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A general view of the grandstands at Darlington Raceway as we preview the 2024 Goodyear 400 with picks and predictions for Sunday's race.
A general view of the grandstands during weather delayed practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 at Darlington Raceway on May 10, 2026 in Darlington, S.C. Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images via AFP.

Kyle Larson is the frontrunner to secure his second consecutive victory, as we present our predictions for the 2026 Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway using the top NASCAR odds available from our preferred sports betting platforms.

Following the thrilling finish of the closest race in the 76-year history of the NASCAR Cup Series, what comes next? It’s time to step back in time for Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway. The excitement reaches its peak with Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at 3 p.m. ET on FS1.

Our top sports betting sites have Kyle Larson as the frontrunner to win Sunday’s race. After his exciting victory at the AdventHealth 400, where he narrowly beat out Chris Buescher, Larson has become a favorite for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. But facing the challenges of the Track Too Tough to Tame will be no walk in the park.

These are our predictions for the 2026 Goodyear 400 race happening on Sunday at Darlington Raceway. Our picks are based on NASCAR odds from top sports betting apps, and our confidence level is rated on a scale of 1 to 5 stars.

Goodyear 400 picks

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Odds to win Goodyear 400 2026

Current odds as of Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

DriverDraftKingsFanDuelBetMGMCaesarsbet365
Kyle Larson+380 ❄️+400+400+400+400
Denny Hamlin+450+450+475 +450+425 ❄️
Martin Truex+700 +650+550 ❄️+600+650
William Byron+750+800+725 ❄️+800+800
Tyler Reddick+900 +750+850+800+700 ❄️
Christopher Bell+1200 +1000+900+900+1000
Ross Chastain+1300+1200 ❄️+1400+1500 +1400
Chase Elliott+1300 ❄️+1600+1500+1500+1600
Kyle Busch+1400 ❄️+1600+1500+1600+1600
Brad Keselowski+1600+1800 +1700+1600+1600

Darlington Raceway track analysis

Darlington Raceway is considered one of the most challenging tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit, known for its 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval and nicknamed The Lady in Black and The Track Too Tough To Tame.

For 73 years, the renowned South Carolina track has challenged drivers with its tight straightaways and rough surface that requires careful tire management. This track is known to favor experienced drivers due to its limited passing opportunities and narrow margins throughout each stage of the race.

Out of all active drivers, only eight have achieved victory at Darlington. Denny Hamlin stands out with four wins, twice as many as any other driver in the field. He is among the select group of drivers, including Erik Jones and Martin Truex Jr., who have multiple wins at the track.

Goodyear 400 expert predictions

Favorite: Kyle Larson ⭐⭐⭐

Larson secured his second victory of the season last week in the closest finish in NASCAR history. Additionally, he is the most recent driver to claim a victory at Darlington after winning the Southern 500 in September of last year.

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Larson’s victory at this track was his only one, with his three second-place finishes trailing only Hamlin’s four. In last year’s race, he led 55 laps after starting in 18th position, and in his last 10 races at this historic track, he has led an impressive 767 laps.

The No. 5 has shown impressive speed and consistency with an average finish of 9.4, second only to Hamlin. This is why he is favored with short +380 odds, which could result in a $40 profit on a $10 bet with a 20% implied probability according to our odds converter.

FanDuel offers the best odds at +400.

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Long shot: Erik Jones ⭐⭐⭐

Jones was absent for the past two weeks due to a frightening crash at Talladega that resulted in a fractured vertebra. However, he reassured everyone this week that he is fully recovered and ready for Sunday’s race at Darlington Raceway, a track he is very familiar with.

The 27-year-old driver has won at The Lady in Black twice (in 2019 and 2026) and is one of only three active drivers with multiple victories at the track. With an impressive average finish of 11.8, he ranks fifth among all drivers in the field. Having finished in the top 10 in eight out of 12 career races at Darlington, it is clear that he has been eagerly anticipating this race for weeks.

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With odds of +5000, there is only a 1.96% probability that Jones will win the race, but a $10 bet could yield a $500 profit if he does. Considering his previous accomplishments on this course, I am more than willing to take that chance.

The highest odds are +5000 at Caesars.

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Prop: Tyler Reddick top-five ⭐⭐⭐

This track is perfectly suited for Reddick, who dominated with 90 laps led and a second-place finish in last year’s fall race at Darlington. With three top-three finishes in four races in the Next Gen car at this track, he is poised for another strong performance on Sunday.

As previously noted, this track is challenging due to its high tire wear and narrow passing lanes, forcing drivers to hug the wall for the optimal racing line. This often results in many cars earning “Darlington stripes” as a badge of their hard-fought efforts.

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This plays directly into Reddick’s strengths, as he excels at running the high line and has the skill to handle this challenging track. With +120 odds, a $10 bet could earn a $12 profit if he secures his fourth top-five finish in five races.

The highest odds are +120 from bet365.

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Pick to win: Denny Hamlin ⭐⭐⭐

Last week at Kansas, we predicted Hamlin would win, and he led 71 laps and was in the lead before a late caution caused the field to reset, resulting in the closest finish ever.

I believe that Hamlin is poised to bounce back and secure another victory at Darlington. In the past, he has shown his dominance at this track, leading 177 laps and winning both stages in the fall race. Despite a setback due to a loose wheel, he has still managed to win three of his last 12 races here. Hamlin has consistently been the fastest qualifier and top finisher among active drivers at Darlington.

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Hamlin has secured three victories this year, with two of them coming on tracks that require careful tire wear management, similar to Darlington. It is likely that his pit crew is eager to redeem themselves after last year’s disappointment and secure a fifth win for car No. 11.

The highest odds are +475 offered by BetMGM.

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Past Goodyear 400 winners

DateDriverTeam
May 14, 2026William ByronHendrick Motorsports
May 8, 2026Joey LoganoTeam Penske
May 9, 2021Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs Racing
May 20, 2020Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs Racing
May 17, 2020Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas Racing

Goodyear 400 info

  • Date: Sunday, May 12 at 3 p.m. ET
  • Track: Darlington Raceway
  • Length: 1.366 miles (293 laps)
  • How to watch: FS1
  • Defending winner: William Byron

Picks for the Goodyear 400 were made on Friday at 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time.

Here are our best sports betting apps:

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