Geico 500, Talladega, Ala. 2 p.m. TV: Fox
If there is a constant about racing at Talladega it’s that opinions are often varied and results are at times unexpected.
The last 11 races at the track Ricky Bobby, aka Will Ferrell, made famous in the movies, has had 11 different winners. And no driver has gone back to back at ‘Dega since Jeff Gordon did so in 2004-05.
So in a year where nine different drivers have reached Victory Lane in the first 10 races of this NASCAR season it should come as no real surprise that The Eckel 4 have varying opinions of Sunday’s race as well.
For the first time since The Eckel 3 has expanded to The Eckel 4 none of The 4, which as always includes Scott “Tobacco Road’’ Baker, Mike “Left Turn’’ Sweeney and Barry “Dr. NASCAR’’ Davis, agree on the winner. Here are the consensus selections.
Joey Logano (9-1): He received one first-place nod (Me) and another second. Logano won here in 2018 and finished fourth in 2019. He also has driven well this year with six top 10 finishes and a win.
Brad Keselowski (11-1): As Logano did, he received a first-place nod from “Left Turn’’ and a second-place vote as well. Keselowski has not finished in the top five here the past three years, but does have two wins here on his record.
Denny Hamlin (15-2): Hamlin earned the pole and “Tobacco Road’’ loves them on the pole. He may be also taking the odds that Hamlin, who has eight top five finishes in nine races is due for his first win of the campaign.
Austin Dillon (35-1): Maybe the Doc knows something nobody else does, because he’s going with a nice long shot here to get his first win of the season and first win at Talladega.
Two other Longshot plays: Alex Bowman (18-1); Ricky Stenhouse (16-1).