NASCAR 1000Bulbs.com 500 Race Odds & Picks

• The 1000Bulbs.com 500 is set for Sunday, October 13th, at 2:00 PM EST
• The race will take place the Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama
• Aric Almirola won the 2018 edition, although Joey Logano has won this race in two of the last four years

The NASCAR series shifts to the Talladega Superspeedway for 1000Bulbs.com 500 this Sunday (Oct. 13, 2:00 PM EST). This is the second race of the second round of the playoffs.

Aric Almirola is our defending champ here, but a number of drivers will feel the urgency to finish well if they’re to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Who is the best bet to win it?

Odds to Win 1000Bulbs.com 500

*Odds taken 10/09/19

Last Call For Logano

Logano took a ton of criticism for racing the leaders hard after falling a lap down at Dover last week. However, the driver of the No. 22 Ford understands that he will need all of the points he can get in order to advance to the next playoff round, so he didn’t let his foot off the gas.

After three consecutive finishes in which he failed to place any better than 10^th, the pressure will be on Logano to contend for the outright win at Talladega this week. He has a good track record here with four straight top-five finishes. Look for that to continue.

Byron For A Top 10

Byron failed to capitalize on an excellent opportunity last week when Logano and Chase Elliott both faltered. However, he has placed in the top seven in three of his last five starts and should have an excellent opportunity to bounce back this weekend.

Last week, he finished 13th, which inched him into the top eight of the standings.

Taking a look at his recent track record, he’s been in contention consistently for the last few months. He has placed in the top ten in nine of his last 18 starts and three of his last five. The concern is that he hasn’t done great here, placing no better than 21st at Talladega, so only consider him for a top-ten prop.

Bet On Bowman

Alex Bowman is a young driver who is on the rise. The 26-year-old might be best known for his recent run-ins with Bubba Wallace and Austin Dillon, but he’s done well in the playoffs. Last week, he placed third at Dover, which inched him up from ninth in the standings to seventh.

Bowman has done well recently as that third-place result was his third top-six finish in the last four races. You might be hard-pressed to find someone who’s driving better than him right now. He’s also placed in the top ten at this track in two of his last three starts, including a runner-up in April.

Past Five Winners at 1000Bulbs.com 500

Pass On Martin Truex Jr.

Truex was right there in the end with Larson as a legitimate contender to win at Dover last week before a pit stop issue robbed him of an opportunity to capture the outright victory. Now the driver of the No. 19 Toyota will look to follow up that runner-up finish with a better result this week.

Truex won back-to-back races at Las Vegas and Richmond, placed seventh at Charlotte and then second at Dover last week. However, while he’s among the favorites, it’s important to note that he doesn’t race well at Talladega. He hasn’t finished better than 20th in six straight starts.

Since 2016, his average finish on this track is 25.7. He’s been red-hot but this feels like the place to pass on him.