Xfinity 500 Predictions: Hendrick Teammates Battle Each Other

• Hendrick teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron go head-to-head

• Denny Hamlin brings an excellent Martinsville record to Sunday’s race

• Consistent Christopher Bell seeks his first victory of the Cup Playoffs

Xfinity 500 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 Xfinity 500

• Christopher Bell to win the race at +1200 via bet365

• Joey Logano to finish in the top three at +450 via bet365      

• Austin Dillon to finish in the top five at +1600 via bet365

Xfinity 500 Predictions

Hendrick Teammates in Pitched Battle for Final Championship 4 Spots

Three Hendrick Motorsports drivers are still alive in the race for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Championship 4 season finale.

That’s the good news. The flip side is that none of the three - Kyle Larson, William Byron and Chase Elliott - may make it to Phoenix Raceway with a chance to win the series title.

Byron is in the best shape entering Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway. He’s seven points above the current cutoff for the Championship 4, but a victory by any driver below the line - Larson or Elliott, for example - could jeopardize his chances.

Larson won the elimination races in the Round of 16 and Round of 12, and he has a victory and two second-place results in his last four Martinsville starts. But we’re not picking him as co-favorite at +450 via bet365 Sportsbook.

Nor do we like Byron at +900 at bet365 or Elliott at +800 at bet365. Last in the standings and 43 points below the current cutoff, Elliott must win to advance, and we don’t see it happening. Based on our choice for the race winner, we expect Byron and Larson to vie for the final Championship 4 berth - but not for the race win.

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Denny Hamlin Has Superb Record at Martinsville, But Where’s the Speed?

Denny Hamlin entered the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season exuding confidence. It was justified, as the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing won three of the first 11 races.

Since then, Hamlin cars haven’t exhibited the same level of speed that carried them to the three wins. Hamlin hasn’t won since Dover in April, and he likely must forge a victory at Martinsville to advance to the Championship 4.

On the positive side, Hamlin leads all active full-time NASCAR Cup drivers with five Martinsville victories. On the other hand, he hasn’t won at the track since 2015.

Accordingly, we can’t recommend Hamlin as co-favorite at +450 via bet365. Hamlin has been close lately, but the performance hasn’t been enough to get him to Victory Lane.

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Christopher Bell Has Been the Most Consistent Driver in the Playoffs

It’s safe to say that Christopher Bell is due for a victory. In eight Playoff races so far, he has finished outside the top seven only once.

In his last three starts, Bell has finished second twice and fourth once. Heading into the Round of 8 elimination race at Martinsville, Bell is 29 points above the cutoff for the Championship 4, in the best position to join Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick, who already have qualified for the season finale with victories at Las Vegas and Homestead, respectively.

In 2022, Bell won at Martinsville to advance in the Playoffs, and we think he’ll repeat the feat on Sunday. Why he’s offered at +1200 via bet365 given his recent results is beyond us, but we’ll try to make the most of the oddsmakers’ largesse.

We also like Logano to finish in the top three at +450 via bet365 and Austin Dillon to run top-five at +1600 via bet365, given that Goodyear is bringing a tire combination with considerable fall-off - similar to tires in use at North Wilkesboro and Richmond, where Logano and Dillon won respective races earlier this season.

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How to Watch the Xfinity 500

• What: Xfinity 500 NASCAR Cup Series race

• Where: Martinsville Speedway

• When: Sunday, November 3, 2 p.m. ET

• How to Watch: NBC