While DraftKings Sportsbook has yet to publish their updated NASCAR Cup Series championship odds following Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, we don't think we're going out on a limb by suggesting that Kyle Larson will unseat Denny Hamlin as the new favorite. Hamlin has been the favorite since May.
The current run of three straight races on 1.5-mile intermediate ovals was supposed to present Hamlin with his best chance to retake the points lead from Larson and build up his gap before the final four races of the year.
Instead, Larson turned his one-point lead over Hamlin into a 26-point lead, thanks to the first perfect 76-point outing for any driver in 2026. Hamlin still finished third, but it was not enough to keep Larson from gaining significant ground.
But if Larson does become the new favorite, he won't be the week's only new championship favorite to win a NASCAR title.
NASCAR Truck Series has a new title favorite
Front Row Motorsports' Layne Riggs, who won a series-high six races during the 18-race regular season, has been the favorite to win the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season for much of the year. But after finishes of 32nd at Bristol Motor Speedway and 19th at Kansas to start the seven-race postseason, that is no longer the case.
Riggs' points lead over Tricon Garage's Kaden Honeycutt was 99 to conclude the regular season, although it was reset to 25 to begin the playoffs, based on a predetermined set of bonus point values tied exclusively to the regular season standings.
It dropped to three points after Bristol, which saw Honeycutt finish eighth. Now the lead belongs to Honeycutt, and it's no small gap, either; following his third win of the year at Kansas, which saw him sweep the stages, Honeycutt owns a 37-point lead over Riggs with five races remaining on the schedule.
And he's now officially the new favorite to win the title.
At DraftKings Sportsbook, Honeycutt is listed at +140 to win the championship, just ahead of Riggs at +190. Front Row Motorsports' Chandler Smith is the only other driver listed with odds shorter than +1000, and he's at +550. Smith is currently third in the standings, 71 points behind Honeycutt.
Full championship odds can be found at DraftKings Sportsbook and are always subject to change.
The Truck Series has off this coming weekend for the final time this season. The Ecosave 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway is set to kick off a stretch of five races in 29 days to conclude the 2026 season and decide the championship. Live coverage is set to be provided by Fox, which hasn't aired a Truck Series race since February, beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET on Friday, October 9. Start a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss it!
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