Best NASCAR Bets and Predictions for the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte

During the Next-Gen era, Charlotte has been a delight of a track.

Two of the three races featured 30-plus lead changes, and the other had 21 despite being shortened by rain. There have been comers, goers, crashes, and chaos -- something for every kind of fan.

Although that leads to some uncertainty in terms of predictions, we can still find value in drivers who have run well on similar tracks this year in FanDuel Sportsbook's NASCAR betting odds.

Which drivers stand out before practice and qualifying? Let's start by laying out my model's pre-practice simulations of the race, and then we can discuss initial bets I like.

NASCAR in Charlotte Predictions

Betting Picks for NASCAR in Charlotte

Alex Bowman to Win (+2200)

Alex Bowman is at his best at tracks where tire wear matters. That has become more and more true at Charlotte the past couple of years, putting him in a spot where he could spike upside.

The Cup Series has run three races at non-short tracks where tire wear has mattered this year: Homestead, Darlington, and Kansas. Bowman was runner-up in Homestead and finished fifth in Kansas but failed to finish in Darlington. Those are his lone two top-fives this year.

Bowman had good pace on this track type last year, too, as he was top-seven in both Kansas races and fifth in Las Vegas. He finished ninth in Charlotte with a seventh-place average running position, tied for his second-best mark at the track.

If you're skeptical of Bowman's upside -- an understandable take -- I do show value in him to finish top 5 at +320. I don't mind swinging for the fences, though, given the speed Bowman showed at Homestead and Kansas.

Austin Cindric to Finish Top 5 (+700)

It has been a rough week for the Cindric family. Austin Cindric's father, Tim, was fired from Team Penske's IndyCar operations following rules violations during qualifying for the Indianapolis 500. I'm hoping it can light a fire under Austin's butt because he's a quality value for me.

After absolutely hideous results on intermediate tracks last year, Cindric seems to have turned a corner in 2025. Across five races, his worst average running position is 15th, and he has been 11th or better three times. One of them was converted into a sixth-place finish in Las Vegas.

This has similar vibes to Cindric in the Xfinity Series. There, he struggled on ovals each of his first two full-time seasons. Then, in 2020 and 2021, something clicked, and Cindric broke out with 11 victories across the two seasons. I'm not convinced we'll see something as drastic here, but he's absolutely improved, and the sample on it keeps growing.

Due to the increased pace, I have Cindric at 17.2% to finish top 5, up from 12.5% implied. I've also got value on him to win (+4400) or finish top 10 (+200), but I like the big gap between me and the market here.

Zane Smith to Finish Top 10 (+850)

Zane Smith drives for a team that receives support from Team Penske, so it's probably not a coincidence that he has also run well on intermediates this year.

Across the five races, Smith has four finishes of 17th or better, including an 11th in Homestead. His best run came two weeks ago in Kansas when he posted a 12th-place average running position, showing he can handle a track with increased tire degradation.

The uptick for Smith started last year in his latter races with Spire Motorsports. During the playoffs, he finished 10th in Kansas and 16th in Las Vegas. Given the talent he showed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, this return to form shouldn't be all that surprising.

I'm pretty far above market on Smith as the model has him at 18.1% to finish top 10, up from 10.5% implied. He also could be worth a sniff as a longshot as I've got him three percentage points above his implied odds at +2600 for a top 5.

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Which drivers stand out to you for Sunday's race? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest NASCAR betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.