Several drivers will enter the weekend with favorable odds to win Sunday's Cup Series race in Chicago, but Tyler Reddick and Kyle Larson are atop the list.
According to SuperBook, the two drivers are at +600. As of Friday, they are in a tie with Christopher Bell and defending winner Shane van Gisbergen. Seven-time road course winner Chase Elliott is at +1,000 while AJ Allmendinger, Chris Buescher, and Michael McDowell are at +1,400.
Josh Bilicki, who has made starts across all three national NASCAR series, has the longest odds to win Sunday's Cup race. He enters the weekend at +500,000 after finishing 23rd at Chicago last season while driving for Live Fast Motorsports. This season, Bilicki will drive for MBM Motorsports.
Reddick, Bell, and Larson have all achieved success on road courses in their full-time Cup careers. Larson has five road course wins. Bell and Reddick each have two.
SVG, for comparison, only has five Cup starts. He won his debut, which took place on the streets of Chicago. He has since finished 10th at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and 20th at Circuit of the Americas.
Reddick started second in last season's inaugural street course race in Chicago. He took the lead from Denny Hamlin on the opening lap and remained at the front of the pack for the first eight laps. He lost the lead in the opening stage and then crashed into the tire barrier in Turn 6 with 18 laps remaining in the race. Reddick finished 28th.
Bell was in control of last season's race in the Windy City after taking the lead from Reddick on Lap 9. He swept the first two stages and led 37 laps. However, the situation changed after NASCAR informed teams that the race would end early due to darkness.
Bell had to make a pit stop and give up his track position while drivers who had gambled by pitting under a previous caution were able to stay out and make it to the end of the race. Bell restarted 12th but finished 18th after hitting the tire barrier while trying to work his way through the field.
Compared to other drivers in the field, Larson had an uneventful day. He started seventh and raced inside the top 10 in all three stages. He was able to take advantage of NASCAR shortening the race and finish fourth.