Here we go! The final race event of the season is here, and we’re returning to familiar territory.
Glen Helen Raceway in Southern California has already featured on the schedule this season, so for the first time we head to a round with a small idea of what to expect. But with the series nearing its conclusion, the stakes are higher, and drivers will be pushing even harder to end their season on a positive note.
Once again you can wager on the action with DraftKings. But how should you place your bets? We’ve asked Dominik Wilde to take you through who’s hot and who’s not once again
The Favorite
Not only is Fraser McConnell one of Nitro RX's top drivers and a championship contender, but he was utterly dominant the last time we were in California. He secured his first top qualifier result, before backing that up with the even win the day after in what was an unstoppable performance.
At +350, McConnell is DraftKings' number one pick for the win in Glen Helen, with points leader Robin Larsson narrowly second at +380.
The Outsider
Travis Pastrana is a solid outsider pick at + 800. Still in the championship hunt, he'll be looking to end the season on a high after an up and down campaign – not to mention bounce back after a tricky couple of weeks in Canada.
Pastrana's also got previous at Glen Helen. He led home a historic 1-2-3 finish for the Vermont SportsCar-led Subaru team en route to the title in 2021. He'll definitely want to return to that level of performance if he wants to grab a second championship crown.
The Expert’s Pick
Ooft. This is a tricky one, and given I’ve almost had a clean sweep with predictions so far this season, the pressure is on. Naturally I’d want to pick the previous winner of the points leader going into a season finale at a returning venue, but since my friends at DraftKings have beaten me to them, I ought to look elsewhere.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing in a field as packed with talent as Nitro Rallycross’.Oliver Eriksson (+800) would be a solid choice given his recent upturn in form and his championship outsider status – he's got equal odds to Pastrana, too. But I'm going to point to Andreas Bakkerud (+450) instead.
Bakkerud is also a championship contender, sitting second in the points, and not only was he a podium finisher last time we headed to Glen Helen, but he was also a part of the aforementioned Vermont SportsCar Subaru 1-2-3 there in the 2021 season. He's a proven quantity around this track, and having been off the podium for the two most recent rounds, he's racing with a point to prove as well.
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