NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race: Odds, Predictions, and Best Bets At Bristol Motor Speedway

Entering the final race of the Round of 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday night, NASCAR Cup Series regular-season champion Martin Truex Jr. and Bubba Wallace, the final postseason qualifier, face first-round eliminations. 

Truex placed P36 after a Lap 4 crash last Sunday at Kansas Speedway. In opening playoff effort at Darlington Raceway wasn’t much better. The 2017 Cup champion stands seven points behind No. 12-ranked Kevin Harvick. 

Wallace sits 19 points behind after placing 32nd at Kansas. Wallace had a strong machine, placing second at the end of Stage 1, but ended up hitting a retaining wall and falling four laps off the final pace. 

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (22 points behind) and Michael McDowell (40) also enter the weekend below the elimination line.

Below, we’ll preview the top storylines heading into Sunday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race, go over the odds, and give our best bets for the 29th race on the NASCAR calendar.

Martin Truex Jr. is OUT OF THE RACE.

WOW. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/YWeyzyH0uB

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 10, 2023

2023 Bass Pro Shops Night Race Storylines

• After two hard-luck playoff outings, Martin Truex Jr. enters Saturday night’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway one spot below the Round of 12 cutoff. Can the regular-season champion regain his midseason form?
• Will Kevin Harvick recover from his costly 15 seconds in the playoff opener? The retiring pilot enters Bristol ranked No. 12 in the playoff standings. If only he had those 15 seconds back at Darlington.
• Few drivers have the guts and patience of Michael McDowell, but does the No. 34 Ford belong in the Round of 16?

These restarts.

*deep breath*

📺: USA | 📲: https://t.co/r61CT6k3hq pic.twitter.com/1fgVTPqmnO

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 10, 2023

Bass Pro Shops Night Race Driver Odds

Here is an early look at the drivers’ odds for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, according to DraftKings Sportsbook:

Driver	NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race Odds	Play
Kyle Larson	+550
William Byron	+750
Denny Hamlin	+750
Christopher Bell	+800
Brad Keselowski	+850
Chase Elliott	+1000
Kyle Busch	+1100
Kevin Harvick	+1200
Chris Buescher	+1200
Ryan Blaney	+1400
Ross Chastain	+1400
Martin Truex Jr.	+1400
Joey Logano	+1400
Tyler Reddick	+1600
Bubba Wallace	+2800
Ty Gibbs	+3500
Alex Bowman	+5500
Erik Jones	+6000
Daniel Suarez	+9000
Aric Almirola	+9000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	+10000
Michael McDowell	+10000
Chase Briscoe	+10000
Ryan Preece	+15000
AJ Allmendinger	+15000
Justin Haley	+25000
Carson Hocevar	+25000
Austin Dillon	+25000
Harrison Burton	+40000
Austin Cindric	+40000
Corey LaJoie	+50000
Ty Dillon	+100000
BJ McLeod	+100000
Todd Gilliland	+100000
JJ Yeley	+100000
Cole Custer	+100000

*Odds current at time of publication 

A thrilling #NASCARPlayoffs finish in Kansas! @TylerReddick is moving on! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/eJXw40dDSX

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 10, 2023

Bass Pro Shops Night Race Predictions and Picks

Here are our best NASCAR bets for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Kyle Larson (+550)

The playoff standings leader captured the checkered flag at Darlington and a Stage 1 win at Kansas. The 2021 Cup champ just needs stay out of Chase Elliott’s way.

Brad Keselowski (+850)

Keselowski is overdue. The driver of the No. 6 Ford captured Stage 2 at Kansas, but was overtaken by Hamlin and settled for P2. The 2012 Cup titleholder last visited Victory Lane on April 24, 2021, at Talladega Superspeedway. Can he break the skid Saturday?

Joey Logano (+1400)

The defending Cup champ benefited from a two-tire stop, which placed him third during the final restart. He battled for the lead, but fell short. Ranked No. 11, the extra 10 playoff points provided him with a little cushion.

In his comfort zone. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/SPxL6F5kRq

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 10, 2023