NASCAR returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway! Sure, they’ve been there for the All-Star Race the past three seasons. But, for the first time since 1996, they’ll host a full NASCAR Cup Series points race. Jeff Gordon took down Dale Earnhardt the last time this place paid Cup Series points. The short-flat .625-mile track, marks a big change from the tracks the series has been to over the last few months of the year, giving drivers a new challenge. Let’s dive into this week’s NASCAR picks, odds, and best bets for the Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro.
Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, and Joey Logano are the three drivers who have picked up wins in the All-Star Race here at North Wilkesboro over the last few seasons. Those of course were shorter races with smaller fields of cars. 450 laps is a step up from the 400-lap Tyson-Holly Farms 400 that Jeff Gordon won on September 29th, 1996. Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, Jeff Burton, and Terry Labonte were the top five in the race that day.
When it comes to comparison tracks to look at for data in making your picks here at North Wilkesboro. Phoenix and Martinsville are the tracks they’ve been to this year we can really look at. Past performance at New Hampshire, World Wide Technology Raceway, Richmond, and Iowa should also be considered. This will also be the first weekend of the “softer” bumpers on select tracks where NASCAR doesn’t want drivers moving each other out of the way too aggressively.
We always say “come for the picks, stay for the banter” and this is exactly why 😂 we apparently created a racing themed chip brand on todays show, waiting on a patent and @GamblingPodcast approval to go to market 😂
Catch the whole show here https://t.co/IMygMfyfar pic.twitter.com/4GYLDSOoZq— NASCAR Gambling Podcast (@NascarGambling) July 14, 2026
Odds to Win Window World 450
Denny Hamlin +430
Ryan Blaney +430
Christopher Bell +500
Kyle Larson +900
Joey Logano +1000
Tyler Reddick +1100
Ty Gibbs +1300
Chase Briscoe +1600
William Byron +1600
Carson Hocevar +2500
Bubba Wallace +2500
Ryan Preece +3300
Chris Buescher +3300
Austin Cindric +3300
Brad Keselowski +4000
Alex Bowman +4500
Josh Berry +5000
Ross Chastain +5500
Daniel Suarez +6000
Shane Van Gisbergen +10000
Erik Jones +10000
Austin Dillon +10000
Michael McDowell +10000
Zane Smith +12500
John Hunter Nemechek +15000
Connor Zilisch +20000
AJ Allmendinger +20000
Riley Herbst +22500
Ricky Stenhouse +25000
Austin Hill+25000
Todd Gilliland +25000
Noah Gragson +25000
Chad Finchum +50000
Cody Ware +50000
Cole Custer +50000
Ty Dillon +50000
NASCAR Picks, Odds, and Best Bets: Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro Speedway
Christopher Bell Top 3 Finish (+150)
Two drivers immediately come to mind when I think of short-flat tracks. Mt outright bet below, and Christopher Bell. Bell is a master on this track type. He’s also run extremely well lately. Going back to the Coca-Cola 600 Bell had a second-place finish. The next week at Nashville (which can be tossed in as a lighter comp track) he also finished second. After that, he broke his wrist in the wreck at Michigan while running top three. Pocono he couldn’t hang with the wrist and got out of the car at Coronado. But, at Sonoma, it was like the wrist wasn’t a bother at all where he finished fifth. Over the last two weeks in Chicago and Atlanta, he once again finished second in both. Before and after what I’ll dub “the wrist races” Bell has been on fire.
On comparison tracks, he’s been really good as well. He finished seventh at Martinsville, but dominated Phoenix earlier this year leading 176 laps and finishing second place, a theme of his this season. Last year, he dominated Phoenix, winning his second straight spring race at the track. He also won at the short track of Bristol. His history throughout his Cup career places him as one of the best active short track guys.
Ty Gibbs Top 10 (-125)
It continues to surprise me how little respect Ty Gibbs gets. That being said, I love it. The books keep giving us great lines on the driver of the Joe Gibbs Racing #54 Monster Energy Toyota. Gibbs sits fourth in the overall standings with just six races left in the season before NASCAR’s Chase begins. Gibbs is riding a streak of three top 10 finishes in a row and four in the last five races. In 13 of 20 races this season, Gibbs has finished top 10.
He’s been particularly good on the few short track races we’ve run in 2026. He won his first career race at Bristol in the spring, after finishing fourth place at both Martinsville and Phoenix. Gibbs has shown his flashes over the last few seasons, but there is little reason to look past what he’s done this season as he’s broken out into the star we all knew he could be.
Ryan Blaney to Win (+430)
The #1 driver I think of when we come to short tracks? Non other than last weeks winner Ryan Blaney. There might not be a driver in the garage who gets more out of his equipment than the driver of the #12 Penske Ford. Sitting third in the points, Blaney is riding an eight race streak of top 10 finishes this season. On top of that, at “short tracks” Blaney has the longest active top-10 streak at nine, four better than Kyle Larson who is next on the list.
Longest active Top 10 streaks on Short Tracks:
9 – Ryan Blaney
8 –
7 –
6 –
5 – Kyle Larson
4 – Denny Hamlin
3 – Gibbs
2 – Logano
1 – Briscoe, Gilliland, Reddick, Preece, Hocevar
0 – Everyone elseBlaney is also on an 8-race Top 10 streak this season, the longest of his career pic.twitter.com/n6GqayjTSb
— Daniel Céspedes (@_DanielCespedes) July 14, 2026
Blaney led 46 laps at Nashville earlier this year, finished second at Bristol, where he led a dominant 190 laps. He also won at Phoenix. Going back to last season, Blaney ended the year winning at Phoenix, and finishing second at Martinsville side he led 177 laps. He won New Hampshire as well, and led 124 laps in the spring Martinsville race. Blaney is the guy at short tracks, and he deserves our bet at North Wilkesboro’s return.
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