NASCAR: Top two favorites switching seats for Charlotte race
By Asher Fair
Kaulig Racing Xfinity Series teammates A.J. Allmendinger and Shane van Gisbergen are both set to compete in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, marking the first time this season in which they have both competed in back-to-back Cup Series events.
Allmendinger and van Gisbergen have both spent time behind Kaulig Racing's chartered No. 16 Chevrolet in 2024, and Allmendinger has driven the non-chartered No. 13 Chevrolet whenever the team have added a third entry.
At Talladega Superspeedway, van Gisbergen made his ninth start of the year, all in the No. 16 car, and Allmendinger made his 14th, which was his fourth in the No. 13 car. He remains the only driver to drive the No. 13 car this year.
But that is set to change this weekend at Charlotte.
Allmendinger is the reigning race winner at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. He drove the No. 16 Chevrolet full-time a year ago, and he has been moved back to the No. 16 car for Sunday afternoon's 109-lap race around the 17-turn, 2.28-mile (3.669-kilometer) Concord, North Carolina track. Van Gisbergen is set to drive the No. 13 Chevrolet for the first time in 2024.
These two drivers are the two betting favorites to win Sunday's race at FanDuel Sportsbook, with van Gisbergen listed at +500 and Allmendinger listed at +800.
Van Gisbergen, who won the inaugural Chicago Street Course race last year to become the first driver to win his Cup Series debut since 1963, finished runner-up in the series' most recent road course race at Watkins Glen International.
All three of Allmendinger's career victories have come on road courses. He won at Watkins Glen in 2014 and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in 2021 before winning at the Charlotte Roval last October.
Listed behind the two Kaulig Racing teammates in the top five for Sunday's race are the two championship co-favorites, Hendrick Motorsports' Kyle Larson at +850 and Joe Gibbs Racing's Christopher Bell at +1100, and Hendrick Motorsports' William Byron at +1100.
Next. NASCAR: One driver has already advanced, despite not winning. NASCAR: One driver has already advanced, despite not winning. dark
NBC is set to provide live coverage of the Bank of America Roval 400 from the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, October 13. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss any of the action from the final road course race on the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule!
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