The last six races at Dover International Speedway have produced six different winners. Accordingly, there should be plenty of excitement on Sunday when the NASCAR Cup Series returns to Dover for the 2019 Gander RV 400. This is the first year with new car packages that feature 750 horsepower and no aero ducts. They've been used four other times this season, but this will be the first for NASCAR at Dover. Kyle Busch, who leads the NASCAR standings and has won three of the 10 season races so far, is the 3-1 favorite in the latest 2019 Gander RV 400 odds. He's followed closely by Kevin Harvick (4-1), who won here in 2018 and 2015, while pole-sitter Chase Elliott is 6-1. Then there are a trio of contenders sitting at 8-1 NASCAR at Dover odds in Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. Anything can happen in the high-banked, one-mile oval at Dover, so before making your own 2019 Gander RV 400 picks, you'll want to see the latest NASCAR predictions from handicapper Micah Roberts, the legendary Vegas bookmaker who pioneered wagering on racing.
Roberts went with Jimmie Johnson as a hefty 25-1 long shot at the season-opening Advance Auto Parts Clash. The result: Johnson survived a huge crash and went on to win the rain-shortened race as Roberts' followers raked it in. At the TicketGuardian 500 in Phoenix last month, Roberts nailed Busch at 4-1 odds over the heavily favored Harvick, and had an eye-popping eight of the top 10 right. At the Auto Club 400, he had nine of the top 10 correct.
Roberts entered the 2019 NASCAR season after finishing big-time in the black in 2018. Those who wagered $100 on each of his picks last year have $1,750 in profit to show for it. His biggest wins came when he went against the grain, taking Keselowski at 12-1 to win the South Point 400 at Las Vegas in the opening race of the NASCAR playoffs and going with Logano, also 12-1, to take the First Data 500 at Martinsville. He also nailed four of Harvick's nine series victories and three of Busch's nine wins. Anyone who's following his picks is up huge year after year.
Now, he has analyzed Sunday's Gander RV 400 lineup from every possible angle and locked in his top 2019 NASCAR at Dover picks. You can see them at SportsLine.
We can tell you that Roberts is high on Ryan Blaney, a dark horse at 20-1 NASCAR odds to win at Dover. Blaney hasn't had much success at Dover, but the car package that is in play here is the same one at other tracks he's excelled at.
"This race is all about the car, and his 750 HP package has been dominant at times in 2019 like leading 94 laps at Phoenix and finishing third, finishing fourth at Martinsville, and leading a race-high 158 laps at Bristol before finishing fourth," Roberts told SportsLine.
Another surprise: Roberts wants no part Harvick, one of the top Vegas favorites at 4-1 NASCAR at Dover odds. Harvick won this race last spring, but this year he hasn't tasted victory, and the new car package is a big reason why. In fact, Harvick has just one top-five finish with it.
"Obviously, it's the car. The edge he once enjoyed has been taken away by the new package," Roberts told SportsLine. He finished a disappointing 38th last week at Talladega and was just 13th at Bristol a month ago. Harvick has led laps just once in his last seven races and still finished only fourth at Richmond. He'll start sixth in the 2019 NASCAR at Dover grid, but Roberts says he isn't worth the pricey 4-1 premium you'll need to pay for him. In fact, he says Harvick doesn't even crack the top five at Dover.
Roberts is also high on an underrated driver with past success on this track to pick up the win at Dover. His top 2019 NASCAR at Dover picks and projected leaderboard will surprise many, but anyone who backs this long shot could hit a massive payday.
So which drivers are must-backs in the 2019 Gander RV 400? And which driver brings home the checkered flag at Dover? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard for the 2019 Gander RV 400 from the nation's premier NASCAR handicapper, and find out.
