NASCAR betting: Change in Cup Chase rules means change in betting

NASCAR betting: Change in Cup Chase rules means change in betting The Cup Series Chase gets underway this week at Darlington Raceway with the Cook Out Southern 500. The circuit is affectionately known as the “Lady in Black,” a 1.366‑mile oval that has hosted NASCAR events since 1950 and remains one of the relatively few twice‑a‑year dates on the Cup Series calendar. The opening Darlington event of the season occurred on March 22, when Tyler Reddick secured his fourth victory in a six‑race stretch. Although he has won only once since, his recent performance at the track makes him a driver to watch as the Chase begins. This year’s Chase consists of ten races and features a completely revised format. There are no rounds and no automatic berths for race winners, meaning all 16 qualifiers stay active throughout the postseason. The term “alive” is relative; some drivers will likely fall off the pace as the races unfold, but the new structure should keep competition alive among the leading contenders as the season progresses into fall. The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase schedule is as follows: - Cook Out Southern 500 (Darlington) – September 6 - Enjoy Illinois 300 (World Wide Technology Raceway) – September 13 - Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Bristol) – September 19 - Hollywood Casino 400 (Kansas) – September 27 - South Point 400 (Las Vegas) – October 4 - Bank of America 400 (Charlotte) – October 11 - Freeway Insurance 500 (Phoenix) – October 18 - Yellawood 500 (Talladega) – October 25 - Xfinity 500 (Martinsville) – November 1 - Straight Talk Wireless 400 (Homestead‑Miami) – November 8 Fans in the Valley are certainly looking guardant to the October 4 event, which sits just up I‑15. Alongside the removal of stage points and automatic qualification for the next round, the scoring system has been overhauled. Previously, drivers earned playoff points through wins, bonuses and stage points accumulated during the regular season. Under the new format, the Chase standings are reset, with the 16 participants beginning with point totals ranging from 2,000 to 2,100. The starting points are: - Denny Hamlin – 2100 - Ryan Blaney – 2075 - Tyler Reddick – 2065 - Ty Gibbs – 2060 - Chase Briscoe – 2055 - Christopher Bell – 2050 - Chase Elliott – 2045 - Kyle Larson – 2040 - Joey Logano – 2035 - Chris Buescher – 2030 - Daniel Suarez – 2025 - Carson Hocevar – 2020 - William Byron – 2015 - Bubba Wallace – 2010 - Austin Cindric – 2005 - Ryan Preece – 2000 The regular‑season race winners were Reddick (5), Hamlin (4), Blaney (3), Chase Elliott (2), Shane van Gisbergen (2), Corey Heim (2), Gibbs (2), Logano (2), Daniel Suarez, Carson Hocevar, Chase Briscoe and Ryan Preece. Preece’s triumph arrived at the perfect moment; his victory last week in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona took van Gisbergen’s playoff spot and locked Preece into the Chase. Attention now turns to Darlington, where recent history highlights a handful of familiar names. Over the last ten races at the track, Hamlin and Briscoe are the only multiple winners, each with two victories. The other winners in that span are Erik Jones, Brad Keselowski, Larson, Reddick, Byron and Logano. Average finish figures show Hamlin (9.1) and Reddick (9.6) as the top performers across those ten events. Reddick posted six top‑5 finishes and seven top‑10s, while Hamlin recorded four top‑5s and six top‑10s. Buescher has also cracked the top ten seven times, though only one of those finishes came inside the top five. Byron boasts a strong pedigree at Darlington, having led 328 laps and notched six top‑5 results. Unsurprisingly, Hamlin enters the weekend as the favorite, priced at roughly or just under 5‑1 across most betting markets. Reddick’s success at Darlington places him as the second choice, slightly above the 5‑1 line. Biscoe attracts some of the shortest odds in the field, hovering near 6‑1 depending on the sportsbook. Larson and Blaney remain the other drivers listed at single‑digit odds. Throughout the Chase, the championship market will merit close watch. Hamlin