2026 Brickyard 400 odds: Hamlin favored as model eyes Byron
Denny Hamlin leads FanDuel’s Brickyard 400 board, while SportsLine’s model is fading the favorite and backing William Byron.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
The 2026 Brickyard 400 odds have Denny Hamlin on top heading into Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, but SportsLine’s projection model is looking elsewhere for value.
FanDuel lists Hamlin at +360 to win the Brickyard 400, with Kyle Larson next at +650 and Tyler Reddick at +700. Christopher Bell follows at +800, while Ryan Blaney sits at +950 on the outright board.
The race also comes with an extra side plot: the NASCAR In-Season Challenge has reached its final matchup. Ryan Blaney and Todd Gilliland are the last two drivers left from the 32-driver bracket, and the one who finishes higher Sunday takes the $1 million prize. FanDuel has Blaney as a -320 favorite over Gilliland in that head-to-head.
What time is the 2026 Brickyard 400?
The NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis is scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m. ET, according to CBS Sports. It is one of five remaining regular-season races on the Cup Series calendar.
The Brickyard 400 is held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, one of NASCAR’s most recognizable stops. For playoff hopefuls, the timing adds pressure because the regular season is nearing its final stretch.
Why the model is fading Hamlin
CBS Sports reported that Mike McClure’s SportsLine model is not backing Hamlin at his current favorite’s price. The model simulates every lap of NASCAR races 10,000 times, according to SportsLine.
Hamlin’s case is easy to see on paper. CBS Sports noted that he leads the playoff chase standings and has won four points races this season, including a run of three straight victories.
The concern, according to the SportsLine analysis cited by CBS Sports, is that his recent results have softened. Hamlin has an average finish of 9.5 across his past five races, and two of his past three races at Indianapolis have ended in accidents.
That does not mean Hamlin cannot win. It means the model does not view him as the best betting value at +360, according to CBS Sports.
William Byron gets a brighter look
SportsLine’s model is higher on William Byron at +1300, CBS Sports reported. Byron is being flagged as a contender for both outright and top-five betting markets.
Byron has not won yet this season, according to CBS Sports, but his results have kept him in the mix. He has nine top-10 finishes and four top-five finishes entering the Brickyard 400.
CBS Sports also said McClure’s model likes another driver priced around +2000, though that pick is available through SportsLine’s full betting report.
Top 2026 Brickyard 400 odds
FanDuel Sportsbook’s listed odds, as cited by CBS Sports, are subject to change. The top of the board includes:
- Denny Hamlin +360
- Kyle Larson +650
- Tyler Reddick +700
- Christopher Bell +800
- Ryan Blaney +950
- Chase Elliott +1200
- Chase Briscoe +1300
- Bubba Wallace +1300
- William Byron +1300
- Ty Gibbs +1600
- Carson Hocevar +1600
- Joey Logano +1900
McClure is described by CBS Sports as a professional daily fantasy sports player with more than $2 million in career winnings. SportsLine says his NASCAR model has picked 30 winners since 2021, including Hamlin’s back-to-back wins at Michigan and Pocono last month.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.