NASCAR Odds - Edwards finally gets first Cup win in 2009
Playing NASCAR odds gets trickier as we move closer to the Chase, as some are driving for wins and some are just trying to get as many points as possible. The Pep Boys Auto 500 on Sunday, September 6th (7:30 PM ET) is the second race of the year at Atlanta Motor Speedway, one of the fastest tracks on the circuit.
NASCAR Odds – Look for the Edwards backflip in Victory Lane
- Stewart, Gordon, Johnson all aiming for bonus points with Chase spot secured
- Busch, Martin are threats to win every week
- Earnhardt Jr. and Kenseth are great value picks
Jimmie Johnson (+450) is the offshore sportsbook favorite in this week’s NASCAR odds, and the No.48 driver has five top-fives in eight Pep Boys 500s, including a second-place run last year. He also finished ninth here in March, and is coming off a solid eighth-place result at Bristol, a place where he normally doesn’t do well. Kyle Busch (+700) and Mark Martin (+700) battled it out at Bristol two weeks ago, with Busch pulling out a much-needed victory. 13th-place Busch is only 34 points behind Matt Kenseth, and 60 points behind 10th-place Martin, who won this race in 1994. Neither driver broke the top 15 here in March, but they lead the series in wins with four each, so they’ll always be near the top of the NASCAR odds. Jeff Gordon (+800) and Tony Stewart (+800) both finished in the top 10 at Atlanta in March, but they’re also coming off disappointing runs at Bristol. Gordon has four overall wins here, and two have come in the second Atlanta race of the year, in 1998 and 2003. Stewart won this race in 2006, but the points leader has lost a bit of his momentum, or maybe they’re just experimenting with setups heading into the Chase. If it’s online betting value that you’re looking for in this week’s NASCAR odds, Dale Earnhardt Jr. (+2000) and Matt Kenseth (+2500) are the way to go, and surprisingly, the No.88 driver is the better pick. Earnhardt came here in March and finished 11th, which was the same place he finished last November. Kenseth has six top-10s in nine Pep Boys 500s, and he came in right behind Earnhardt in March, but the No..17 driver is hanging on to the last Chase spot by the skin of his teeth, and he has Kyle Busch right on his bumper. LEE-ROY’S PICK: If someone would have told you that Carl Edwards (+800) would be winless at the beginning of September, you may have laughed and taken their money. But even though he’s yet to win in the Sprint Cup series, Edwards has finished in the top 20 in 13 straight races, and in five Pep Boys 500, he’s finished in the top five four times, including wins in 2005 and 2008. He’ll have confidence from his thrilling Nationwide win over Marcos Ambrose in Montreal last week, and he’s one of the best at driving a loose racecar, which will be essential on the hot surface at Atlanta this weekend. Go with Carl Edwards as your sports betting pick. For more NASCAR odds, props and futures, visit our world-renowned offshore 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? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
