“BetMGM’s been a great partner to work with,” said Dillon, the 2018 Daytona 500 champion. “I get to meet some of their biggest gamblers at the track; they use the partnership for that. You gamble with BetMGM, it comes with perks and you get to go to a race every now and then and meet the driver of the BetMGM Chevrolet.”

Busch has a unique perspective because he grew up in Las Vegas, where gambling is everywhere. The two-time Cup Series champion sees sports betting as a “huge market” that will boost motorsports as it continues to be legalized across the country.

As a pitchman, Busch said his job is to promote responsible gambling; it doesn’t sound much different than any of the beer-sponsored drivers or commercials telling fans to drink in moderation.

As a driver, Busch’s job is also clear.

“Keeping the integrity of the sport, obviously,” Busch said. “You’re not going to do anything that hurts the things that you’re supposed to do behind the wheel. You can’t change the outcome of events, right?”

That isn’t a concern for Kevin Savoree, who co-owns the IndyCar Series’ Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. His company, Green Savoree Racing Promotions, is working with sports betting groups to understand the processes that monitor potential wrongdoing.

“There’s such a separation of church and state on that,” Savoree said of betting opportunities and competitive integrity. “When you think about the number of variables, no. It’s just not possible, not practical.”

His business plans to launch a sportsbook at its Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course later this year (something Daytona couldn’t do under state law). For now, Florida sports betting looks like a white tent under clear blue skies with fans holding their phone in one hand and a beer in the other while thinking through the favorites — only to see a relative dark horse (William Byron) win it at 35/2 odds.

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