Can-Am 500 Predictions
The NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series waves the green flag for the Can-Am 500, the final race of Stage 3 of the Chase, this afternoon. Here’s the drivers we think will contend for the win.
According to the latest oddsmakers, Kevin Harvick is favored to win this race, as he is getting odds of +175 to win. Other short odds to prevail are Kyle Busch (+400), Martin Truex Jr. (+700) and Chase Elliott (+700). The Can-Am 500 takes place Sunday at 2:30PM ET from ISM Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.
52003 Kevin Harvick +175
Despite getting a win last week, a failed post-race inspection took away his spot in next week’s finale and pushed him on the verge of missing out. He lost 25 points and now has just a 3-point edge over Kurt Busch for the fourth spot in the final race. Harvick needs a good run today, but that shouldn’t be a problem at ISM. Harvick has nine wins there over 31 races and his average finish at the track is 9.5. His driver rating there is 110.9. I like Harvick to be the man to beat.
52005 Chase Elliott +700
Elliott is sixth in the point standings, 17 points out of fourth. He could use a win today if he wants to contend for the championship next week. Elliott has won three races this year, most of which have come in the second half of the season. ISM has been a pretty good track for him, as he has an average finish of 6.8 there over five races. His driver rating is 110.3, which is right up there with Harvick. I expect Elliott to be one of the top contenders today as he needs this win badly.
52025 Kurt Busch +2000
Busch is the man in fifth place right now in the standings, so today is a big day for him as well. He has a lot of experience at ISM, driving in 31 races there. He has picked up a win and has an average finish with 13.6 and a driver rating of 95.4. Busch will need a little help to make today a winning one, but given the circumstances he is in, he has really good value at 20/1. Busch will certainly be aggressive, so it could pay off if he avoids a wreck or pit mistake.
