Veteran driver William Byron kicked off the season with a victory in the Daytona 500, but he’s been striving to re-enter the winner’s circle since then. This Sunday, he’ll have another opportunity as he takes to the track at the 2025 NASCAR Cracker Barrel 400 taking place at Nashville Superspeedway.
Byron aims to build on the momentum from last week’s race where he led for the majority of laps but ultimately finished in second place afterward. The current betting odds for the 2025 Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway feature Kyle Larson as the frontrunner at +450. Denny Hamlin follows closely behind at +600, followed by Christopher Bell at +650, Byron himself at +700, and further behind are Ryan Blaney and Ross Chastain at +850, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
The race begins at 7 p.m. ET. Before placing any bets on the 2025 Cracker Barrel 400, check out the expert commentary and predictions from NASCAR insider Steven Taranto.
Taranto, a seasoned sim racer with 20 career victories in iRacing, serves as the chief NASCAR writer for CBSSports.com and holds credentials for NASCAR media. He produces a well-regarded weekly NASCAR predictions column, having accurately forecasted breakthrough wins for both Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez in 2022.
In 2024, Taranto recorded an impressive streak by spotting 17 winners, with notable picks such as William Byron at 16-1 during the Daytona 500 and Chase Elliott at 14-1 at Texas. His winning call for the Straight Talk Wireless 400 winner was Kyle Larson on March 23. Sports fans who kept up with Taranto’s NASCAR strategies have seen significant returns during betting.
For the 2025 Cracker Barrel 400, Taranto recommends betting on Denny Hamlin at +600. This experienced driver has notched two wins alongside two second-place finishes and six top-10 finishes throughout the season. At the previous race in Charlotte, he placed 16th in the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. His successes this season include victories at both the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville and the Goodyear 400 at Darlington.
Thus far, Hamlin has consistently performed well across his 21 seasons in the Cup Series, securing 56 race wins, recording 364 top-10 finishes, and taking 43 pole positions, yet he still seeks his first Cup Series season championship.
Top NASCAR Props for Nashville Superspeedway
Taranto predicts a compelling head-to-head matchup where Joey Logano (-115) is favored to finish ahead of Chase Briscoe (-115). Logano’s historical performance at Nashville grants him a marginal advantage, considering his win in the 2024 Ally 400 and multiple top-10 finishes over the last four years. Conversely, Briscoe’s highest finish at Nashville was 21st last year.
In terms of overall season performance, Logano has secured one win and three top-10 finishes, with his victory coming at the Wurth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway. While Briscoe has not claimed a win this year, he has accumulated six top-10 finishes, finishing third last week at the Coca-Cola 600.
Taranto’s assessments also include four additional drivers he favors for the 2025 NASCAR at Nashville along with a huge longshot expected to yield substantial returns. Stay tuned for his comprehensive analysis on potential strategies and picks for Sunday’s race.
