Verizon 200 at The Brickyard Power Rankings and Picks

Henry John

Last Updated: July 29, 2022 9:41 AM EDT • 4 min 7 sec read. Twitter link Google News Link

Breaking down the field and drivers to monitor ahead of Sunday's action at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course with our NASCAR power rankings and picks for the Verizon 200.

Last weekend's NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono turned into a sports betting fiasco. With Denny Hamlin becoming the first winning driver in more than 60 years to be disqualified for a failed post-race inspection, several sportsbooks were forced to regrade and refund all kinds of NASCAR wagers according to their specified house rules.

While it is unlikely that we will have a scenario quite like last week's play out on Sunday, the Verizon 200 at The Brickyard certainly produced an unforgettable race a year ago. No one can possibly forget the piece of curbing that broke apart and effectively destroyed half of the field. NASCAR's attempt to repair the corner only led to more cars getting destroyed once the racing resumed.

https://twitter.com/NASCARonNBC/status/1553054982362079233?s=20&t=hzRcP86M_UH13JEkHpHsPg

Rumor has it that all curbing has been safely secured to the ground for the Cup Series' second attempt at running on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. That may be the case, but the fact that this is a road race could very well produce some surprising outcomes. With only five races left before the start of the NASCAR Playoffs, there are plenty of drivers who are desperate for a race win to steal a playoff berth.

Check out our NASCAR betting picks and power rankings for the 2022 Verizon 200 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook).

Verizon 200 at The Brickyard Race Odds

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Verizon 200 at The Brickyard NASCAR Power Rankings

10. Michael McDowell (+3000 via DraftKings)

Typically, Michael McDowell would be slotted in a few spots higher than 10th in our NASCAR power rankings for a road course race. In the two most recent road races at Sonoma and Road America, McDowell finished third and eighth, respectively. However, there is some doubt as to how the No. 34 team will perform after being assessed a hefty post-race penalty last weekend.

9. Chris Buescher (+3000 via DraftKings)

Based on his previous stats from this season, Sunday's Verizon 200 at The Brickyard figures to be one of Chris Buescher's best opportunities to score a race win. Buescher's last two road race results include a runner-up at Sonoma and a sixth-place run at Road America. His average finish of 12.7 in the last 15 road-course events quietly ranks seventh among active drivers.

8. Denny Hamlin (+2000 via DraftKings)

How will Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team respond to being the first NASCAR Cup Series race winner to get disqualified since 1960? That is the question heading into Sunday's Verizon 200. As far as road course stats are concerned, Hamlin is one of the best in the business with an 11.5 average finish and seven top-5s in the last 15 races.

7. Chase Briscoe (+1600 via DraftKings)

As a rookie driver trying to win to make the playoffs, Chase Briscoe went for broke late in last year's Verizon 200. He got nailed with retaliation from Denny Hamlin for his troubles and failed to achieve his desired finish at his hometown track. With a playoff spot already secured this year and plenty of previous success on road courses, Briscoe is a sleeper to watch on Sunday.

6. Martin Truex Jr. (+1800 via BetMGM)

Once upon a time, Martin Truex Jr. was the man to beat whenever the NASCAR Cup Series went to a road course. Although he may no longer be the best in the sport at this style of racing, he still ranks near the top of the list. Truex's 11.5 average finish in the last 15 road races is tied for the fourth-best among active drivers. He also ranks third in average driver rating over that same span.

5. Ryan Blaney (+1800 via BetMGM)

In the three road course events run this season with the Next Gen Car, Ryan Blaney owns a pair of sixth-place finishes and was most recently 11th at Road America. Despite having no wins in the last 15 road races, Blaney sneakily has the third-best average finish (10.8) among active drivers over that span. Still in need of a win to remove all doubt regarding a playoff spot, look for the No. 12 team to have a strong run on Sunday.

4. Austin Cindric (+1600 via BetMGM)

Austin Cindric is one of the best NASCAR betting values on the board this week. His road racing skills are among the best in the sport today. Cindric dominated the road-course events while in the Xfinity Series and has four top-10 finishes in six races run at the Cup Series level. Three of those have come in this, his rookie season as Cindric was eighth at COTA, fifth at Sonoma, and seventh at Road America.

3. Kyle Larson (+700 via BetMGM)

Kyle Larson led more laps than any other driver in last year's Verizon 200 at The Brickyard. Aside from qualifying on the pole and winning Stage 1 at Sonoma, Larson failed to make much noise in the first two road races this season. A third-place run at Road America would seem to suggest that his long-term stats are more reputable. Larson has three wins, six top-5s, and a 10.2 average finish in his last 13 road races run.

2. Ross Chastain (+750 via Caesars)

Unlike his Trackhouse Racing teammate, Daniel Suarez, who won on the "NASCAR-ized" road course at Sonoma, Ross Chastain got his at COTA, arguably the toughest track on the circuit. Furthermore, the "Melon Man" also bagged a fourth-place finish at Road America. Chastain's talent on the road courses was evident prior to him joining Trackhouse. A model of consistency all season long, expect more of the same from the No. 1 team this week.

1. Chase Elliott (+450 via BetMGM)

Thanks to the Joe Gibbs Racing disqualifications last week at Pocono, Chase Elliott was credited with his fourth win of the season. Over the last five races, the NASCAR Cup Series standings leader now has three wins and two runner-up finishes. Oh, and Elliott is accurately known as the "Road Course King" with six wins, 11 top-5s, and a 6.5 average finish in the last 15 road races. The No. 9 car is a deserving favorite to win Sunday's Verizon 200 at The Brickyard.

Where to Bet on the Verizon 200 at The Brickyard

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

FanDuel Sportsbook Caesars Sportsbook DraftKings Sportsbook PointsBet BetMGM

SEE ALSO: All picks, odds, and sports betting news. Be sure to check out SportsbookReview.com’s community forums and betting tools.

Verizon 200 at The Brickyard picks made on 7/29/2022 at 2:42 p.m. ET.

Written By:
Henry John

Henry’s passion for sports dates all the way back to childhood and has ultimately led to a full-fledged career as an analyst and content creator. After getting his start penning fantasy football articles, he forrayed into the betting side of the business in early 2019. His love for sports and statistics proved to be an ideal match with the dedicated research and strategy that handicapping requires. Henry currently specializes in betting analysis and picks for college football, college basketball, and NASCAR. He counts NFL, WNBA, and NBA player props as additional leagues/markets of interest. Henry graduated from SUNY Buffalo in 2021 with a Communication Studies degree and a Psychology minor. A native of the Finger Lakes region in Upstate New York, he and his pup, Harold, have since relocated to Laramie, Wyoming. Thanks to his professional goals within the sports betting industry, there has been a whole lot of steam on the odds for a move to Las Vegas in 2023! Most of Henry’s free time is spent on outdoor adventures, playing chess, snowboarding, or reading a good book. He is also a competitive powerlifter and aspires to qualify for the USAPL Nationals meet within the next 2-3 years.