Pit Boss 250 (Xfinity Series) Predictions, Odds & Picks

• On a road course, there’s no one with more talent than AJ Allmendinger.
• If he can exercise patience, road course ringer Miguel Paludo will be a threat.
• Double-duty driver Ross Chastain could be a pleasant surprise for savvy bettors.

Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook

The NASCAR Xfinity Series makes its first trip to a road course this season with the running of the Pit Boss 250 at the 3.41-mile Circuit of the Americas on the outskirts of Austin, Texas.

Saturday’s race will be contested over 46 laps (156.86 miles), with stage breaks scheduled after 14 and 30 laps. Kyle Busch won last year’s inaugural event at COTA, but he is not racing in the Xfinity Series this weekend.

AJ Allmendinger Is Foremost Among Road Racers, Pure and Simple

We’re not saying AJ Allmendinger is a one-trick pony. He has proven he can win on oval tracks, and he secured the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular-season title last year.

But that shouldn’t obscure the fact that, when it comes to road course racing, the driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet is without peer.

Six of Allmendinger’s 10 Xfinity Series victories—not to mention both his NASCAR Cup Series wins—have come on road courses. In good weather on the highly technical 20-turn Circuit of the Americas course, we believe Allmendinger’s consummate skills will prevail.

He’s co-favorite with pole winner Ty Gibbs at +300 via DraftKings Sportsbook. Gibbs has made a liar out of us in two of the last three races, but we don’t think he’ll win for a third time—at least not this week.

Go with Allmendinger to win, and bet on him to beat Gibbs heads-up at -115.

Ringer Miguel Paludo Can Contend, If He Can Manage to Stay Patient

Miguel Paludo’s road racing credentials are unassailable. He’s a four-time champion across all divisions of the Porsche GT3 Cup Brasil.

His NASCAR appearances have been rare of late, but on Saturday, he’ll make the first of three planned road course starts for JR Motorsports. The Brazilian native is an aggressive driver, and he has the talent to work his way forward from the 17th starting position he earned in Friday’s time trials.

In the past, the driver of the No. 88 JRM Chevrolet has had difficulty in tempering his aggression with patience. But we think the 38-year-old will bring newfound maturity to Saturday’s race and perform to the level of his talent.

He’s our longshot pick to win at +3000 via DraftKings, and we like him to run top-three at +400. We’re also betting on double-duty driver Bubba Wallace to finish in the top five at +300.

Running Two Races This Weekend, Ross Chastain Could Be a Pleasant Surprise

Florida’s Ross Chastain is better known as a watermelon farmer than a road course racer. In fact, he has never won a road race in any of NASCAR’s top three national touring series.

Nevertheless, this is looking like a breakout year for the full-time driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet in the Cup Series. In his last three Cup starts for Trackhouse Racing, Chastain has finished third, second, and second.

Entered in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race for Mario Gosselin’s DGM Racing, Chastain qualified second and will start next to pole winner Ty Gibbs on the front row.

Based on the speed in the car and Chastain’s aggressive, fearless driving style, we think he’s worth a bet to win at +800 via DraftKings.

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