Bank of America ROVAL 400 (Cup Series) Chase Elliott Can Drive Worry-Free

• Among Playoff drivers, Chase Elliott alone can enjoy a stress-free race. 
• Can AJ Allmendinger pull off a rare weekend sweep at his favorite track?
• Tyler Reddick can lay a legitimate claim to road course superiority in Next Gen car.

Bank of America ROVAL 400 Betting Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Our Picks for the Bank of America ROVAL 400

Chase Elliott to win the race at +500

AJ Allmendinger to finish in the top three at +350

Ryan Blaney to beat Ross Chastain head-to-head at -110

Chase Elliott Can Drive Worry-Free in Sunday’s Race at the ROVAL

Chase Elliott pulled off an impressive victory last Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, earning a guaranteed spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 8.

As a consequence, Elliott—alone among the 11 remaining Playoff drivers—can race without pressure in Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400.

That puts NASCAR’s most popular driver in an enviable position. Unfettered by the need to accumulate stage points, Elliott and crew chief Alan Gustafson can adopt a win-or-bust approach to a race Elliott has won twice in four starts.

That’s the primary reason we’re picking Elliott to win on Sunday. We encourage a bet to that effect at a relatively generous +500 price via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Can AJ Allmendinger Pull Off a Rare Weekend Sweep at Charlotte

For good reason, AJ Allmendinger calls the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course his “favorite track on the NASCAR circuit.”

Allmendinger has won all three of his starts there in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, but the NASCAR Cup Series is another matter.

In two attempts at the ROVAL in NASCAR’s top division, the driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet has the best finish of seventh, a testament to the quality of competition at that level.

Though Allmendinger is a formidable talent in any division on a road course, we don’t think his car will have what it takes to win Sunday’s Cup race.

We do, however, think he’ll finish in the top three and recommend that bet at +350.

Tyler Reddick Has Established His Status as a True Road Course Star

Without a doubt, the introduction of the Next Gen race car into the NASCAR Cup Series this year has given Tyler Reddick a clear boost to his road racing skills.

The larger brake package on the new car allows competitors to drive more aggressively into the braking zones, thereby diminishing the inherent advantage of road course specialists.

You could argue, however, that Reddick has achieved specialist status through his own hard work and study under the tutelage of fellow Chevrolet driver AJ Allmendinger.

In fact, Reddick has won two of the last three road course races in NASCAR’s premier series, beating Allmendinger and Sunday’s favorite, Chase Elliott, in the process.

As noted above, though, we favor Elliott to win Sunday’s race and would recommend steering clear of Reddick at the ROVAL, where Elliott’s record is paramount.

Instead, we like inaugural 2018 ROVAL winner Ryan Blaney to beat Ross Chastain in a heads-up proposition at -110.

How to Watch the Bank of America ROVAL 400