Things are getting dirty at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The legendary racetrack has turned into a dirt circuit for the months of March and April.
Odds for this Sunday’s NASCAR Cup are now live at most Tennessee sportsbooks.
Dirt track race returns to Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway is a renowned racetrack in the southeast and beyond, but this isn’t the same Bristol people are used to.
The track got a special dirt makeover for the first half of 2021.
Drivers have a variety of unique conditions to prepare for, and the element of the unknown makes this one of the most anticipated events of the year for fans.
Contestants began kicking up the dirt in mid-March when the speedway hosted short-track racers at the Bristol Dirt Nationals.
Kyle Larson placed second in the 40-lap Super Late Model race behind three-time Lucas Oil Series champ Jonathan Davenport.
Cup Series champs Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson, as well as reigning NASCAR champ Chase Elliott, were among the Super Late Model racers.
This weekend, the half-mile racetrack gears up for back-to-back Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Cup Food City Dirt races taking place March 27-28.
Bristol Motor Speedway dirt history
Bristol’s track may be fresh, but the tradition is older than dirt. The speedway hasn’t hosted a dirt event in over two decades – the last time was World of Outlaws in 2001.
Moreover, this is the first time a NASCAR Cup race has been run on dirt since 1970, when Richard Petty won at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds.
And now that race action is live at most Tennessee sportsbooks, it’s the only time putting your money in the mud is a good thing.
Odds currently predict Kyle Larson will cross the checkered line first this weekend in the Food City Dirt Race.
Food City Dirt Race odds and betting markets
Drivers take to the track for 250 laps on the dirt at Sunday’s Food City Dirt Race.
Current DraftKings odds have Larson leading the pack. He is sitting at +250 odds of winning the race.
| Driver | Winner | Top 3 | Top 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | +250 | -122 | -560 |
| Christopher Bell | +600 | +230 | -215 |
| Austin Dillon | +1200 | +375 | -125 |
| Chase Briscoe | +1300 | +400 | -118 |
| Stewart Friesen | +1400 | +450 | +100 |
| Kyle Busch | +1800 | +550 | +110 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | +1800 | +550 | +110 |
| Chase Elliott | +2000 | +600 | +120 |
| Tyler Reddick | +2000 | +600 | +130 |
| Ryan Blaney | +2200 | +650 | +130 |
| Bubba Wallace | +2500 | +700 | +150 |
| Denny Hamlin | +3000 | +750 | +175 |
| Martin Truex Jr | +3000 | +750 | +175 |
| Kevin Harvick | +3300 | +800 | +180 |
| Joey Logano | +3300 | +800 | +180 |
Out of Tennessee’s five live sportsbooks, DraftKings and TwinSpires offer the most race betting variety.
Wagering options for the race include:
- Any driver to win both Stage 1 and 2 and win race
- Car number of race winner (even or odd)
- Car number of race winner (over/under 12.5)
William Hill is offering an odds boost of +3000 for Alex Bowman to win the race and +2500 for Bubba Wallace to walk away the winner.
BetMGM debuts new No. 8 racecar
Back in February, BetMGM secured a deal with Richard Childress Racing to become NASCAR’s first sports betting partner.
Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet debuted its BetMGM-branded black and gold paint job in Las Vegas on March 7 at the Pennzoil 400. It was the first racecar in NASCAR to receive complete sports betting branding.
The sportsbook introduces a second new car this weekend in Bristol. Two-time NASCAR XFinity Series champ Tyler Reddick’s No. 8 Chevrolet debuts March 28.
At the time of writing this article, BetMGM has yet to release odds for Sunday’s race. Keep a lookout as we get closer to race day.
