NASCAR Pick ‘Em is open to give you an opportunity to win prizes and bragging rights in the NBC Sports Predictor app.
When NASCAR implemented stage racing in 2017, they changed how drivers and teams approached racing. With race points on the line and a playoff bonus point for winning stages, drivers have to 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 will 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.
Click here to head to the Predictor lobby and play
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Best Finish, Stage 1
Matchup: Aric Almirola, Christopher Bell, William Byron, Brad Keselowski
Keys: There is not a lot of strategy that goes into play at Darlington. If a caution waves, nearly everyone will pit and those that stay out will be passed quickly once the green flag waves. This is a chess match and drivers who best manage the race will win after remaining up front most of the race.
Edge: Keselowski. Experience matters and Kez has the most. He’s also scored points in the most stages among this group in the past three years.
Best Finish, Stage 2
Matchup: Alex Bowman, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano
Keys: Three of these drivers have been among the dominators at Darlington and Byron is part of the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports brigade. Oddly enough, none of them have scored a stage win in the last three years, but we’d give even money that will change.
Edge: Hamlin. He has something to prove this weekend and cannot afford to get off to a slow start in the playoffs. He’ll be up front all afternoon.
Best Finish, Final Stage
Matchup: Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson
Keys: Playoff drivers will dominate the top five when the checkers wave. In fact, NBC analyst Steve Letarte predicts the entirety of the top 10 will belong to them. All of these drivers are handicapped among the top 10 in this week’s Best Bets post, but there is a clear favorite.
Edge: Larson. He’s our favorite to win as well as the oddsmakers’ and that will obviously top this group.
Top-three, Race Results
There won’t be a surprise winner this week, but there may be a surprise contender. Larson and Busch will like push one another for the win. Kevin Harvick could easily slip into the third slot this week given his recent record of dominance at Darlington.
Segment Points and Wins, 2021
Driver | Segment | Segment | Segments earning |
290 | 12 | 40 | |
283 | 5 | 42 | |
262 | 5 | 29 | |
209 | 3 | 34 | |
200 | 3 | 34 | |
189 | 5 | 33 | |
Martin Truex, Jr. | 166 | 5 | 26 |
158 | 4 | 24 | |
145 | 2 | 27 | |
132 | 3 | 25 | |
111 | 3 | 20 | |
107 | 22 | ||
105 | 23 | ||
105 | 23 | ||
78 | 21 | ||
52 | 1 | 14 | |
43 | 1 | 9 | |
42 | 1 | 12 | |
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. | 40 | 10 | |
38 | 6 | ||
37 | 9 | ||
35 | 6 | ||
30 | 6 | ||
24 | 6 | ||
22 | 5 | ||
19 | 3 | ||
15 | 2 | ||
14 | 3 | ||
14 | 3 | ||
12 | 4 | ||
10 | 3 | ||
9 | 2 | ||
4 | 2 | ||
3 | 1 | ||
1 | 1 |
NASCAR Pick ‘Em: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Daytona 2)
DFS Gems: Southern 500 (Darlington 2)
DFS Gems: Ally 400 (Nashville)
