There are only three races left before the end of the regular season of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series. A couple of drivers have already secured a spot in the playoffs, but there are some who need to do well in the remaining three events to secure a top 16 finish. This is why we expect the Federated Auto Parts 400 race in Richmond to be extremely exciting.
The race is run on Sunday, August 14 at Richmond Raceway, Virginia, with the start time being 3:00 PM ET. Drivers are required to complete a total of 400 laps over a .75-mile-long track. It’s a short track that’s also used for the Toyota Owners 400 race, which was won by Denny Hamlin in April. Can he triumph in Richmond again?
Oddsmakers think he could pull it off. They see him as the #2 favorite, right being Martin Truex Jr. Kyle Busch is third, followed by Christopher Bell. The only other driver who’s given odds shorter than +1000 is the Drivers’ Championship leader Chase Elliott.
Federated Auto Parts 400 NASCAR Odds
DriverOddsMartin Truex Jr.+550Denny Hamlin+600Kyle Busch+700Christopher Bell+750Chase Elliott+900Kyle Larson+1000Ross Chastain+1200Ryan Blaney+1200Bubba Wallace+1500Joey Logano+1500Kevin Harvick+1600William Byron+1600Tyler Reddick+2000Alex Bowman+2400Daniel Suarez+2700
*Odds taken from FanDuel on Friday, August 12Where and When to WatchDate: Sunday, August 14Time: 3:00 PM EDTLocation: Richmond Raceway, VirginiaWatch: USA NetworkMartin Truex Jr. Favored to Win the Race Again
Martin Truex Jr. is the man who won the Federated Auto Parts 400 last year, which was his second win in this event in his career. Oddsmakers think he’ll add another win to his tally this Sunday, and it’s not just that he seems to love racing at Richmond Raceway.
It’s also because he’s been in good form lately, grabbing a top 10 finish in three of his previous four races. Truex Jr., however, is without a single win this season. Maybe August 14 is when the wait ends?
Denny Hamlin Needs to Do Well on Sunday
Hamlin is currently 17th in the Drivers Championship standings but knowing that Austin Cindric (who has 7 points more) has retired, the 41-year-old NASCAR legend is in the playoff zone. However, his job isn’t finished as there are several drivers breathing by his neck, including Aric Almirola, Bubba Wallace, and Kurt Busch.
Things would be different if Hamlin didn’t end up without his win at Pocono after NASCAR’s commission found some irregularities while inspecting his vehicle post-race. It was a shock surely, but it didn’t affect Hamlin too much. Although he did 7BALL n’t do great in the following race (#14 at the Brickyard), he ended up on the podium last weekend – Hamlin finished third in the 2022 FireKeepers Casino 400.
Can he do something similar at Richmond Raceway? We think he can, as this guy just loves short tracks. In fact, he already has three Federated Auto Parts 400 wins in his portfolio. On top of that, he is the winner of the 2022 Toyota Owners 400, which is also run in Richmond.
Federated Auto Parts 400 NASCAR Prediction
Martin Truex Jr. or Denny Hamlin – we think one of these two will win Sunday’s race. What we’re even more certain of is that one (or both) of them will end up on the podium.
Picks:Denny Hamlin to WinMartin Truex Jr. – Top 3 Finish
