Auto Club 500 lines – Edwards looks to continue Ford dominance
Auto Club 500 odds: After a strong showing at Daytona, look for Busch to pull away
- WHAT: The Auto Club 500
- WHEN: Sunday, February 22 at 5:00 p.m. ET
- WHERE: Auto Clue Speedway in Fontana, CA
- KEY STATS: Fords have won the last four spring races at this track
- PICK: Kyle Busch
Online betting players would have been disappointed to see rain shorten the Daytona 500 last weekend but, like the drivers, they must put that in their rearview mirror. This week’s race is the Auto Club 500, held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Carl Edwards is the defending champion of this race, and offshore sportsbook odds have him as a co-favorite with last year’s series champion, Jimmie Johnson.
Edwards has Auto Club 500 lines of +400, and his average finish of 9.5 in four races is third among active drivers. The No. 99 driver has been one of the best in the business on the intermediate tracks, and he should battle for the lead at some point on Sunday.
Jimmie Johnson is also rated at +400 and, in seven spring races here, he has a win and an amazing six Top-5s. Johnson’s average finish of 4.0 in this race is by far the best among active drivers, and he also won the last time NASCAR went to Fontana, which was the fall race back in August.
Kyle Busch was fuming after he was caught up in the “Big One” at Daytona. The No. 18 driver had the best car that day and looked well on his way to a big win before Dale Earnhardt Jr. took out Brian Vickers in an unnecessary battle between lapped cars. Busch has three Top-10s in four spring races in Fontana, and the only thing left is to reach Victory Lane.
Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth has Auto Club 500 odds of +800, and the No.17 driver piloted his Ford to back-to-back wins here in 2006 and 2007. Kenseth’s 9.6 finishing average in this race is fourth among active drivers, which is even more impressive when you see that he has an average start of 20.0.
LEE-ROY’S PICK: The Daytona 500 is never indicative of how the season will play out, as restrictor-plate racing often involves more luck than skill. Therefore, this week’s play is to bet on Kyle Busch with sports betting lines of +500. Busch wants to lead every lap, at every race, all the time, and he was running away from the draft at Daytona, which is a huge accomplishment. Look for the No. 18 Toyota to put a stop to Ford’s recent dominance in the spring race at Fontana.
For more Auto Club 500 lines and odds, check out the sportsbook at betonline.com.
Born in the betting capital of Las Vegas, Lee-Roy has grown to appreciate the likes of IndyCar and Formula 1 racing, but his first love is the high-speed ovals of NASCAR and he is a HUGE Tony Stewart fan. When it comes to motorsports handicapping, Buckles takes the checkered flag. Thoughts or questions?
