At the onset of the season, Denny Hamlin was among the top NASCAR betting favorites for the championship. But Hamlin was not in the top tier of the public choices. Instead, it was Hendrick Motorsports teammates and recent champions Chase Elliott (2020) and Kyle Larson (2021). Blaney has become a lead contender for the NASCAR Cup. Hamlin, age 41, has not won a NASCAR Cup championship. However, he is widely regarded as one of the top drivers on the circuit. On Saturday night, NASCAR returns to Saturday Night short track racing roots.
2022 NASCAR Cup Series Blue Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400
| Date and Time: | Saturday, April 9, 2022, 7:30 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Virginia |
| TV Coverage: | FS1 |
| Last Year’s Winner: | Martin Truex Jr |
| NASCAR Cup Series Betting Online Odds at SBG: | Click Here |
Blue Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 SBG Odds Overview
At the beginning, the Blue Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 was run without a title sponsor in 1950. This race marks the third consecutive year that Blue Emu will sponsor the sportsbook event. Richard “The King” Petty is the all-time leader with nine checkered flags at this event. Last year, Martin Truex Jr. took the checkers for the second consecutive year.
Namely, the Martinsville Speedway is best known as “The Paperclip.” It is .526 miles in length and features two drag strip straightaways with short and tight turns. Thus, the paperclip shape of the track. Martinsville Speedway was opened in 1947 and is the ultimate throwback track.
2022 NASCAR Cup Standings Leaders and Top Contenders
All Drivers with Seven Starts in 2022
1st – #12 Ryan Blaney – Ford – Team Penske
First place Ryan Blaney has not won a race this season but has four top-10s. Blaney has won three stages on the season. Blaney has 12 career Martinsville starts with six top-10s and an average finish of 10.75.
2nd – #9 Chase Elliott – Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports
Second place Chase Elliott has gone winless in 2022 as well. He has four top-10s on the season. Elliott has 13 Martinsville starts with one win and seven top-10s, and an average finish of 13.69.
3rd- #19 Martin Truex – Toyota – Joe Gibbs Racing
This season, Martin Truex has one top-5, four top-10s, and three-stage wins. Specifically, at Martinsville, Truex has 32 starts, three wins, nine top-5s, 15 top-10s, and an average finish of 16.09.
4th – #24 William Byron – Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports
If Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson aren’t enough, the Hendrick Motorsports stable adds promising rookie William Byron. So far, Byron has one win, three top-5s, three top-10s, and two-stage wins.
5th – #22 Joey Logano – Ford – Team Penske
Thus far, Joey Logano has one top-5 and three top-10s. Logano has 26 Martinsville starts with one win, eight top-5s, and 14 top-10s with an average finish of 12.04.
6th – #1 Ross Chastain – Chevrolet – Trackhouse Racing Team
It follows that rookie Ross Chastain is flashing plenty of promise as well. Chastain has one win, four top-5s, and four top-10s with one stage win.
NASCAR Betting Odds Picks
Denny Hamlin is in 20th place but with momentum. Additionally, Kyle Busch is in 10th place. Both drivers rank as the best NASCAR Betting performers at Martinsville. Accordingly, Hamlin and Kyle have the experience, and the past wins make compelling choices.
NASCAR Betting Odds Online Pick: Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.