2025 Blue Cross NC 250 Race Picks

Date/Time: Saturday October 4th, 2025. 5:00PM (EST)
Where: Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL
TV: CW

Playoff racing from the ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway will continue on Saturday with the running of the Blue Cross NC 250. Officially, tomorrow’s Xfinity Series return to the ROVAL will mark the final race in the Round of 12. As things currently stand, Sammy Smith, Nick Sanchez, Harrison Burton, and Austin Hill are among the drivers that are below the cutline and in jeopardy of being eliminated. Hill is a 3-time winner this season and was thought to be among the championship contenders. However, Hill and many others will need a quality performance on Saturday and perhaps a little luck to keep their championship hopes alive!

Before Friday’s first ever Truck Series race at the ROVAL, I discussed in-depth that our handicapping focus should not only be considered around typical handicapping angles like road course skill set, track history, etc. but it should also be centered heavily around how teams/organizations have performed at the road courses in the Truck Series. In that series specifically, the equipment factor is a huge deal and we saw that storyline unfold with TRICON Garage capturing a 1,2,3 finish to help us having a successful start to the weekend with a parlay that is still live going into Sunday.

The reason that I mention our handicapping strategy for Friday’s Truck Series race is because it will not be the same for Saturday’s Blue Cross NC 250 in the Xfinity Series. In the Xfinity Series’ cars, the driver behind the wheel makes the majority of the speed or lap time as opposed to the equipment they are piloting. That is not to say that having a fast race car is not important, however the Xfinity Series cars are tailored more towards the driving talent behind the wheel. For that reason, I don’t think there are going to be too many surprises on Saturday. From a handicapping and a betting perspective, we will try to identify sharp betting opportunities while also trying to make the most out of the betting odds that are provided.

ROVAL – Xfinity Notes

• Sam Mayer is the only former active winner at the ROVAL. Mayer has won the last two races at the ROVAL (2023 & 2024).
• Connor Zilisch has won the last 3 races on road courses (Sonoma, Watkins Glen, Portland) this season.
• Connor Zilisch has a lucrative 137.4 average driver rating over the last 5 road course races this season.
• William Sawalich has finished 3rd or better in 2 of the last 3 road course races this season.
• Austin Hill has finished in the Top 5 in 4 of the last 5 road course races this season.
• Nick Sanchez has finished in the Top 5 in 3 of the last 4 road course races this season.
• Carson Kvapil has finished 8th or better in the last 3 road course races this season.
• Sammy Smith has finished in the Top 10 in 4 of the last 5 road course races this season.
• Austin Green has finished 11th or better in the last 5 road course races this season.
• Harrison Burton has finished 13th or better in 4 of the last 5 road course races this season.
• Sam Mayer, Austin Hill, and Justin Allgaier are the only drivers to finish in the Top 10 in 2 of the last 3 races at the ROVAL.
• The eventual race winner has started from the front row in each of the last 3 races at the ROVAL.
• Chevrolet drivers have won 6 straight races at the ROVAL.
• There have been at least 7 cautions in 5 of the last 6 races at the ROVAL.

Betting Targets

Due to the fact that I believe the driver makes the most speed in the Xfinity Series and due also to the fact that the Xfinity Series competes frequently at the road courses, I think we have a pretty strong idea what will unfold on Saturday. The most likely scenario is that Connor Zilisch will be dominant yet again. Zilisch competed in the truck race on Friday and performed well despite being in an underperforming truck. Therefore, I don’t believe the ROVAL is going to present any unforeseen challenges for the series’ best driver this season and one of the sport’s best road course talents. If Zilisch happens to run into trouble, Sam Mayer would be the obvious pick to steal the victory. Mayer has been really strong at the ROVAL and has won the last two races in the fall at Charlotte.

Behind those two drivers, tomorrow’s Blue Cross NC 250 becomes a bigger guessing game surrounding the drivers that could fight their way into contention. Austin Hill, William Sawalich, and Nick Sanchez are among the dark horses that I will be watching closely during Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions. All 3 of those drivers are hitting on several handicapping angles and have a high likelihood of putting together a quality effort. Personally, I believe Hill and Sawalich are the sharper choices and I am looking at both of those drivers as targets in H2H formats. Deeper into the field, Carson Kvapil and Austin Green are additional names that have higher upside than current betting odds suggests. Green and Kvapil are potential prop bet options and may be worth consideration in fantasy formats as well.

2025 Draftkings Blue Cross NC 250 Optimal Lineup

2025 Blue Cross NC 250 Race Picks

*FINAL*

Sam Mayer +700 (1 unit)
Austin Hill +2000 (.5 unit)
William Sawalich +2200 (.5 unit)

H2H Match-Ups and Prop Bets

Austin Hill -110 over Sheldon Creed (2 units)
William Sawalich -115 over Jesse Love (2 units)
Sam Mayer -140 over Justin Allgaier (2 units)

Two Team Parlay

Connor Zilisch -150 wins Blue Cross NC 250
AJ Allmendinger +250 wins Group B (Elliott, Briscoe, Buescher)
Risking 1 unit to win: +480