A fomer NASCAR hero was confirmed dead.

A fomer NASCAR hero was confirmed dead.

Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson entered the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs as the betting favorite to win his second championship in four years.

The 2021 series champion came within one point of winning the regular season title, a title he would have won had he simply driven the No. 5 Chevrolet in all 26 regular season races, and he led all drivers with four race victories. His 10 stage wins were tied for the most in the series, and he opened up the playoffs with 40 playoff points, eight more than any other driver.

Following a crash in the playoff opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Larson fell down to 10th place in the playoff standings, but he is still well-positioned to advance to the round of 12, provided the final two races of the round of 16 at Watkins Glen ςInternational and Bristol Motor Speedway don’t also end in disaster.

However, there is another driver who is now listed as a co-favorite to win the 2024 championship.

Listed at +400 (bet $100 to win $400) on FanDuel Sportsbook are both Larson and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell.