Drive for the Cure 250 Predictions: A Battle of Xfinity Road Course Titans

• Newcomer Shane van Gisbergen is the heavy favorite, but there’s a catch

• AJ Allmendinger is 4-for-4 in Xfinity races at the Charlotte Road Course

• Sam Mayer is and underrated road course competitor—it’s in his blood

Drive for the Cure 250 Betting Odds

The following odds are taken from bet365 Sportsbook. Use our promo code WSN365 at bet365 to claim your bonus of choice: $1,000 Safety Net Bet OR $150 in Bonus Bets.

Our Picks for the Drive for the Cure 250

• Sam Mayer to win the race at +1200 via bet365

• Sam Mayer to finish in the top three at +400 via bet365

• Parker Kligerman to finish in the top three at +650 via bet365

• Parker Kligerman to beat Cole Custer head-to-head at +110 via bet365

Drive for the Cure 250 Predictions

Kiwi Road Course Ace Is Favored, But There’s a Fly in the Ointment

How much respect is New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen getting for his road course prowess?

Not only is he the favorite to win Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff race at worse than even odds, but he also holds favorite status in the NASCAR Cup race the following day.

SVG (-110 via bet365) has the credentials to justify his position at the top of the board. He won the 2023 Chicago Street Race in his NASCAR debut.

As a full-time Xfinity Series driver this season, van Gisbergen has three road-course wins to his credit, but the Charlotte “Roval” is more than just a road course.

“It’s going to be a big challenge, as it’s not like anything I’ve ever driven before,” van Gisbergen said. “The track is a hybrid, not really a road course, and the cars are compromised to run on the oval as well. Going to be a fun weekend, but also going to be tough.”

As noted, the Roval uses a large portion of the banked oval in its design, and though SVG has made huge progress on oval tracks, that could be the “X” factor.

Talent aside, we can’t recommend van Gisbergen at -110 at bet365—not against a 37-car field.

Get $1,000 Safety Net Bet at bet365

AJ Allmendinger Looks to Extend Perfect Record at the Roval

Another reason to look askance at Shane van Gisbergen is the presence of AJ Allmendinger, who has won all four of his NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the Roval.

Allmendinger added a Cup win at the 2.28-mile, 17-turn road course last year, and he’s clearly at home on the hybrid track, which has undergone significant reconfigurations in Turns 6, 7 and 16 this year.

There are two knocks against the Dinger, however. First, his Kaulig Racing cars haven’t shown the speed they carried last year.

Second, and perhaps because of the lack of speed, Allmendinger hasn’t had the swagger he normally displays at road courses. Unlike van Gisbergen, AJ is winless on such circuit this season.

Allmendinger is eighth in the Playoff standings, just seven points above the current cutoff for the next round. Accordingly, he may be inclined to play Saturday’s race conservatively, accumulating stage points rather than going all-out for the win.

Hence, we can’t back him at +300 via bet365, even though he’s a better bet than van Gisbergen at their relative puny odds.

Visit bet365 and Claim Your Bonus Today

Sam Mayer Has Huge Incentive to Go Back-to-Back on Saturday

With AJ Allmendinger absent from last year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Charlotte Roval, Sam Mayer took charge.

The JR Motorsports driver started from the pole position, led 50 of 67 laps and beat runner-up Cole Custer to the finish line by 0.909 seconds.

With the Xfinity Series Playoff field set to be trimmed from 12 drivers to eight on Saturday, Mayer, the son of former IndyCar Series driver Scott Mayer, is 11th in the standings, 13 points below the cutoff. His surest way to make the next round is by winning the race.

As the defending race winner, we think Mayer is undervalued at +1200 via bet365. We also like him to finish in the top three at +400, just in case Allmendinger and Shane van Gisbergen live up to expectations and slug it out for the win.

Use WSN365 for $1,000 Safety Net Bet at bet365

How to Watch the Drive for the Cure 250

• Race: Drive for the Cure 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race

• Location: Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course

• Time: Saturday, October 12, 4 p.m. ET

• How to Watch: The CW