NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season transitions to playoff mode as the Countdown to the Championship begins with this weekend’s 40th annual NHRA Reading Nationals presented by Nitro Fish. Indy winner Justin Ashley and Shawn Langdon come in as the co-favorites in Top Fuel, and they are joined by Austin Prock, Greg Anderson, and Gaige Herrera in Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle, respectively.

PlayNHRA, NHRA’s partnership with leading sports books and fantasy sports providers, has allowed fans to sign up for free and legally wager on national events and other outcomes in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, including this weekend’s event at historic Maple Grove Raceway.

NHRA fans have the opportunity to engage in fantasy games, gaming, and betting for this event. Betting markets feature Professional classes, where fans can wager on event winners, low elapsed time of the event, head-to-head matchups, and season champions.

Below are the opening odds as provided by Alt Sports Data.

(Note: In American sports betting, odds are typically expressed with a plus (+) or minus (–) symbol followed by a number. For example, +200 signifies the amount a bettor could win if wagering $100. If the bet works out, the player will receive a total payout of $300; $200 profit + $100 initial stake.)

TOP FUEL

According to the oddsmakers, Shawn Langdon and Justin Ashley have an equal shot to win in Reading, and they both open at +600, meaning a $10 wager on either of them would return $70 with a victory. As has been the case at recent events, the top eight drivers in the Top Fuel field are separated by a small fraction as points leader Tony Stewart is +650, followed by Doug Kalitta (+700), Brittany Force (+750), Steve Torrence (+750), Antron Brown (+800), and Clay Millican (+850).

For bettors who believe someone other than the above-listed drivers might win, there are a variety of long shots available, beginning with Shawn Reed at +1100. Reed is making his NHRA return after being injured in an on-track accident in Seattle.

Eight-time world champ Tony Schumacher also recently made his return, and his price is an attractive +1600, while Canadian Dan Mercier opens at +2500. Mercier has often been named along with Reed as the best Top Fuel racer who has yet to win an NHRA event.

FUNNY CAR

After finishing the regular season as the top two Funny Car drivers, teammates Austin Prock and Jack Beckman remain the frontrunners. Prock, fresh off an Indy win, opens as a big favorite at +200, while Beckman is +550.

Since Prock and Beckman are big favorites, the rest of the field features what might be an attractive price for value bettors. Bob Tasca III and Spencer Hyde are +900, while everyone else in Funny Car carries a double-digit price tag.

That includes J.R. Todd, Matt Hagan, and Ron Capps at +1100, while Paul Lee and Chad Green are +1200, and Daniel Wilkerson is +1400 and Blake Alexander is +1600.

Cruz Pedregon and Alexis DeJoria fall well into long-shot territory with odds of +2000 and +2200, respectively, while everyone else in the 19-car field, including Phil Burkart, Dave Richards, Terry Haddock, Alex Laughlin, Jim Campbell, and Joe Morrison, are +8000 for starters.    

PRO STOCK

In a move that is not the least bit surprising, Greg Anderson and Dallas Glenn share the top spot in Pro Stock with Anderson’s opening price at +320 and Glenn just a fraction behind at +350. That seems reasonable because the KB Titan Racing teammates have combined to win the bulk of the events this season.

Following her historic NHRA U.S. Nationals victory, Erica Enders has gotten a sizable bump from the oddsmakers, and the now 50-time national event winner is +700, while Indy runner-up Matt Hartford is +900.

Everyone else in Pro Stock is double digits, including Aaron Stanfield (+1100), Cory Reed (+1200), and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (+1400). There is also a trio of drivers at +1600, including Greg Stanfield, Deric Kramer, and Cody Coughlin.

Matt Latino and his father, Eric, fall among the long shots at +1800 and +2000, respectively. There are 19 Pro Stock cars headed for Reading, which means qualifying will be of the utmost importance.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

Gaige Herrera continues to lead the way in Pro Stock Motorcycle, and as a result, he’s the only racer in the field with negative odds. Herrera is priced this week at -160, so it would take a $16 bet to win a $10 profit ($26.00 total).

Matt Smith, who has enjoyed past success in Reading, opens at +500, while two-time series winner Richard Gadson is +550. Perhaps the most intriguing entry in the field is Brayden Davis, who is coming off a final round in Indy. Davis is +700, which might be a bargain considering he’s been to the semifinals or further in his first three events with the Vance & Hines team.

John Hall won in Norwalk but is a big long shot at +2200, with Chase Van Sant and Angie Smith close behind at +2500. Jianna Evaristo has run well at recent events, defying her price of +5000.

Opening odds provided by Alt Sports Data (Odds are subject to change). 

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