Sportsbook Tabs Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson As Race 3 Favorites To Claim 2025 NASCAR Cup Series’ Championship

On the final restart last Sunday, NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell discovered an unlikely path to Victory Lane at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

After starting P32 and failing to generate any stage points, Bell went from Ambetter Health 400 afterthought to an early playoff qualifier. All during a fortuitous final lap, inching ahead of aggressive sophomore Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson, who snapped a personal slump at the 1.54-mile quad-oval track.

Hocevar shot the gap between the trio, providing a near-identical, three-wide finish as last season, but Bell surged ahead on the outside as race officials triggered a caution period following a backstretch accident.

“I’ll tell you what, that right there is what you dream of, to be able to restart on the first or second row in a green-white-checkered in a speedway,” said Christopher Bell, as reported by SI.com. “You never know how those things are going to play out, but I’ll be the first to tell you, I love superspeedways.”

At +500, Bell and Larson enter the third race of the season – Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix – as the sports-betting favorites to earn the 2025 Cup Series championship, according to BetOnline Sportsbook.

Larson’s top-five finish snapped a six-race accident streak at Atlanta. The event’s diverse outcome featured nine organizations finishing in the top 10. Could a developing Larson-Bell rivalry continue to grow during Cup and dirt-track events?

Could NASCAR fans be in for more epic battles between Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson?

David Hoffman catches you up on all you need to know in the latest edition of Sealed Under Pressure Spotlight presented by @CometicGasket 💪#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/9ZAn5EL12n

— SPEED SPORT (@SPEEDSPORT) February 25, 2025

Corey LaJoie Seeks More NASCAR Cup Series Chances 

After failing to secure a full-time Cup ride, Corey LaJoie plans to freelance his way through the season. Entering Speedweeks two weeks ago, he had just one race lined up, the Daytona 500.  

A long shot, LaJoie piloted the No. 01 Mustang into the lead on Lap 186. Following a restart, Austin Cindric pulled out in front, and LaJoie fell back into the lead pack. 

Eying a Top 10 on the final lap, however, the Rick Ware Racing machine was involved in a backstretch accident and finished P22. 

Last Sunday in Atlanta, LaJoie, known as a superspeedway driver, completed just 117 laps before being taken out in an accident by Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski. 

Did LaJoie miss his best chance to create early-season momentum? He does not have a ride for Sunday’s road-course race at Circuit of The Americas. 

Big trouble for Georgia's own Chase Elliott in Atlanta! Brad Keselowski and Corey LaJoie in it too. https://t.co/ROKwyX3NPz pic.twitter.com/vc3RTYbe7Y

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 23, 2025

2025 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Odds  

Here is an early look at the drivers’ odds for winning the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship, according to BetOnline Sportsbook:

*-Odds current at time of publication