Harvick, Busch Co-Favored to Win 2019 Monster Cup Energy Championship

• Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch are co-favorites to win the 2019 Monster Energy Cup Championship
• Can Harvick top last season’s eight-win outburst?
• Will everyone end up chasing Chase Elliott by season’s end?

The 2019 NASCAR campaign is right around the corner as the 71st season is set to begin on February 10th with the Advanced Auto Parts Clash. Taking a look at the odds, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch are co-favorites to win the 2019 Monster Energy Cup Championship, but are they worth the bet?

2019 Monster Energy Cup Championship Odds

Is it Worth Betting on Kevin Harvick?

Harvick (+475) will be racing around in his new, sleek black Mobil 1 scheme but the question many are wondering is just how much winning will the No. 4 car do this year? He’s the co-favorite after winning eight times in 2018 and finishing third in the final standings. He was right there in the end but he was actually stripped of his berth in the championship race after it was found his car was unfairly and illegally altered in his win at Texas.

Before we look back on 2018, take a look at this! @KevinHarvick‘s new No. 4 @Mobil1 Ford Mustang is sure to turn heads in 2019! pic.twitter.com/9L8sQlUD7j

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) December 26, 2018

He’s fresh off a career year but I’m not a huge fan of buying in at the high. Keep in mind that he had won two, four, three, five, four and one races in previous years before last year’s eight-win outburst. However, he’s been consistent as anyone in the sport, finishing third or better in five of the last six seasons.

Is Kyle Busch Worth a Wager?

Busch (+475) clocks in with the same price tag even and his team at Joe Gibbs Racing should be pretty strong now that Martin Truex Jr. is on the squad. The outlook for JGR is as strong as ever. With Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones rounding out the depth, Toyota should be able to get all four drivers in the final eight.

It’s hard to bet against Busch as he had eight wins last year and has finished fourth or better in the final standings in four of the last five years. He’s in his prime and on a stronger team than Harvick, so I would be more inclined to roll with him than the latter.

Here’s what Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and other @NASCAR stars did with their first big paycheck: https://t.co/kyy66rXq8I pic.twitter.com/444sGOtEXe

— CNBC Make It (@CNBCMakeIt) January 16, 2019

Who Else is there Value With?

Chase Elliott (+700) is third in line and there might be some value with him. He’s arguably the most popular driver in NASCAR, so he’ll have the fans behind him, but at just 23 years old, can you count on him to win it all? He finished sixth in points and notched the first three wins of his career. On top of that, he had 11 top 5’s and 21 top 10’s. Now in his second year with Hendrick, he is building momentum.

See the burnout. Feel the burnout. @chaseelliott | @MonsterMile pic.twitter.com/gIv9ObRjgH

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) December 19, 2018

Kyle Larson (+725) will be another driver I consider for a flier. This is a driver that had a number of close calls last year in terms of wins and still placed ninth. He was inconsistent but you could see the potential.

He opened the playoffs with a runner-up finish and then seventh in Richmond in the second race. He just wasn’t able to maintain streaks like that and had a number of bad breaks go against him. But he was right there a number of times last season.

Erik Jones finished up strong. In the final 11 races, he had nine top 10’s.

If you’re looking for a longer shot down the list, consider Erik Jones (+1500). He finished up strong, which could springboard him into 2019. In the final 11 races, he had nine top 10’s. If he starts better this time around, he could be in the running later in the season.