Hiram Moreno
The NASCAR Cup Series is about to enter its playoff stage as the 21st of 26 races is days away. We’re talking about the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 at Pocono Raceway, which will be contested on July 24, 2022 at Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The three-turn, 4-kilometer triangular track will welcome all the racers who are hungry for glory, including Kyle Busch, reigning champion of the race.
However, there will only be one winner once the checkered flag is displayed and the 643,738 kilometers are covered in the race. Who will take the victory? As usual, JefeBet has all the information you need, with the favorites and those who could surprise you.
Betting Preview for the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 at Pocono Raceway NASCAR Cup Series Race on July 24 2022
Where: Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania
When: July 24, 2022, 3:00 PM ET
Favorites
Kyle Busch (Quota +700)
Kyle Busch has dominated at will at Pocono Raceway in recent years, winning three of the last five editions of the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 (2017, 2018, 2021), so having him as one of the favorites to win the race is a no-brainer.
However, it’s impossible to ignore that Busch has failed to crack the top 20 in four of the last five NASCAR Cup Series races, although racing at one of his favorite tracks could give him a shot at redemption.
Chase Elliott (Quota +800)
Chase Elliott comes to Long Pond as the hottest racer in all of NASCAR. Elliott, the current points leader in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series, finished among the top two runners in the last four races, and appears to be a clear choice for the podium again.
However, unlike Busch, Chase Elliott will have to reverse his history at this track, as his best position in the last five editions of the race was fourth place.
Denny Hamlin (Quota +800)
Denny Hamlin’s season may not be his best, with a first-place finish in the Toyota Owners 400 and Coca Cola 600 being his best results so far, but the air at Pocono Raceway will surely inspire him.
A first-place finish in this race would see Hamlin position himself as the winningest driver on the circuit with five victories, and he has only been able to disrupt Kyle Busch’s dominance in recent years with his wins in 2019 and 2020, so the 41-year-old veteran is considered one of the favorites with good reason.
Sleeper Picks
Joey Logano (Quota +1500)
Following his victory in the Enjoy Illinois 300, Joey Logano’s season has gone off the rails and he has only been able to crack the top 10 in one of the five races since. Despite this, Logano has an ace up his sleeve: Paul Wolfe.
Wolfe, the man in charge of managing Logano’s crew, has already won at Pocono in 2011 and knows the track like the back of his hand, and could make Logano’s car have what it takes to compete at a track like this despite the driver’s poor performance in recent races.
Christopher Bell (Quota +1500)
We previously tipped Christopher Bell as one of the drivers who could pull off an upset in last week’s Ambetter 301 and that’s how it turned out, with the driver finally taking his first win of the season.
Beyond his lack of first place finishes, Bell has been one of the most consistent drivers in this 2022 NASCAR Cup Series, finishing in the top 10 in seven of his last ten races, and while he may not finish first, a good performance can be expected from him.
Black Horse
Aric Almirola (Quota +4000)
Almirola started the season with a fifth-place finish and then two consecutive sixth-place finishes, but after that he has been inconsistent. However, he could make a splash at Pocono.
The driver finished fifth at this circuit in 2020 and may be able to compete for the top spots this 2022, although this will surely require him to qualify in the top spots, something he could do based on his knowledge of the track.
JefeBet Prediction
We don’t want to get too sentimental, but we’ll be rooting for Denny Hamlin for this edition of the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400, so he can become the ultimate winner on the circuit.
Hamlin has the experience to challenge for the first place, and we are confident that he can be the first to pass the checkered flag.
