After a pair of wild four-wide events in Las Vegas and Charlotte, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series reverts back to a more traditional two-wide format for this week’s Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Peak at Route 66 Raceway.

This is the 25th year of NHRA racing in Chicago, a city that has a rich history of drag racing dating back to its earliest days. This year’s event will feature Pro racing in Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock Motorcycle, with the Pro Stock teams taking the week off before rejoining the tour in Epping.

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 Route 66 Raceway. The Illinois market has a variety of options when it comes to wagering on NHRA events.

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

The experts at Alt Sports Data have set the opening lines for this week’s event at Route 66 Raceway, and they have chosen reigning world champs Antron Brown, Austin Prock, and Gaige Herrera as pre-race favorites.

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 would receive a total payout of $300; $200 profit + $100 initial stake.)

TOP FUEL

Reigning world champ Antron Brown is once again the favorite to win in Top Fuel, but he has plenty of company among the favorites, including Shawn Langdon, Brittany Force, Justin Ashley, Doug Kalitta, Tony Stewart, TJ Zizzo, and Steve Torrence, who can all be had for between 7-1 and 9-1 odds. Perhaps the most intriguing of the group is Zizzo, who does not race often but tends to make his presence known. Last year, Zizzo thrilled his hometown fans by qualifying No. 1 in the tough Top Fuel field.

A bit further down the order, Clay Millican represents value at +1,000 (10-1), while the same can be said for Shawn Reed, who is also at +1,000 and seems to be on track to become Top Fuel’s next first-time winner.

When it comes to long shots, one that stands out is Canadian Dan Mercier, who has an opening price of +6,500, which means a $10 wager would return a robust $660.00. Last year at this event, Mercier qualified No. 9 but turned in a solid semifinal showing.

FUNNY CAR

The oddsmakers currently favor John Force Racing teammates Austin Prock and Jack Beckman, who open at +300 and +500, respectively, making them solid favorites against what is a very deep and talented field of 19 pre-entries.

Paul Lee has been the surprise of the season so far, and his odds of +900 reflect that he’s a threat to win any race he attends. The same can be said for Bob Tasca III, Matt Hagan, Chad Green, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd, and Daniel Wilkerson, who range from +900 to +1,400. Illinois native Daniel Wilkerson, who has a solid fan following at Route 66 Raceway, is sure to attract some action at +1,500, while impressive rookie Spencer Hyde, who already has a win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge in Jim Head’s entry, opens at +1,700 for a hefty payday should he get his first win.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

Matt Smith won the most recent Pro Stock Motorcycle event in Charlotte, but it's reigning world champion Gaige Herrera who has the shortest odds at -155, which means a $10 wager returns $16.45. That might not seem like much of a return, but considering that Herrera has won 22 of the last 32 events, a bettor who wagered on him at every race would have turned a tidy profit in the process.

At +270, Smith is also a big favorite, and after his dominating performance in Charlotte, that should not be a surprise. Smith is followed by Charlotte runner-up Richard Gadson, who is priced at +700.

Beyond the top three, everyone else in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class is a long shot, including Chase Van Sant at +1,600, and teammates Angie Smith and John Hall at +3,000. Looking for a bargain? Then Jianna Evaristo might be the ticket at +5,000, meaning a $10 wager would return $510.00 should the Scrappers/JHG Buell make it to the winner’s circle.

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

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