Best bets for NASCAR’s return at Darlington 400

NASCAR bettors can stop wagering on virtual races and start betting on the real thing again Sunday at Darlington Raceway when the Cup series returns to action for the first time since March 8.

The Real Heroes 400 (12:30 p.m., Fox) is the first of seven races scheduled over 11 days across NASCAR’s Cup, Xfinity and Truck series.

“It’s got me kind of excited,” said NASCAR handicapper Micah Roberts, a former Las Vegas sportsbook director.

Not including the eNASCAR iRacing series that helped fill the void for drivers and bettors the past two months, there was no practice or qualifying for Sunday’s race and there won’t be any fans in the stands. But that hasn’t changed Roberts’ approach to handicapping the event.

“First of all, no fans isn’t a big deal from a driver perspective,” he said. “I’m looking at who was the fastest and best at Las Vegas and Fontana (Calif.). Those two tracks have the same race package as Darlington.

“And I’m looking at who comes off the hauler all set up perfect and ready to go. It comes down to the top teams (this season). Penske cars have been really good right off the hauler and the Hendrick cars.”

Team Penske features Joey Logano, who won at Las Vegas on Feb. 23, Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney. Roberts likes Blaney, who contended at Las Vegas and Fontana before finishing out of the top 10. He’s 20-1 at the Westgate sportsbook to win at Darlington.

“Ryan Blaney’s a guy I have lots of action on this week,” said Roberts (Sportsline.com). “Past history is huge for a driver but he’s got to have a fast car. Blaney had one of the two best cars at Las Vegas and Fontana but didn’t have the results to show it. Blaney should probably be 10-1.”

Team Hendrick has Alex Bowman, who won at Fontana on March 1, William Byron, Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott.

Johnson, a seven-time Cup series champion and three-time winner at Darlington, has said that 2020 will be his final season of full-time racing. He’s 25-1 to win Sunday’s race.

“His car’s been so good, he’s thinking about not retiring,” Roberts said. “He’s having fun again.”

Westgate vice president of risk Ed Salmons also has been impressed by Team Hendrick.

“Hendrick cars have been down on power for three years but they’ve had the best cars so far this year,” he said.

Elliott led the most laps at Las Vegas before a fluke flat tire sent him into the wall with 45 laps left. Salmons played Elliott at 12-1 to win Sunday’s race. He’s 10-1 at Circa.

“If you get a car you know has been fast with a driver with a really good history at this track, that’s a perfect recipe for trying to pick someone to win,” Salmons said. “Chase Elliott kind of checks all the boxes I desired. He was dominating at Las Vegas and was fast in California.

“Darlington is such a unique track. Track experience definitely matters. Elliott has a good history there. You can pick six or seven guys and one will win the race. He’s definitely one of them.”

Joe Gibbs Racing team has the top two favorites at Darlington in Kyle Busch (5-1) and Denny Hamlin (7-1).

Roberts also likes Hamlin, who won the Daytona 500 in February and has two wins in 14 starts and an average finish of 7.7 at Darlington.

“Darlington is known as ‘The Track Too Tough To Tame,’” Roberts said. “He’s tamed it pretty well.”

Las Vegas sportsbooks also are offering driver matchups and manufacturer props on the race.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.