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The biggest weekend of racing is gets underway with the Indy 500 and continues with the Coke 600. There are two opportunities to win your weekly bet, and there are two chances to take some of NBC’s money with an Indy Predictor game this week. Be aware that the Coke 600 has four segments instead of three and that changes the statistics a little, but the games is designed to choose who is strongest at the completion of Stages 1 and 2.
When NASCAR implemented stage racing in 2017, they changed how drivers and teams approached each weekend. With race points on the line and a playoff bonus point for winning stages, drivers must decide if it is worth racing hard to win the stage, or if they want to employ some other strategy.
The free-to-play NASCAR Pick ‘Em game is simple to play, but with equally matched drivers in each stage, it’s not always easy to determine who will lead their group. Each week, players pick one of four drivers to finish best in Stage 1, Stage 2, and when the checkers wave.
Participants can compete for weekly cash prizes, with a $10,000 jackpot available for any participants who earn a perfect score. There will also be at least $1,000 awarded each week in guaranteed cash and prizes, even if there is no player with a perfect score.
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Best Finish, Stage 1
Matchup: Aric Almirola, Kurt Busch, Austin Cindric, Martin Truex, Jr.
Keys: Given how strong he’s been on this track type in the past, the temptation is strong to take Truex in this group. Over the course of the past three years, he’s earned more than twice as many segment points as Busch. Meanwhile, Almirola and Cindric have not earned any stage points in the past three years.
Edge: Busch. He has momentum on his side after winning the last points’ paying race in Kansas and also Stage 2 of the AdventHealth 400 of that event.
Best Finish, Stage 2
Matchup: Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace
Keys: Four drivers with four different teams make up the Stage 2 options, which will run its course at the halfway mark of the race. This early in the event, each should still have an intact car without any strain on the powerplant and the top spots will go to drivers who are positioning themselves for a strong run to the checkers.
Edge: Bowman. Hendrick Motorsports has been so strong at Charlotte Motor Speedway that it’s hard to ignore them under any conditions. Add the fact that Bowman has three stage wins in the past three years on this track and is tied with his teammate Chase Elliott for the most segment points (70) and he carries the day. Ky. Busch is a close second with 64 points earned.
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Best Finish, Final Stage
Matchup: Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick
Keys: The Coke 600 typically goes to marquee teams and drivers, but dark horses have galloped to some strong runs as well. If strategy plays a role, we think the Richard Childress Racing team has the best record of success there.
Edge: Blaney. On the other hand, it’s difficult to ignore the marquee drivers and realistically the battle will probably come down to either Team Penske or Hendrick. Blaney was on the chip last week in Texas and he’s going to carry that attitude to NASCAR’s home track.
Top-three, Race Results
Elliott has the best record of recent Charlotte results while Kyle Larson has finished first or second in his last three unrestricted 1.5-mile races. We like them in that order, but use your best judgment. Ky. Busch has unfinished business from the All-Star Race and should slot into third.
Segment Points and Wins, 2022
Driver | Segment Points | Segment Wins | Segments earning points |
124 | 2 | 19 | |
120 | 3 | 17 | |
101 | 4 | 16 | |
98 | 1 | 18 | |
92 | 3 | 13 | |
91 | 1 | 17 | |
88 | 2 | 14 | |
80 | 1 | 13 | |
73 | 12 | ||
55 | 1 | 10 | |
53 | 2 | 9 | |
48 | 2 | 9 | |
48 | 10 | ||
43 | 1 | 7 | |
32 | 1 | 5 | |
32 | 7 | ||
29 | 1 | 8 | |
29 | 7 | ||
28 | 8 | ||
27 | 9 | ||
26 | 6 | ||
25 | 1 | 6 | |
25 | 6 | ||
19 | 3 | ||
9 | 3 | ||
9 | 3 | ||
9 | 2 | ||
9 | 1 | ||
5 | 1 | ||
3 | 1 |
Segment Points and Wins, Charlotte oval, last three years
Driver | Segment | Segments | Segment |
70 | 10 | 3 | |
70 | 10 | ||
64 | 9 | ||
48 | 8 | ||
47 | 8 | 2 | |
41 | 6 | 1 | |
40 | 7 | ||
38 | 8 | ||
33 | 5 | 3 | |
28 | 8 | ||
24 | 3 | 2 | |
22 | 5 | ||
19 | 5 | ||
16 | 4 | ||
11 | 3 | ||
10 | 2 | ||
8 | 1 | ||
4 | 2 | ||
3 | 2 | ||
JH Nemechek | 3 | 1 | |
3 | 1 | ||
2 | 1 | ||
1 | 1 |
NASCAR Predictor:
2022 AdventHealth 400 [Kansas 1]
Pennzoil 400 [Las Vegas 1]
IndyCar: Indy 500
