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2026 Food City 500 NASCAR Race
Date: April 12, 2026
Time: 3:00 PM ET (Green Flag Approx.)
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway
Track Type: 0.533-mile concrete short track
Location: Bristol, Tennessee
Laps: 500
Total Distance: 266.5 miles
Last Year Winner: Kyle Larson
Last Race Winner: Chase Elliott
Last Race 2nd Place: Denny Hamlin
Points Leaders: Tyler Reddick
Television: FOX
Radio: MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Bristol Chaos Betting Angles and Race Insights
The 2026 Food City 500 rolls into Bristol Motor Speedway on April 12, delivering 500 laps of chaos on one of NASCAR’s tightest short tracks. With the Cup Series returning from a short break, expect aggressive racing right out of the gate at this 0.533 mile bullring.
From a betting perspective, Joe Gibbs Racing continues to dominate Bristol trends, winning multiple recent races here, making their drivers prime targets in outright and DFS markets. Still, Kyle Busch cannot be ignored. He is chasing a historic seventh spring Bristol win, and this track has always suited his style.
Short track volatility creates value opportunities, especially in live betting. Track position, tire wear, and cautions will dictate everything, so expect sharp swings and potential underdog value throughout the race.
Read on to see our pick for this week.
Here are the Odds for the Top Drivers:
Food City 500
Outright
Ryan Blaney +300
Kyle Larson +350
Denny Hamlin +800
Ty Gibbs +1000
Christopher Bell +1200
Chase Briscoe +1400
Carson Hocevar +1400
Tyler Reddick +1600
William Byron +2200
Chase Elliott +2500
Joey Logano +2500
Bubba Wallace +2500
Ross Chastain +2800
Chris Buescher +3300
Austin Cindric +3300
Brad Keselowski +4000
Alex Bowman +5000
Ryan Preece +5000
Kyle Busch +6600
Josh Berry +6600
Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
Get real-time latest betting odds & props here!
The Prediction: Denny Hamlin 8/1 (+800)
Denny Hamlin stands out as serious value heading into Bristol. After a frustrating runner-up at Martinsville, he comes in motivated and in prime position to bounce back. A four-time winner at this track with a strong history of top finishes, Hamlin consistently performs on short tracks. Last year’s second-place run and prior consistency make him a legitimate contender.
Expect him to be aggressive early and in the mix late, making him a sharp outright betting option this week.
Propping up:
- Take Kyle Larson +115 for Top 3 Finish
- Take Christopher Bell +175 for Top 5 Finish
- Take Joe Gibbs Racing Winning Team at +220
- Driver H2H Match Up Take Ross Chastain -120 over Chris Buescher
- Long Shot Bets – Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin Both to Finish in the Top 3 +600
Bet on the Food City 500 at Bovada Sportsbook where you can get $250 bonus.
