NASCAR podcast: Carson Hocevar, driver height, Dale Earnhardt birthday
The guys run the gamut between NASCAR races at Talladega and Texas. Carson Hocevar, driver heights, Dale Earnhardt, Harry Gant and more.
The bluebloods and hottest of hot-rodders are back in charge this week after sharing the main stage with some outsiders last Sunday at Talladega.
Those who post odds on these things, based on what they’re being fed by the gambling public, didn’t have to double-check for spelling this week. All the lead names are rather familiar to all — most through a long run of productivity, and at least one because he’s Tyler Reddick.
If Reddick wins again, he’ll need two hands to count his 2026 victories. Two weeks ago, at a 1.5-mile oval, he won his fifth race of the year.
Our new Dale Earnhardt book is now available
Care to guess the dimensions of Texas Motor Speedway, host to this weekend’s 400-miler?
Gamblers have learned, Tyler Reddick is no joke.
+500: Denny Hamlin
+550: Tyler Reddick
+600: Kyle Larson
+1000: Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, William Byron
+1300: Chase Elliott
+1600: Chase Briscoe
Reddick has finally earned the respect of those who like to wager on these things. Second on the odds pylon is rare air, but it’s fitting. In the past four races at Texas, he’s led laps in all of them, won one and finished fourth in another. Also, in case you missed it, he’s having a big early season.
+1750: Carson Hocevar, Ty Gibbs
+2000: Bubba Wallace, Chris Buescher, Joey Logano
+2500: Brad Keselowski
+4000: Alex Bowman
+5000: Austin Cindric, Ross Chastain, Ryan Preece
+6000: Corey Heim, Daniel Suarez
+7500: Kyle Busch
Hocevar’s win at Talladega last week shouldn’t mandate better odds for him at a normal track like Texas. But keep this in mind: Last year in Fort Worth, he won the pole and led 22 laps.
+15000: Austin Dillon, Erik Jones, Josh Berry, Michael McDowell
+20000: Shane van Gisbergen
+25000: AJ Allmendinger, Connor Zilisch, Zane Smith
There are some lap-leaders and at least one top-10 Talladega finisher in this group. A couple of these dudes can hang around the lead pack for a while Sunday, but probably not when it counts most.
+50000: John Hunter Nemechek, Noah Gragson, Ricky Stenhouse, Riley Herbst, Todd Gilliland
+100000: Cole Custer, Ty Dillon
+250000: Cody Ware, Chad Finchum
Not to keep beating this plate-racin’ horse, but there are guys here we won’t hear from again until the Cup Series goes back to Atlanta in mid-July.
— Email Ken Willis at ken.willis@news-jrnl.com
