NASCAR Betting Odds Preview – All eyes on Busch, Edwards in California
NASCAR betting - Pepsi 500
WHO: 43 of NASCAR's fastest racers
WHAT: The Pepsi 500
WHEN: Sunday, August 31, 2008 at 8:15 PM ET
WHERE: Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, California
KEY STATS: Jimmie Johnson's average finish of 6.4 is tops at this track.
All the talk in the NASCAR world lately revolves around Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, the top two in the points standings who had a little run-in at the end of last week's race at Bristol Motor Speedway. This week's stop as we head towards the ten-race “Chase for the Sprint Cup” is the Pepsi 500, held at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and Jimmie Johnson is the defending champion at this event. However, NASCAR betting odds give the nod to Edwards, who won the spring race here back in February.
Edwards is the favorite at +350 sports betting odds, and he will be going for his third win in a row after bumping Busch out of the way to win at Bristol last weekend. The No.99 driver's average finish of 6.8 is second only to Johnson among active drivers, and he has racked up seven top-tens in eight races here. Edwards was placed on probation for spinning Busch out last week, after his rival expressed his displeasure for the way Edwards passed him banging into him on the cool-down lap.
Busch was also placed on probation for instigating the altercation, and the points leader seems to be losing his cool after finishing second to Edwards for two straight weeks (not that Busch did not have a temper to begin with). The No.18 driver's finishing average of 10.2 places him fourth among active drivers, and he won this event back in 2005. With NASCAR betting odds of +475, Busch will be on charge to claim his ninth win of the season.
Two-time defending series champion Johnson is next at +575, and he has quietly taken a back seat to Busch and Edwards this season. But the No.48 racer has a finishing average of 6.4 is the best in the series among active drivers, and he has a pair of wins here. Although he was caught up in a wreck early at Bristol, expect Johnson to get back to his best at one of his favorite tracks.
Another series champion, Matt Kenseth, worked his way up to a ninth-place finish at Bristol despite not having a great car, and this was his fourth consecutive race in the top-12. The No.17 man's average finish of 9.9 is third, and like Johnson, he has won twice here, but they were both in the spring race. However, at online sportsbook odds of +950, he is definitely worth a look.
Kurt Busch rounds out the average finish top-five at 11.4 over 12 races, and because the No.2 driver is out of the Chase, his team can afford to go for broke. That is why the 2004 champion is a great darkhorse bet with NASCAR betting odds of +5000.
Lee-Roy's Analysis: With all due respect to the rest of the series, it is all about Edwards and Busch this week, as many people (drivers and fans included) are waiting to see how they race if they run close to each other. Edwards has slowly cut into Busch's victory bonus, and I am sure that Busch would rather lose to anyone else in the series than Edwards. However, Edwards is on a roll and he is a beast on the “cookie-cutter” intermediate tracks this year with five wins and an average finish of 8.7. Bet on Carl Edwards to take his third checkered flag in a row and turn the heat up on Busch as the chase approaches.
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? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
