Hendrick Motorsports is leading the Chevrolet surge. With the manufacturer winning all three of the NASCAR Cup Series events this season, the Charlotte, N.C.-based organization has claimed two trophies to begin its 40th anniversary run.
William Byron opened the campaign with a well-timed victory during the Daytona 500 and Kyle Larson dominated last Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
It is the eighth time Hendrick Motorsports opened a new season by going 2-for-3.
Will Chase Elliott break out of his prolonged slump to make it 3-for-4?
Below, we’ll preview the top storylines heading into Sunday’s Shriners Children’s 500, go over the odds, and give our best bets for the fourth race on the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule.
To the desert. pic.twitter.com/uDIZxYlgGp
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) March 5, 2024
2024 Shriners Children’s 500 Storylines
- Bubba Wallace lost a lug nut and never recovered. Following two season-opening top-five finishes, Wallace started strong, but after the pit-road mishap, never got back up to the lead pack and finished P35, 13 laps behind. How will he rebound in the desert?
- Zane Smith is beginning to feel rookie pressure. Already. He placed a respectable P13 during the Daytona 500, but followed it up with two crashes, finishing P35 at Atlanta and P36 at Las Vegas. Will the 2022 Truck Series champion learn anything about avoiding early incidents?
- What’s wrong with Christopher Bell? Following back-to-back Championship 4 appearances, Bell showed his team’s potential with a top-five at Daytona but found trouble at Atlanta (P34) and Las Vegas (P33). Bell enters the Phoenix opener 21st in the points standings. Where will he be when the circuit returns in November?
First caution of the day. An early tire issue for Christopher Bell. https://t.co/iWPJQpxD5Y pic.twitter.com/dScNuT6PK0
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 3, 2024
Shriners Children’s 500 Driver Odds
Here is an early look at the drivers’ odds for the Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway, according to BetOnline Sportsbook:
| Driver | NASCAR Cup Series’ Shriners Children’s 500 Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | +550 |  |
| Ryan Blaney | +650 | |
| William Byron | +750 | |
| Ross Chastain | +850 | |
| Denny Hamlin | +900 | |
| Christopher Bell | +1100 | |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +1100 | |
| Kyle Busch | +1200 | |
| Joey Logano | +1400 | |
| Tyler Reddick | +1600 | |
| Ty Gibbs | +1600 | |
| Chase Elliott | +1800 | |
| Chase Briscoe | +2000 | |
| Chris Buescher | +2200 | |
| Brad Keselowski | +2200 | |
| Bubba Wallace | +2800 | |
| Alex Bowman | +3300 | |
| Josh Berry | +6600 | |
| Daniel Suarez | +6600 | |
| Erik Jones | +10000 | |
| Austin Dillon | +10000 | |
| Ryan Preece | +10000 | |
| Michael McDowell | +10000 | |
| Noah Gragson | +10000 | |
| Austin Cindric | +15000 | |
| John Hunter Nemechek | +20000 | |
| Carson Hocevar | +20000 | |
| Corey LaJoie | +20000 | |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | +30000 | |
| Daniel Hemric | +50000 | |
| Zane Smith | +50000 | |
| Justin Haley | +50000 | |
| Harrison Burton | +50000 | |
| Todd Gilliland | +50000 | |
| Kaz Grala | +100000 | |
| Derek Kraus | +100000 | |
*Odds current at time of publication
Shriners Children’s 500 Predictions, Picks, Best Bets
Here are our best NASCAR bets for the Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway:
Kyle Larson (+550)
The easy bet, right? Larson led 181 laps and swept both stages at Las Vegas. He returns to the 1-mile low-banked tri-oval track where he clinched his 2021 title. Enough said?
Ryan Blaney (+650)
After back-to-back third-place finishes, is it time for the reigning Cup champ to clinch an early playoff spot? He tasted success at Phoenix last November, why not again?
Noah Gragson (+10000)
This week’s (real) longshot appears to be adjusting well to his new environment. Coming off a P6 at Las Vegas, Gragson has two top-10s this season after a DNF at Atlanta. Can he take the next step and clinch first his Cup win?
.@NoahGragson impressed this weekend at his home track, earning his second top-10 finish of the season.
The confidence is building for the No. 10 team. pic.twitter.com/2QlagW5rdw
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 5, 2024
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