The third race of The Chase is set to kick off this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway with the NASCAR Cup Series night race starting at 7:30 p.m. ET. As the playoffs heat up, every race carries huge significance. Heading into Bristol, Denny Hamlin leads the Chase standings, but Kyle Larson is close behind.
The big question is whether Hamlin can maintain his lead by winning at Bristol, or if Kyle Larson will secure back-to-back victories and close the gap further. Below are the current odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of September 16.
NASCAR Cup Series — Bass Pro Shops Night Race 2026 Odds:
- Kyle Larson: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
- Denny Hamlin: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
- Ryan Blaney: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
- Ty Gibbs: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
- Christopher Bell: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
- William Byron: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
- Chase Briscoe: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
- Joey Logano: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
- Tyler Reddick: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
- Chase Elliott: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
- Chris Buescher: +2500 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
- Carson Hocevar: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
- Brad Keselowski: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
- Ross Chastain: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
- Alex Bowman: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
- Bubba Wallace: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
- Josh Berry: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
- Austin Cindric: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
- Ryan Preece: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)
- Shane van Gisbergen: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Additional longshot odds include Noah Gragson, Michael McDowell, Erik Jones, Daniel Suárez, AJ Allmendinger at +10000, with others like Connor Zilisch at +13000, Austin Hill at +15000, and Cody Ware at +80000.
Key Insights About the Favorites:
Kyle Larson, fresh off his first win of the year at Gateway, has narrowed the points gap in The Chase to just nine behind Hamlin. At the spring Bristol race, Larson finished a solid third. Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin enters Bristol with strong confidence, given his track record of solid performances there. He placed ninth at Bristol earlier this year and similarly finished ninth at Gateway last weekend. Over the season, Hamlin boasts four wins and four pole positions.
Fan Take:
This race at Bristol is pivotal for shaping the momentum of The Chase, especially with Larson chasing down Hamlin so closely. For NASCAR fans, it sets up an exciting narrative of rivalry and resilience that could define the playoffs and elevate the sport’s drama in the coming weeks.
Source: www.foxsports.com
