The best betting props for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253

There are plenty of prop bets available for NASCAR bettors for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 at the Daytona Road Course. We scoured the Place markets and Head-to-Head matchups to present our three best bets for the second NASCAR Cup Series race of the season.

Head-to-Head: Michael McDowell vs. Erik Jones

Michael McDowell isn’t typically included in head-to-head wagers, nor is he typically favored, but the surprise Daytona 500 victor is a -129 choice to outfinish Erik Jones on Sunday. The qualifying positions probably have a lot to do with this – McDowell rolls off the grid in second while Jones will begin in 37th – but there’s a case to be made for the underdog here.

Jones hardly had a chance to get his feet wet in his first start for Richard Petty Motorsports last Sunday, as he was collected in the major wreck on Lap 14 in the Daytona 500. Though he’s not known as a road specialist, the switch to the road course should prove to be helpful for Jones. He finished 11th over this circuit last summer, and third at the Charlotte Roval despite not being part of the playoff picture late last year.

Meanwhile, McDowell has only one Top 10 in his last six road races. There’s a reason he was winless in 357 career NASCAR Cup Series events before last Sunday.

NASCAR pick: Erik Jones (+100)

Head-to-Head: Joey Logano vs. Brad Keselowski

Here’s another interesting Head-to-Head wager, this time between Penske teammates in Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. The slight favorite, and the smart bet, is the former.

Logano has a streak of three straight Top 10 results at road courses going; after finishing 10th in the 2019 Roval race, the No. 22 Ford driver managed a ninth-place result in the inaugural Cup Series race on the Daytona Road Course before finishing second in the 2020 Roval event. And unlike Keselowski, Logano has road victory in the Cup Series, as he took the 2015 race at Watkins Glen.

Meanwhile, since 2018, Keselowski’s best finish at a road course is a ninth-place result at Watkins Glen in 2019. He was 13th at the Daytona Road Course in 2020.

NASCAR pick: Joey Logano (-118)

Martin Truex Jr. Top 5

Martin Truex Jr. suffered for lack of road races in 2020 due to COVID-19. He was third at the Daytona Road Course last year and seventh at the Charlotte Roval in NASCAR’s lone road races last season, both of which were won by Chase Elliott.

Truex has several strong road performances to lean on, especially at Sonoma and Watkins Glen. He won two straight races at the former and finished no worse than second in three straight events at the other. Expect another strong effort at Daytona on Sunday for Truex.

NASCAR pick: Yes (-143)