The NASCAR Cup Series season rolls into June for today's Enjoy Illinois 300 (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1) at World Wide Technology Raceway, which is still referred to as Gateway by many NASCAR fans.
According to live NASCAR odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, Denny Hamlin (+450) is the favorite for Sunday's race at Gateway, followed by last week's winner Ryan Blaney at +650, with five drivers just behind at +750.
After looking at data from similar tracks this season, as well as speeds during yesterday's practice sessions, here's my favorite bet for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Gateway.
NASCAR Pick for Gateway
*Odds as of Sunday morning
There are too many unknowns for me heading into today's race to feel confident building a big betting card, but NASCAR odds for Alex Bowman to score a top-10 finish have piqued my interest enough to take a position.
Bowman was already on my radar based on the speed he showed at Phoenix and Richmond earlier this year.
In those two races, which are important because they're both short, flat tracks (like Gateway) and ran the same tire combo that teams will use today, Bowman posted the fifth-best average finish and sixth-best driver rating.
That pace seems to have carried over to this weekend at Gateway, evidenced by Bowman's fifth-fastest 10-lap average in practice on Saturday.
And while the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy managed just an 18th-place starting spot in qualifying, the discount on Bowman scoring a top-10 finish at +130 NASCAR odds (Caesars) has convinced me to get down on this price tag.
The bet: Bowman (+130) for a top-10 finish via Caesars
