The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship playoffs reach the midway point this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway during the NHRA Midwest Nationals.

There will be no championships decided in St. Louis, but for those currently trailing, it’s go time as there are just 16 rounds of Professional racing left in the 2024 season.

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.

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

(For more odds and info, visit the Best Bets: NHRA Midwest Nationals article)

The experts at Alt Sports Data have set the opening lines for this week’s event at World Wide Technology Raceway, and they have chosen Doug Kalitta, Austin Prock, Erica Enders, and Gaige Herrera as the 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

    
Doug Kalitta has had a rocky start to the Countdown as he dropped from first to fourth in the standings, yet the reigning champ remains a favorite largely because of his success in the regular season and the potential that his Mac Tools team has to stage a comeback. Kalitta is currently 67 points behind leader Antron Brown, which is a manageable number, although he cannot afford to fall further behind.

Kalitta is followed by Steve Torrence, Justin Ashley, Shawn Langdon, leader Antron Brown, and Clay Millican, who are tightly bunched between +829 and +981 in the opening line. Brown presents perhaps the best value of the group as he’s already won two Countdown events and has momentum on his side.

In the long shot dept., Tony Schumacher, a winner earlier this season in Bristol and a two-time St. Louis champ, can be had for +1,766, which means a $10 wager would return $176.60.

FUNNY CAR

With wins in the first two events in the Countdown, Austin Prock has grown his lead in the Funny Car class to 129 points, so it’s no surprise that the Cornwell Tools Camaro driver is a heavy favorite to win again in St. Louis. Prock is riding a three-race winning streak and has seven wins in 10 finals this season.

Prock still has work to do in order to earn his first NHRA world title, and Bob Tasca III, Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd, and a host of others are determined to stop him. Tasca, who at times this season has had the best car in the class, is ranked No. 2 at +664, while Hagan is not far behind at +682. Jack Beckman, filling in for John Force in the Peak Camaro, is listed at +1,318, which should be recognized as a value pick.

PRO STOCK

Although she didn’t win in Charlotte, Erica Enders clearly had the best car, and the six-time world champ has a sterling record at World Wide Technology Raceway, so the oddsmakers have labeled her as a sizable favorite this weekend. Enders finds herself 53 points behind leader Dallas Glenn, who is listed among the favorites at +680. Fellow championship contenders Aaron Stanfield, Greg Anderson, Jeg Coughlin Jr., and Troy Coughlin Jr. are also among the favorites.

A bit further down the roster, resurgent Matt Hartford comes in at an attractive price of +1,692, while Mason McGaha, who has recently appeared in a final round, is a long shot at +3,336. The same can be said for Camrie Caruso, who recently returned after being injured in a racing accident earlier this season in Phoenix. Caruso can be had for +3,659.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

For the first time since the start of the PlayNHRA Initiative, reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle world champ Gaige Herrera does not feature an opening price at negative odds. Herrera remains the favorite, but he’s listed at +104, which essentially means he’s an even money wager. The change in price is largely due to the performance of six-time champ Matt Smith, who won convincingly in Charlotte and comes in second at +209. Ranked first and second in the standings, Smith and Herrera are big favorites against the rest of the field.

There is value in other Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors, including Richard Gadson, who is coming off a final-round appearance in Charlotte (+1,218) and Seattle winner Chase Van Sant (+1,692). A but further down the roster is Reading champ Hector Arana Jr., who offers an attractive price of +2,940.

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

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