2026 Jack Link's 500 odds, picks: NASCAR projected leaderboard from proven model

The Cup Series makes its first of two trips to Talladega Superspeedway this season on Sunday for the Jack Link's 500 2026. The green flag for NASCAR at Talladega drops at 3 p.m. ET on the 2.660-miles tri-oval track. Brad Keselowski is a six-time victor at this track but 11 different drivers have won the last 11 NASCAR Talladega races. One of those is Austin Cindric, who won this race last year and is one of the favorites per the 2026 Jack Link's 500 odds.

Cindric is at +1200, trailing only Joey Logano (+900) and Ryan Blaney (+1000). Also at +1200 for use in NASCAR Talladega bets is Bubba Wallace, while Keselowski is priced at +1400, and Chase Briscoe, who won the fall NASCAR at Talladega event, is at +1900.

Before making any 2026 Jack Link's 500 picks or NASCAR predictions, you need to see what auto racing insider Mike McClure has to say.

McClure is a legendary professional DFS player with more than $2 million in career winnings. He uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every lap of NASCAR action, taking factors such as matchups and statistical trends into account. 

All told, the model has nailed a whopping 29 winners since 2021 and hit 11 winners in 2025! Anyone who followed its lead on those NASCAR picks could have seen HUGE returns.

For NASCAR at Talladega, the model is fading Austin Cindric (+1200), saying he doesn't even crack the top 10 despite being one of the favorites. Another surprise: Christopher Bell (+2000) is projected to make a strong run towards the title. Bell has three top 5 finishes on the season and is as consistent as they come as he's finished in the top 5 of the Cup Series standings in each of the past four seasons.

The model has also identified three other longshots of at least +2000 who make runs for the top of the leaderboard, including one of at least +3000, potentially netting any backer a huge payday!

So who wins the 2026 Jack Link's 500, and which longshots could stun NASCAR? Visit SportsLine now to see the picks and best bets from a NASCAR model that nailed 11 winners last year, and find out!