NASCAR Cup Series action returns to the Magic Mile in Loudon, New Hampshire for the 2024 USA Today 301! New Hampshire Motorspeedway is a unique track in Kaleb’s backyard. It’s almost a mile long, and is a flat surface with minimal banking. It makes for some interesting racing and will surely provide a show to the New Englanders in their lone NASCAR Cup Series host of the year.
As usual, Chris and I have arrived with some of the best bets we think are ready to be made for the USA Today 301. As well as some bets to stay away from. So let’s not delay this preview any further. Here are our picks for the race this weekend in New Hampshire!
Chris’s Picks: #20 Christopher Bell (+450) & #12 Ryan Blaney (+650)
Embed from Getty ImagesYeah once again I make my picks and they are safe picks. Listen maybe you want to throw some money down for the thrill. Not all of us can afford to lose the money we bet right? So, you should roll with my picks. Christopher Bell is picking up steam right now currently and is going to want to redeem himself at New Hampshire considering he finished outside the top twenty last season. However before that in the other two trips with JGR to New Hampshire were awesome. He won in 2022 and finished second in ’21. A win is a win, even if it was a safe win. At least that’s my thought.
So, I’m a little surprised at Blaney’s odds here. Maybe the oddsmakers are looking at this season a little more than prior trips to New Hampshire. I was expecting them to be a bit lower considering in eleven trips he’s only grabbed four top-ten finishes. The most recent of those coming back in 2021. I guess though my choice was a solid one. I like Blaney based on this season’s performances as well. He grabbed a fifth back at Martinsville which is the closest comparison to New Hampshire. As well as another top-five at Phoenix. Blaney has the momentum on his side right now with winning Iowa it will be interesting to see what he and his team can do.
Kaleb’s Picks: #4 Josh Berry (+3500) & #6 Brad Keselowski (+1600)
Embed from Getty ImagesUnlike my associate above, I’m out to try and make you some good money, or get you some solid value on T-5 or T-10 bets. I can’t remember the last time Josh Berry and the #4 weren’t fast on a short track. All of his T-10 finishes have come on tracks like this, and this team is coming off of a complete masterclass in Iowa. Finishing P7 with a P5 and P2 in the stages. This car keeps getting better and will be a force to be reckoned with at Loudon for sure. Rodney Childers led Kevin Harvick to great days here over the years. I assume Josh Berry is more than capable of benefitting as well.
As for Brad Keselowski, it’s a similar boat. A P10 in Iowa sets up for continued success on these short tracks. Between a win at Darlington, P3 at Gateway, P8 at Richmond, P4 at Phoenix, and P3 at Bristol, this six-car is at its best on short tracks. You can find Keselowski rocking a Red Sox paint scheme in front of the hometown fans, probably up at the front of the pack. He posted P5 in 2023’s rendition of the Magic Mile.
Chris’s Fade: #1 Ross Chastain (+2800)
Embed from Getty ImagesRoss has one top-ten finish at New Hampshire in the two trips he’s made with Trackhouse. So one could say he’s been 50% successful right? Either way, I’m going against Ross this week because of his performances this season. While they haven’t been horrible, they haven’t exactly been great either. He finished 14th back at Martinsville. He only grabbed stage points at the end of stage two and didn’t lead any laps whatsoever. Ross will most likely grab a top fifteen finish, and I won’t be the least surprised but a top fifteen isn’t good enough for me to warrant any money being placed on the watermelon man at least this week.
Kaleb’s Fade: #24 William Byron (+1200)
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Magic Mile isn’t magic for all. Over the last 12 years, there have been many different winners at this track from all kinds of different teams. Joe Gibbs has dominated the next-gen era with two wins, Aric Almirola, and Kevin Harvick from Stewart Haas. Brad Keselowski during his days with Team Penske. But Hendrick Motorsports hasn’t docked a win here since Kasey Kahne in July of 2012.
So, out of the four drivers, why William Byron? Well, in six career Cup Starts here in New Hampshire his highest finish is P11 in 2020. In two of the last three races, he’s finished below P20. The 24 seems to have speed all over, and wouldn’t surprise anybody if he came out victorious as he did at Martinsville. But if there was ever a week to stay away from Hendrick Motorsports, this is the one.
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