Virginia is for Denny Hamlin.
The driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota is fresh off his second NASCAR Cup Series win of the season, with both of them coming at state short tracks – Bristol and Richmond.
Now, the Virginia native is the favorite heading into the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway – the third Cup race in the commonwealth in the last four weeks.
Hamlin has already won at the half-mile, paper-clip track five times in his career, which is the most of any active Cup driver that will be in Sunday’s lineup. But his last win was in 2015.
FrontPageBets takes a look at the drivers to watch in the Cook Out 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday (3 p.m., FS1).
(All odds courtesy of BetMGM and are subject to change)
Martinsville Pick To Win: Denny Hamlin (+250)
Sure, he hasn’t won at Martinsville in nine years, but Hamlin is having one of the best starts to any season in his 20-year career.
And with another short-track race this weekend, there’s a lot to like in picking Hamlin.
Since 1997, Hamlin, according to NASCAR, is one of four drivers to win on at least three short tracks (less than a mile) in a single season, joining Jimmie Johnson (four in 2007), Kyle Busch (three in both 2009 and 2018) and Martin Truex Jr. (three in 2019). Hamlin accomplished his feat in 2010.
To go along with his five career wins at Martinsville, Hamlin also has 19 top-5 and 25 top-10 finishes, including three top-5s in the last three starts.
He’s led 2,382 career laps at the 0.526-mile track.
Top-5 Martinsville Pick: Martin Truex Jr. (+125)
Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, leads the Cup Series in points and led 228 of the 407 laps last week at Richmond.
At Martinsville, Truex has three career victories to go along with 10 top-5 finishes in 36 starts. He finished third in last season’s spring race.
Longshot Martinsville Pick: Chase Elliott (+1200)
It’s not often that former Cup champion Chase Elliott is considered a longshot, but at these odds, it’s not a bad bet.
It’s been a disappointing season so far for Elliott, who has just one top 5, which came last week at Richmond. His only other top 10 this year was eighth at Bristol.
Elliott, the driver of the No. 9 Hendricks Motorsports Chevy, has one career win at Martinsville – in the 2022 spring race. In 17 starts at the half-mile track, he’s nabbed 10 top-10s, including five top-5s. He’s also led over 1,000 laps.
Martinsville NASCAR driver favorites
Denny Hamlin +250
Kyle Larson +125
Martin Truex Jr. +750
Ryan Blaney +750
Christopher Bell +900
Ty Gibbs +900
Joey Logano +1200
Chase Elliott +1200
William Byron +1400
Bubba Wallace +1600
Gambling problem? There is help. Call 1-800-522-4700 or visit the National Council on Problem Gambling for help.
You must be over 21 to play. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700. 1-800 GAMBLER.
Mike Szvetitz is the General Manager and Content Director for FrontPageBets.com. Szvetitz is a 24-year veteran reporter and editor, including serving 17 years as a sports editor in Florida, Alabama and Virginia, covering everything from preps to pros. His "View From The Lazy Boy" column won multiple state and national awards. He can be reached at mszvetitz@timesdispatch.com.
