10000 | |
| Chase Briscoe | +10000 | |
| Daniel Suarez | +15000 | |
| Austin Cindric | +15000 | |
| Michael McDowell | +20000 | |
| Todd Gilliland | +20000 | |
| Carson Hocevar | +20000 | |
| Justin Haley | +20000 | |
| Ryan Preece | +20000 | |
| Austin Dillon | +25000 | |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | +25000 | |
| Erik Jones | +25000 | |
| John Hunter Nemechek | +50000 | |
| Corey LaJoie | +50000 | |
| Harrison Burton | +50000 | |
| Zane Smith | +50000 | |
| Daniel Hemric | +100000 | |
| Kaz Grala | +100000 | |
| Ty Dillon | +100000 | |
*Odds current at time of publication
USA Today 301 Predictions and Picks
Here are our best NASCAR bets for the USA Today 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:
Ryan Blaney (+650)
Is the reigning champion gaining momentum? Two weeks ago, Blaney was the first to witness the white flag at Gateway, but ran out of gas. He finally qualified for the playoffs with a win at Iowa, where his mother grew up. He could be gearing up to become the first back-to-back titleholder in the playoff era.
Kyle Larson (+700)
Larson appeared to be driving the machine to beat at Iowa, capturing the second stage after driving through the field. Instead of earning his fourth win, however, he crashed out and placed P34 and dropped to second in the points standings.
Chase Elliott (+1400)
Clinching his seventh top-five finish of the season at Iowa, Elliott, who failed to qualify for the postseason last season, claimed the points standings advantage. Could Elliott’s consistency lead the second-generation driver to his second circuit title?
After his seventh top five of the season, @chaseelliott is the new regular-season points leader. pic.twitter.com/qokK0ODh1x
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 17, 2024
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