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The Countdown to the Championship playoffs kicked off last week in Reading, where Antron Brown, Austin Prock, Aaron Stanfield, and Hector Arana Jr. scored wins in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle, respectively.

There is no rest for the weary as the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour now heads south to opulent zMax Dragway for the NHRA Carolina Nationals, the second of six stops in the Countdown.

PlayNHRA, NHRA’s partnership with leading sports books and fantasy sports providers will enable 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, and head-to-head matchups.

The experts at Alt Sports Data have set the opening lines for this week’s event at zaMax Dragway, 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

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Doug Kalitta failed to qualify at the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals and suffered an early loss in Reading, yet he remains the favorite this week in Charlotte. Kalitta has been solid for most of the season, and his career numbers speak for themselves, which helps explain why he rates a slight edge against the rest of the field.

After Kalitta, Steve Torrence, current championship leader Justin Ashley, Reading winner Antron Brown, and Indy champ Clay Millican are listed among the favorites.

Further down the order, Brittany Force is listed at +1,144, while Dan Mercier, fresh off a semifinal in Reading, is a true long shot at +6,844.

FUNNY CAR

Austin Prock has dominated the regular season in Funny Car, and he dominated the first race of the Countdown, so why wouldn’t he be the favorite this weekend? Prock is listed at +378 for openers, which might actually be a bargain given his recent performances. That being said, he’s got plenty of company in the battle for the title.

Prock is followed by Matt Hagan, Bob Tasca III, Jack Beckman, Ron Capps, and J.R. Todd, who are each considered to be championship contenders. Also of interest is Alexis DeJoria, who had one of the best cars in Reading and is listed at opening odds of +1,648.

PRO STOCK

Aaron Stanfield has been on a roll for the last few weeks, yet the oddsmakers have Erica Enders listed as a slight favorite at +567. That should not be surprising as even though the six time champion hasn’t won since Gainesville, she continues to have one of the best cars in the field, and she’s got a reputation for turning things up a notch during the Countdown.

Enders is followed closely by Dallas Glenn, current leader Stanfield, Greg Anderson, Jeg Coughlin Jr., and Troy Coughlin Jr., who seems to have fair value at +1,261. Pro Stock is still a class where anyone who qualifies can win, and the field should be separated by less than a tenth of a second, yet these six drivers seem to have distanced themselves from the pack.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

The Pep Boys NHRA Nationals in Reading delivered a bit of a shocker as it was Hector Arana Jr., and not favorites Gaige Herrera or Matt Smith, who left with the Wally. Arana is fully capable of winning races, although he admittedly struggled in the early part of the season.

This week, Herrera remains a strong favorite at -171, while Matt Smith is not far behind with Chase Van Sant, Richard Gadson, and Angie Smith rounding out the top five. Arana remains a long shot at +2,966 should he go two for two during the Countdown.

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

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