NASCAR: One driver absent from Watkins Glen odds

The odds list for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race is missing one driver, but it’s not hard to see why as an official announcement looms.

Watkins Glen International is set to host the fifth and final road course race of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series regular season this Sunday.

The Go Bowling at The Glen is the penultimate race of the 26-race regular season schedule, with Daytona International Speedway scheduled to host the finale next Saturday night under the lights.

WynnBET released the odds for this 90-lap race around the eight-turn, 2.454-mile (3.949-kilometer) Watkins Glen, New York road course earlier this week, and the drivers toward the top of the list surprise absolutely nobody.

Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott leads the way at +425, having won two of the last three races at the track and being the sport’s active road course leader with seven victories, ahead of Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick at +500.

Reddick has won the two most recent road course races at Road America and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Prior to those races, he had never won a Cup race.

Reigning Watkins Glen International race winner Kyle Larson gives Hendrick Motorsports two of the top three spots, sitting in third place at +700.

Here are the full odds for Sunday’s race, courtesy of WynnBET.

NOTE: +425 means a successful $100 bet wins $425 ($525 payout).

• Chase Elliott: +425
• Tyler Reddick: +500
• Kyle Larson: +700
• Ross Chastain: +750
• Austin Cindric: +750
• A.J. Allmendinger: +800
• Daniel Suarez: +900
• Ryan Blaney: +1000
• Chase Briscoe: +1100
• Christopher Bell: +1200
• Martin Truex Jr.: +1200
• Chris(topher) Buescher: +1500
• Denny Hamlin: +1500
• Kyle Busch: +1750
• Kevin Harvick: +1750
• William Byron: +2000
• Joey Logano: +2000
• Alex Bowman: +2250
• Michael McDowell: +2250
• Brad Keselowski: +2500
• Kimi Raikkonen: +3000
• Cole Custer: +7500
• Austin Dillon: +7500
• Erik Jones: +7500
• Bubba Wallace: +7500
• Aric Almirola: +10000
• Harrison Burton: +10000
• Todd Gilliland: +10000
• Justin Haley: +10000
• Ty Dillon: +15000
• Joey Hand: +15000
• Loris Hezemans: +1500
• Daniil Kvyat: +15000
• Corey LaJoie: +15000
• Mike Rockenfeller: +15000
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +15000
• Kyle Tilley: +15000
• Cody Ware: +15000

However, there is one driver (or two if you choose to see it that way) notably absent from this list, and that is 23XI Racing’s Kurt Busch.

Busch is the full-time driver of the #45 Toyota, but he has been sidelined since his qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway, which left him suffering from concussion-like symptoms. He is striving to return, but he has no plans to rush his recovery.

Ty Gibbs, who is also not listed, has filled in for him for the last four races and could be called upon to do so again, with the NASCAR Xfinity Series also set to race at Watkins Glen International this weekend.

Busch was listed on the 39-car entry list as the driver of the #45 Toyota, but an official decision did not come from him on Wednesday like it has over the last few weeks.

Could it be a good sign that we haven’t gotten one when we are accustomed to getting them, or could it be a bad sign that perhaps he doesn’t currently see himself competing and is waiting it out an extra day to try to change that?

Regardless, expect a decision soon.

Tune in to USA Network this Sunday, August 21 for the live broadcast of the Go Bowling at The Glen from Watkins Glen International. Start a free trial of FuboTV today!