NASCAR shifts gears and heads over to the season’s first short-track race. This is the first of three short tracks on the 2023 calendar. After an intense first road course race, we now prepare for the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway. The 0.750-mile paved track in Virginia is a chance for teams and drivers to test out their short-track skills.

Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick won the two races here last year, while Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in wins with six on the short oval. Furthermore, as the season shapes up, we encourage you to go over the overlooked side of the grid. Check out how the 2023 Toyota owners 400 sleeper picks stack up against the competition. The action begins on Saturday morning with practice, followed by qualifying for the race at Richmond.

A Closer Look at the top 2023 Toyota Owners 400 Sleeper Picks

IT. IS. RACE. WEEK.

Who's ready??#ToyotaOwners400 | #ToyotaCare250 pic.twitter.com/g1vYMDJHd5

— Richmond Raceway (@RichmondRaceway) March 27, 2023

READ MORE: 2023 Toyota Owners 400 NASCAR Odds & Prediction

Chase Briscoe

• 2023 Toyota Owners 400 Odds: +6,600

Driving the No. 14 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, Chase first found Cup Series glory at Phoenix Raceway last year. His portfolio includes a Round of 8 appearances in just his second season in NASCAR’s top-flight series. The Indiana-born driver boasts a long list of achievements outside the Cup Series. In five years of racing at the Xfinity Series, Chase managed to score 11 wins on top of 54 top-ten finishes. Since moving up the ranks, we expect him to improve on his best finish of ninth place in 2022.

Although facing a shaky start in the 2023 season, the 28-year-old finished 15th at the Circuit of the Americas last weekend. He managed to bag a top-ten finish with five laps led in six appearances. Briscoe currently holds an average start of 22 and an average finish of 21.5. We have high hopes for him with six top-five finishes in his Cup Series career stats.

Ty Gibbs

• 2023 Toyota Owners 400 Odds: +10,000

Gibbs suits up for Joe Gibbs Racing this year. He will race full-time with the team in the No. 54 Toyota in the NASCAR Cup Series. The youngster continues his career with the heavy hitters after an impressive run at the Xfinity Series. Last year, he secured seven wins in his first full-time season. Earlier in 2020, Gibbs produced a statement performance and earned a series-leading six wins in just 16 starts.

So far, the young driver holds an average start of 21 and an average finish of 18.167. These are good numbers to work with during the season’s early stages. He also documents two top-ten finishes in six races, which helped him earn 118 points and a driver rank of 18th.

Aric Almirola

• 2023 Toyota Owners 400 Odds: +30,000

Another Stewart-Haas Racing Ford driver joins the sleeper list. This time, it’s the man behind the No. 10 car for the manufacturer. This is his sixth season with the team and 12th full-time in NASCAR’s top division. His experience makes him a solid pick among the sea of sleepers.

Almirola holds three career NASCAR Cup Series wins and joined the NASCAR Playoffs five times, with his most recent one being in 2021. His most recent points-paying achievement win came at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Additionally, he won the 2023 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 race at Daytona International Speedway.

The 39-year-old has a 19.5 career average start and an average finish of 27.5. Although these numbers look to be on the decline, it’s safe to say that he can go shoulder-to-shoulder with the big guns with a little more consistency. Ultimately, Almirola will fight to bounce back from a DNF at Atlanta last week.

Where to Bet on NASCAR with Crypto

The NASCAR season is in full gear! Enjoy motorsport action and exclusive rewards and promotions as soon as you sign-up at Nitrobetting.

This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more NASCAR previews and articles, and don’t forget to check out the latest sports betting odds at our crypto sportsbook.