NASCAR: Top 5 remaining favorites to win the championship

Just one more round of NASCAR Cup Series playoffs remains until the Championship 4. Who are the favorites to bring home the trophy?

The semifinal round of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs is scheduled to get underway this afternoon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the South Point 400.

Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron, the March winner at the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Las Vegas, Nevada oval, enters the round of 8 sitting atop the point standings thanks to his series-high playoff point total of 41, a total that would be even higher if not for a penalty.

Byron is also the favorite to win this year’s championship, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, which is giving fans an instant $200 just for betting $5 on any one of the eight remaining drivers to win the title — win or lose.

Byron is one of six remaining contenders who has never won a championship, though with a series-best six wins this season — three more than the next closest drivers — and wins at all four tracks remaining on this year’s schedule, he has certainly earned the right to be considered the favorite.

The only two remaining contenders who are former champions are Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, who is listed as the second favorite, and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr., the regular season champion who is currently lists in a tie for third with teammate Denny Hamlin. Larson won the 2021 title, while Truex won it in 2017.

Hamlin owns the all-time NASCAR Cup Series record for wins without a championship, a record he will be hoping to give back to the late Junior Johnson three weeks from today.

Larson, Truex, and Hamlin also own victories at all four tracks remaining on this year’s schedule, including Las Vegas, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, and Phoenix Raceway.

Rounding out the top five is RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher, whose three wins for a resurgent Ford team not many would have predicted heading into the season.

Top 5 NASCAR Cup Series championship favorites

The three remaining title contenders with longshot odds to win the championship are 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick (+1000), Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney (+1100), and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell (+1200).

Odds and availability are subject to change, so lock in your $200 now before it’s too late!

Las Vegas Motor Speedway is scheduled to host the South Point 400 beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET this Sunday, October 15, with live coverage set to be provided by NBC. If you have not yet begun a free trial of FuboTV, do so now!