Okay NASCAR betting enthusiasts, with the 2019 season now firmly in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to take a fun-filled look back at the season that was, while offering up a slight glimpse of what could lie ahead in 2020.
2019 NASCAR Season Betting Recap
Kyle Busch
The 2015 NASCAR champ, Busch started off the year as a +450 prohibitive co-favorite alongside Kevin Harvick for good reason. He’s reached the Championship 4 in each of the past five years, including this season’s Cup-winning performance. Busch won back-to-back races in Phoenix and California before winning in Bristol three weeks later. Two months later he won his fourth race of the year at Pocono Raceway. Despite a 21-race winless streak after that, Busch managed to win the biggest and most important race of them all by taking the championship in Miami. His 56 Cup wins ranks second only to Jimmie Johnson (83) among active drivers. Busch is now tied with Rusty Wallace on the all-time wins list.
Kevin Harvick
Harvick was the +450 co-favorite entering 2019, but he got off to a slow start by failing to find his way into the winner’s circle until the 22nd race of the year at New Hampshire. However, he picked up the pace by winning three times in a seven-week span to put himself into championship contention. Ultimately though, Harvick finished fourth in the championship race to finish the year third overall with four victories.
Martin Truex Jr.
Truex Jr. entered the year as the No. 3 overall favorite (+600) and he more than lived up to expectations by recording a season-best seven wins beginning in the year’s ninth race at Richmond. The 2017 NASCAR champ came up just short of winning it all by finishing second in the championship race, just five points behind Kyle Busch.
Chase Elliott
Despite entering the year as the fourth overall pick (+700), Elliott came up well short of his championship hopes by finishing the year 10th in the standings. Still, the future is bright for the 24-year-old Georgia native after he recorded three wins this season.
Kyle Larson
Larson entered the year as the No. 5 pick to win the title at +700 and he pretty much lived up to expectations by finishing sixth in the standings. While the 27-year-old California native recorded just one victory at Dover, he did manage to finish with eight Top 5 finishes and 17 Top 10 finishes.
Brad Keselowski
Keselowski entered the year as tied for the sixth overall favorite at +1000. The 35-year-old Michigan native won three times, but he also failed to find himself in the winner’s circle over the season’s final 26 races. Still, with three wins and 13 Top 5 finishes, there’s no reasons to believe Keselowski won’t contend again in 2020.
Ryan Blaney
Tied for the sixth overall pick at +1000, Blaney finished seventh overall with a modest one win, 11 Top 5 finishes and 18 Top 10 finishes. Still, just 25-years-old, the Ohio native will almost certainly contend for years to come.
Joey Logano
The 2018 NASCAR champ was also a +100 pick to go back-to-back, but Logano came up well short by finishing the year with a modest two wins, 12 Top 5 finishes and 21 Top 10 finishes. Still, just 29-years-old, the Connecticut native will surely challenge for multiple NASCAR titles moving forward.
39-year-old Florida native Denny Hamlin finished the year second in victories with six while finishing the year fourth overall with an impressive 19 Top 5 finishes and 24 Top 10 finishes.
The End Is Near For J.J.
95 straight races without a win has apparently shown that it’s time for Jimmy Johnson to hang it up. For the second consecutive season, seven-time series champion Johnson failed to win a points event. Now, the legendary Johnson has announced that the upcoming 2020 NASCAR season will be his last and he’s getting love from everyone within the sport.
