The end of the 2021 IndyCar season is now very much in sight, with just 6 races now remaining on the schedule. We have ourselves a tight race in the driver standings and one that is very likely going to go all the way down to the final race of the season. For fans of the sport, it doesn’t get much better than that. For those of who like to wager on Indy, it is a little more troublesome, as this has been a rather unpredictable season. There is no single driver dominating the field and the wins have been spread out rather evenly, all of which explains why we are where we are. This weekend, the drivers will be in Nashville as they look to take one step closer to a title. Let’s take a look at the current top 4 so you can get ready to bet against the IndyCar odds.
2021 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix | IndyCar Betting Analysis
Alex Palou
After a 2020 season that saw him finish 16th overall and land on the podium just once, no one really looked at Palou as a major contender this season. How quickly that has changed. He got his first IndyCar win of his career in the opening week of the season and has since proven that not to be a fluke by winning another race and landing on the podium in 4 others. Since Palou does not have the experience of many other drivers, it is going to be interesting to see how he handles these final 6 races. Is he the champion in waiting, or will his season fall apart?
Pato O’Ward
Unlike the current leader in the driver standings, O’Ward served notice that he might well be a driver to watch this season. 2020 proved to be a breakthrough season for O’Ward, who finished 4th overall despite not being quite able to pick up a win. You had a feeling that his first taste of victory would not be long in coming, and that proved to be the case, as he got that elusive victory in the 4th race of the season before picking up another along the way. His last 2 races have seen him finish 8th and 9th, respectively, so he needs a better performance this weekend if he is to stay in the hunt.
Scott Dixon
This has been the year of the young drivers, but with 6 races still to come, I would not be counting out the veterans, with Scott Dixon very much at the top of that list. This is a man who is not only the defending champion, but also one who has picked up 6 world championships since he arrived on the IndyCar scene in 2003. The problem for Dixon this season is that he only has 1 win, so he needs to start taking some checkered flags to pull off the come from behind win.
Josef Newgarden
Newgarden is another multiple time champion who is hovering just off the pace and looking to make a move in the final 6 races. He has some work ahead of him to catch the leader, but he proved that he is up for the fight after winning the last race at Mid-Ohio. Another good run this weekend and he could start to build some momentum that will have the less experienced drivers looking over their shoulders with some concern.
