Larson, Hamlin, And Logano Favoured To Deliver In The Fourth NASCAR Race Of The Season

The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series heads from Las Vegas to Phoenix Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona, for the 2022 Ruoff Mortgage 500. This is the fourth race of the 2022 season. The race is scheduled for Sunday, March 13, with the green flag set to drop at 3:30 PM ET. WIth the continuation of the fascinating season commences.

As we head to the fourth race of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. There are three names stand out from the rest as the favorites to claim the spoils in Phoenix. And to no one’s surprise, the list of the favorites includes Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Joey Logano.

Kyle Larson will likely be the favorite in any race this season. The defending champion is widely considered as the undisputed best deriver in the series and will retain that tag until proven otherwise.

Larson had already won a race earlier this season when he topped the field in the WISE Power 400. He then finished second in Las Vegas during last Sunday’s Pennzoil 400. His recent strong showings aren’t that surprising if we consider that Larson was by far the most dominant driver of the 2021 season. Also, he looks to be just as fast in 2022.

Hamlin and Logano Looking for First Victory

Denny Hamlin hasn’t looked as good as Larson three races into the 2022 season. He has yet to make a top-10, but if history has taught us anything, you should never sleep on Hamlin. His time will come, and it wouldn’t be surprising if that happens on the Phoenix Raceway.

Hamlin has a solid record in Phoenix, with a couple of wins and 16 top-5s, which is nothing to sneeze at. Moreover, he holds a 10.55 career average finish here, the second-best overall among all active drivers.

Joey Logano joins the list of candidates to win the 2022 Ruoff Mortgage 500. As he looks for his first victory of the season. He could only manage a 14th-place finish in las Vegas but has placed fifth in WISE Power.

Like Hamlin, Logano has always delivered in Phoenix, where he has two wins and seven top-5s across 27 starts. Admittedly, that’s not as good as Hamlin, but those figures are not too shabby. Especially if we consider that Logano has finished inside the top-5 in three of his last four races.

Game Preview: Can Outsiders Deliver – Which Are Good Sleeper Picks For 2022 Ruoff Mortgage 500? 

With how volatile this NASCAR season has been. It’s only fair to check which outsiders can potentially show up and deliver in Phoenix. Admittedly, their chances of winning are slimmer than Larson’s, Hamlin’s, and Logano’s. But we get compensated for that with significantly better betting odds. 

Erik Jones could only manage a 31st-place finish in the Pennzoil 400, but he had shown up with a podium finish in Las Vegas when he claimed bronze at WISE Power 400. So while he has produced a mixed bag of results so far this season, Jones has proven that he can compete with the best. 

It’s also worth noting that Jones has done well in Phoenix before. He has four top-10s across 11 starts and has finished seventh in 2017. So if his form this season is any indication, he should be set for a strong performance this weekend. 

Sleeper Picks like Christopher Bell

Christopher Bell is another driver who heads to 2022 Ruoff Mortgage 500 as a solid sleeper pick. Although he had a terrible start to the season, with two iffy showings in the Daytona 500 and WISE Power 400, Bell stepped up in Las Vegas, when he claimed his first top-10 finish of the season.

But even though he has yet to produce anything more than that, Bell has done well in Phoenix before. Across four career starts, he has placed in the top-10 twice with back-to-back ninth-place finishes on the Phoenix Raceway. So while he is not a driver you would trust to win the upcoming race, Bell could be considered as a solid pick on the top-10 betting markets.

Last but not least is Ross Chastain, who heads into the next race following a third-place finish in Las Vegas. And we can be sure he will look to build on that performance in Arizona. Unfortunately, looking at his past results here, Chastain has yet to impress, seeing how he has not cracked top-10 once across the seven starts.

However, he has improved his performances. With a 19th and 14th finishes in his last two trips to the Phoenix Raceway. Like Bell, Chastain’s chances to win are slim to none. But he could be considered as a solid pick on the top-10 markets.

2022 Ruoff Mortgage 500 Betting Prediction

Kyle Larson is the favorite to win the 2022 Ruoff Mortgage 500. There’s a good reason for that. He is the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion. By far the most dominant driver of 2021. He has already shown exceptional form across the first two races of this season.

As it stands now, the question is not so much whether Kyle Larson can win. But rather if there is anyone who can beat him. Obviously, the answer is yes, but until proven otherwise. Larson will be the man to watch and the most likely victor in any upcoming races.

Until the bookies catch up and start pricing him at lower odds. We will gladly back Larson to win any NASCAR race, including the Ruoff Mortgage 500.

Our second pick for the 2022 Ruoff Mortgage 500 is Erik Jones. Who has shown enough this season and his past appearances in Phoenix for us to feel confident backing him here.

Despite his iffy start to the season and less-than-inspiring performance at WISE Power and at Daytona 500. Jones has placed third at Auto Club Speedway, proving that he can be in the mix for the top finishes if he doesn’t get caught in a crash.

There’s always a world where Jones repeats his performance from Daytona or Auto Club, but we wouldn’t count on that happening. Jones is a good bet at the offered betting odds and definitely a man we will keep our eye on for upcoming races.

* All odds provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.