Tennessee Lottery 250 Predictions: Justin Allgaier Is the Defending Winner

• Justin Allgaier is the defending winner, but the data set is mighty small.
• AJ Allmendinger is a great long-shot pick, despite last year’s finish.
• Ty Gibbs returns to his happy hunting ground for another shot at victory.

Tennessee Lottery 250 Betting Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Our Picks for the Tennessee Lottery 250

• Ty Gibbs to win the race at +350
• AJ Allmendinger as our long-shot pick at +1600
• Riley Herbst to finish in the top three at +800

Justin Allgaier Is the Defending Winner, But Data Is Limited

Oddsmakers have designated Justin Allgaier as the favorite for Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway, and there’s ample justification for that choice.

Allgaier won last year’s race at the 1.33-mile concrete oval, bearing Trevor Bayne to the checkered flag by a whopping 4.513 seconds.

In 2021—the first NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Nashville in a decade—Allgaier ran second to two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, who won’t be in the field on Saturday.

The last time the Xfinity drivers raced on a downforce track, Allgaier was a decisive winner at Charlotte in May. Even though the price (+300 at DraftKings Sportsbook) is on the stingy side, it’s tempting to back Allgaier.

However, we believe the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas will return to supremacy at Nashville. The last time the Xfinity Series raced on concrete, Ryan Truex won in a Supra. So keep reading for our choices.

Double Duty Driver AJ Allmendinger Is Priced Too Favorably to Ignore

Don’t take AJ Allmendinger’s NASCAR Xfinity Series record at Nashville Superspeedway at face value.

On a blindingly hot day in Music City last year, the Dinger finished 16th, one lap down, in the Tennessee Lottery 250.

Before Allmendinger had issues late in the race, however, he qualified second and led 48 laps. He also posted the fastest lap in race trim during the contest. In 2021, he came home fifth.

Allmendinger is racing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series this season, and the extra seat time he gets on Saturday is sure to help him in Sunday’s top-tier event.

He’s available at +1600 via DraftKings, and at that generous level, he’s worth a bet.

Ty Gibbs Returns to Xfinity Series Hoping to Increase His Win Total

In his first full-time Cup Series season this year, Ty Gibbs has been relatively nondescript, posting an average finish of 19.0 and a best result of ninth (three times).

That’s a far cry from the Ty Gibbs who won seven NASCAR Xfinity Series races last year, including the championship event at Phoenix.

At Nashville this weekend, Gibbs is running both the Xfinity and Cup races. Though we don’t expect him to win the Cup event, he has an excellent chance to add a 12th career Xfinity victory to his resume in his 55th start in the series.

As we noted earlier, the Joe Gibbs Racing cars should be strong at Nashville, and after all, Gibbs finished fourth last year in his first trip to the track. You won’t get rich betting on Gibbs to win at +350 via DraftKings, but we think you’ll cash.

And incidentally, we like Riley Herbst to finish in the top three at a generous +800 via DraftKings. Herbst won the pole last year and finished third behind Justin Allgaier and Trevor Bayne, the latter of whom isn’t racing this weekend.

How to Watch the Tennessee Lottery 250 

• Race: Tennessee Lottery 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race
• Location: Nashville Superspeedway
• Time: Saturday, June 24, 3:30 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: USA