This was supposed to be the weekend NASCAR raced at Watkins Glen International, but travel restrictions in New York forced the circuit to look elsewhere. So now we have an event at the Daytona International Speedway’s road course — a layout on which the Cup Series has never competed, and where drivers will not practice before the green flag.

Unknowns, anyone? For drivers and NASCAR betting fans alike, Sunday’s race looms as a huge wild card. NASCAR is even prohibiting Cup Series drivers from competing in one of the support events, so nobody gains any extra track time. In a unique situation like this, it’s wise to stick with drivers who have proven themselves in past road course races. They have the best chance of figuring out this 14-turn, 3.56-mile circuit, which is familiar to some racing fans as the course for Daytona’s annual 24-hour sportscar endurance race — with one slight modification.

Go Bowling 235 Betting Odds To Back

Note: Odds current as of publication. Compare the latest NASCAR odds here.

Martin Truex Jr. to Win

One of NASCAR’s best road racers, Truex has victories at each of the two traditional road layouts on the Cup circuit — three at Sonoma and one at Watkins Glen. He has won the past two events at Sonoma and finished first, second and second in his past three at The Glen. Truex is co-odds favorite with Chase Elliott, but Truex has more experience and is on a better run as of late, with four consecutive third-place finishes entering this weekend. Bet on Truex at FOX Bet.

Chase Elliott Top 3

Elliott is no slouch on road courses, having won the past two races at Watkins Glen. He also has two top-eight finishes in four career starts at Sonoma. He excels on the high-speed Daytona oval, whose first, second and third turns are incorporated into the road course, though everyone will be challenged by a tight new chicane off Turn 4. Still, Elliott’s road course resume is good enough to have confidence in a high finish. Ride Elliott at DraftKings .

Kevin Harvick Top 3

Round out your lead triumvirate with Harvick. He’s not exactly a road course expert, but he has handled himself very well on tracks with right and left turns. Harvick has a victory and five straight top-six finishes at Sonoma, in addition to a win at Watkins Glen. He’s also on a streak of nine straight top-five finishes that includes four victories, further evidence that nobody shows speed off the truck like the No. 4 team. Put money on Harvick at Unibet.

Toyota Winning Manufacturer

Truex has the best road course resume among active drivers, but a Toyota wager also includes Kyle Busch — who’s showing signs of breaking out of his slump with top-five runs in three of his past five races. Busch is also historically strong on road courses, with two wins each at Watkins Glen and Sonoma. Toyota driver Denny Hamlin also has a Sonoma victory, and is on a run of four straight top-six finishes this season. Bet on Toyota at Unibet.

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Joe Gibbs Racing to Win

Bettors feeling bullish on the Gibbs bunch can double down here, which like the Toyota wager provides multiple potential winners. Gibbs is the odds favorite among teams, easily outdistancing Hendrick Motorsports (+300). The value isn’t the best, but there’s a reason for that: Truex and Busch are great on road courses, Hamlin is very capable, and Erik Jones has top-10s in each of his past two races at Sonoma and Watkins Glen. Take JGR to win at BetMGM .

Clint Bowyer Top 10

He has been largely underwhelming in Stewart-Haas equipment to this point, but Bowyer has always been a pretty good road racer thanks to the car control he learned racing Modifieds. A past winner at Sonoma, Bowyer leads all active drivers with eight top-fives at the Northern California road course and is tied for best with 10 career top-10s. He also has run 11th or better in three of his past five starts at The Glen. Take the veteran for a top-10 finish it at DraftKings .

Daniel Suarez Top 10

A former Joe Gibbs and Stewart-Haas driver, Suarez has been relegated to competing for a single-car team. But he has finished third and fourth in Cup Series events at Watkins Glen, a high-speed road course that offers the most apt parallel to what drivers will face this week. His Gaunt Brothers team is no giant, but Suarez is a careful driver who has finished every race in 2020 and earned a handful of top-20s. He has been waiting for this one. He’s a strong value wager at BetMGM .

NASCAR at Daytona Road Course Race Information

Race Name: Go Bowling 235

When: 3 p.m. Sunday

Where: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida

TV: NBC