Bet the Daytona 500 @ Oddsmaker and get a 100% Bonus; when using This Link!
New Oddsmaker Players Only: Must Mention Bankroll Sports & Use Above Link
(Must Use Above Link For Bonus – $1000 Max Bonus – 20% Bonus For All Future Redeposits)

Complete List of 2010 Daytona 500 Odds Can Be Found At The Bottom of This Post

NASCAR will officially kick off the 2010 season with the 52^nd running of the Daytona 500 this Sunday afternoon from Daytona International Speedway. The Daytona 500, known as the Great American Race, is the epic race for the top drivers in NASCAR at possibly the most exciting speedway on earth. 51 year old Mark Martin surprised everyone in 2009 by winning 5 races after coming out of retirement to finish 2nd to Jimmie Johnson in the points standings. Martin is off to another great start after winning the pole for the Daytona 500 and he will lead the field to the green flag this Sunday. Teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr will be on the outside of Martin in the number 2 starting spot and will be trying to shake off a disastrous 2009 season. Earnhardt has always run really well at the restrictor plate races and NASCAR’s most popular driver is long overdue for another victory.

The starting positions for the rest of the 43 car field will be determined Thursday in the Gatorade 125 Duel races. The unique aspect of the Daytona 500 is only the front row is locked in on qualifying times. The rest of the cars are split into two groups based on those qualifying times and will run 125 miles to determine the starting positions this Sunday. While qualifying is not a major concern at the restrictor plate races due to the amount of ground a driver can make up easily in the draft, history tells us that a strong starting position goes along way in the Daytona 500. Nearly 90% of all Daytona 500 winners have come from the top 15 starting positions and nearly half of those winners have come from the top 5 starting positions. However, it is still a restrictor plate race and any driver can have a chance. Just ask Brad Keselowski who captured his first victory last year at Talladega, a track similar to Daytona based on the use of restrictor plates, in just his 5^th career start.

One of the big changes involving the Great American Race this year is the change in the size of the restrictor plates. Over the last two seasons, the racing at restrictor plate tracks Talladega and Daytona have suffered in competition. The restrictor plates were keeping the field bunched up and making it chess match to get out front using the draft. However, bigger restrictor plates used this year will not only increase horse power but also increase throttle response for the drivers. This change should put a little more control into the driver’s hands and I believe you will see the premier restrictor plates racers up front this Sunday. Therefore drivers like Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Jeff Gordon should be some of the top picks to win the Daytona 500. In fact, Tony Stewart is the leading favorite to win the Daytona 500 at +700 odds. Stewart has never won the Daytona 500 even though he has proven to be among the best restrictor plate drivers in NASCAR. Stewart did win the July Coke Zero 400 at Daytona last year and has 4 other super speedway wins during his career.

Kyle Busch has also been lights out at the super speedways entering the race as a +800 favorite. Busch and the #18 team do have a new crew chief on board with Dave Rogers. Busch possibly is the most talented driver in NASCAR outside of Jimmie Johnson, but I would not encourage betting on a new team in a race of this magnitude. Speaking of Johnson, he will be starting his run at a 5^th consecutive championship. Johnson already broke all NASCAR record for winning 4 straight championships, but he has not faired too strong in the Daytona 500 despite winning the event in 2006. Johnson will be receiving +1000 odds this Sunday. Outside of the previously mentioned drivers, I would love to touch on a number of other possible contenders this Sunday but that could be everybody. Instead, I have listed a couple of possible bets for you to consider for the Daytona 500 this Sunday that I have listed below.

Driver to win the Daytona 500

I really think this is the year for Tony Stewart to pull off the victory. Stewart has been all too close in recent years and he knows how to stay in front of the pack. Consider he has led each of the last 7 Daytona 500’s including leading the most laps in two of those events and it is easy to see why he is due for the ultimate win in racing. The only downside is that Stewart is listed as the favorite to win the event and it has been 6 years since the last favorite won the Daytona 500 (Dale Earnhardt Jr 2004). However, still with the new rule changes it will benefit the best restrictor plate racers. Dale Earnhardt Jr and Kyle Busch come to mind, but their teams have not been very strong especially compared to Stewart’s. I believe those factors will come together and crown Stewart the winner of the Daytona 500 this Sunday.

Pick – Tony Stewart (8 to 1 @ Oddsmaker)

Long shot to win the Daytona 500

 There are a couple drivers that deserve a lot of attention due to their lack of respect from the line makers. Kevin Harvick just won his 2^nd straight Budweiser Shootout last week not to mention he is a previous Daytona 500 Champion and is receiving very profitable +1500 odds. Another driver I think should deserve some attention is Jamie McMurray. McMurray took over the #1 Bass Pro Shops machine this year and looked very strong in the Shootout last week. Not to mention former Dale Earnhardt Inc cars have always run well at the super speedways even though they are now a merger making Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing. Still, McMurray should be a driver to consider at +2200 odds. However, the driver I like is an even bigger dark horse. Brian Vickers had a great season in 2009 making the Chase over Kyle Busch by just 19 points. Vickers first career victory come at Talladega, another super speedway, and he was another driver that stayed at the front during the Budweiser Shootout. Vickers ran up front at both Daytona and Talladega in 2009 scoring 2 top 10 victories despite some trouble in the Daytona 500. However, I believe he is a guy that is going to hang around the front this Sunday and if he hangs around long enough he just might drive into victory lane. Plus to put some icing on this long shot, consider incredible +3500 odds if that predictions happens to come true.

Pick – Brian Vickers (30 to 1 @ Oddsmaker)

Duel 1 Race Match-Up

Mark Martin vs. Jimmie Johnson

One thing that was apparent from the start of practice last Thursday is that Mark Martin had the fastest car in the field. He came out and topped the charts in his first two laps and did the same during his two lap qualifying run. His position may already be locked in, but that will not stop him from trying to win the Gatorade 125. Starting out front, Martin already has the advantage not to mention again the fastest car. Plus Jimmie Johnson did not appear all too comfortable with the handling on this #48 Lowes Chevrolet. Expect the old man to get the job done.

Pick – Mark Martin

Duel 2 Race Match-Up

 Kasey Kahne vs. Martin Truex Jr.

 Neither of these two drivers is expected to be dominating forces at Daytona this weekend, but both have the talent to contend. Kasey Kahne finished 2^nd at the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega last season after scoring a top 15 at the Coke Zero 400 in Daytona. Also, Richard Petty Motorsports has made some solid strides to getting back to a competitive level. However, Michael Waltrip Racing who owns the car that Martin Truex Jr will be driving has not shown that type of strength. In fact, all the MWR cars appeared a bit underpowered last week including Michael Waltrip who has always run well at Daytona considering he is the only driver to have 2 Daytona 500 victories in the last decade. I expect Truex and company to struggle in this event and Kahne to have another solid run.

Pick – Kahne

Current & Latest Odds To Win The Daytona 500 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook:
(Get a HUGE 100% Signup Bonus at Oddsmaker When Using This Link)

Kyle Busch +800
Denny Hamlin +1200
Jimmie Johnson +1000
Dale Earnhardt Jr +800
Juan Pablo Montoya +1500
Carl Edwards +1500
Ryan Newman +2500
Jamie McMurray +2500
Martin Truex Jr +3000
Brian Vickers +3000
Kasey Kahne +2500
Greg Biffle +4000
Marcos Ambrose +5000
AJ Allmendinger +5000
Casey Mears +6000
Bobby Labonte +6000
Scott Speed +10000
Tony Stewart +800
Jeff Gordon +1000
Mark Martin +800
Kurt Busch +1200
Kevin Harvick +1200
Matt Kenseth +2000
Clint Bowyer +3000
David Ragan +3000
Joey Logano +2500
Jeff Burton +3000
David Reutimann +4000
Brad Keselowski +3000
Sam Hornish Jr +5000
Michael Waltrip +5000
Elliott Sadler +6000
Paul Menard +10000
Field (Any Other Driver) +3000

Huge 50% Signup Bonus with Credit Card Deposits at Superbook!
Credit Cards Accepted – Must Use Promocode; “SUPER50” & Use This Link for 50% Bonus
(Must Use Above Links For 50% Bonus – Credit Cards Accepted @ 92% Rate As of Superbooks Last Report)

The NASCAR version of the regular season is winding down as only 5 races remain before the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship. A lot of well known faces find themselves on the border of the top 12 in the point’s standings who will qualify for NASCAR’s version of the playoffs. Names like Kyle Busch are on the outside looking in while drivers like Juan Pablo Montoya are sitting nicely inside the top 12. However, everything can change over the next few weeks of racing. We take a look at the hottest drivers in NASCAR and rank the best to bet on for the 2009 Sprint Cup Championship.

#1 Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson became only the 2nd person in NASCAR history last season to win 3 consecutive championships. Johnson could become the first person to win 4 straight this season and has looked very strong thus far this season. Johnson has won 3 races this season including a big victory at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis just two weeks ago. However, Johnson impressiveness comes with his consistency. Crew chief Chad Knaus is the best in the business and many wonder how good the #48 team would be without his presence. With Johnson at the wheel and Knaus calling the shots, the team will again be the favorite to win the championship. It is quite impressive to see any type of dominance as competitive as the sport is today. However, Johnson has proven that he is the best and will be chasing an historic 4th consecutive title.

Odds to Win Championship = +300

#2. Tony Stewart

Tony Stewart surprised most the racing world last year when he announced his departure from Joe Gibbs Racing where he had won 2 Championships. The decision to take over as owner of an unproven franchise raised even more questions. However, Stewart has flourished since taken over at Stewart-Haas Racing. The driver of the #14 Old Spice Chevrolet has captured wins on the biggest stages this season including making a big statement by capturing checkers at the All-Star Race in May. Stewart leads all drivers with 12 top 5 finishes on the season and also leads the points. Stewart is destined to make some noise in the race for the championship in his first season as owner giving a scary omen of what could come over the next few years.

Odds to Win Championship = +350

#3. Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon has really turned things around after struggling most of 2008. Gordon got off to a great start earlier this season earning 5 different top 5 finishes in his first 7 races. The driver of the #24 Dupont machine also led the points for a good portion of the early season before surrendering the lead to Tony Stewart. Gordon’s strong finishes tapered off during the beginning of the summer months. However, in the last few weeks Gordon has posted top 10 finishes in 7 of the last 8 races. Gordon dominated NASCAR in the late 90’s resulting in 4 championships even though he has not had equal success over the past few years. However, given notice to the way the savvy veteran has been running this season it makes the possibility for a 5th title more tangible.

Odds to Win Championship = +600

#4. Mark Martin

Mark Martin was a retired 50 year old at this time last year. However, when Martin was given the opportunity to drive the #5 Chevy for the best team in racing at Hendrick Motorsports the offer was too good to pass up. Martin entered this season with hopes of winning races, but most never imagined that he would lead all drivers with 4 victories at this point in the season. If the success were to continue, Martin may finally be able to capture the elusive championship that has avoided him his entire career. Without a doubt, Martin is the best driver to never win a Cup Championship. Martin is only ranked 10th in the standings despite the 4 wins. However, most of the trouble came early in the year from mechanical failures. Not only should Martin be one of the drivers in the Chase, but he would lead the points when the Chase begin due to his number of victories meaning he would be a big threat for his much younger competitors.

Odds to Win Championship = +400

#5. Kurt Busch

Kurt Busch is another driver who has really turned things around this season. Busch who is a former champion found himself 18th in the point standings at the end of last year well outside the top 12 fighting for the championship. However, Busch and the Penske Racing Team have fought back in 2009 recording 11 top 10 finishes and a win at Atlanta. Busch has been very consistent all year and has had very little trouble besides a few run ins with Jimmie Johnson. However, the big question is if anyone will be able to challenge the Hendrick Cars who have been so strong this year and rank 1-4 if you include Tony Stewart who is running Hendrick engines. The most coincidental headline of 2009 is if you were to guess that one of the Busch brothers would be in the hunt for a championship it definitely would not have been Kurt.

Odds to Win Championship = +1500

#6. Carl Edwards

Carl Edwards posted the most wins in the Sprint Cup Series in 2008 with an extremely impressive 9 victories. However, Edwards has yet to find victory lane this season despite running up front for most of the season. Edwards has consistently run around edge of the top 10 this season which is a big drop from where he was last year when the #99 Aflac Ford machine was contending for wins every week. In fact, the entire Rousch Racing stable has been down in terms of performance as the Chevrolet manufactured cars continue to shine. However even with the cars that may not be the strongest in the field, Edwards is one of the most talented young drivers in the sports and gets the most out of his race car. Edwards may not be in the position to legitimately make a run at the championship, but he will likely find a way to finish towards the top of the standings.

Odds to Win Championship = +800

#7. Juan Pablo Montoya

Juan Pablo Montoya is definitely the biggest surprise of the drivers who are currently in the top 12 in points. There were many who doubted the former open wheel driver would be able to continue his strong runs of the past few races. However, Monday’s rain postponed showing at Pocono likely locked him into the Chase despite any major collapse. Montoya has really shined over the last few weeks on some of the flat race tracks. If he can continue to show that kind of strength at the high banks, lookout for an underdog story in the making.

Odds to Win Championship = +3500

#8. Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin pulled of an emotional win at Pocono this past Monday. Hamlin who had stated he should not be racing at is at home with family after the passing of his grandmother, drove the best race of the season to win the Pennsylvania 500. The showing displayed Hamlin picking up a ton of spots in the final laps of the race including coming from 6th to 1st in the final restart to capture the victory. If you follow racing, it may have surprised you to see Hamlin drive the car so aggressively to the front. While it was possibly one of the best performances behind the wheel of his career, it should be little surprise as Hamlin is a very gifted driver. Hopefully, the win could spark the fire to get the #11 FedEx Toyota rolling. If Hamlin gives similar type of effort in the Chase, more wins are to come.

Odds to Win Championship = +1200

#9. Kasey Kahne

Kasey Kahne has perhaps made the least noise of any driver in the top 12 in the standings this season. However, Kahne comfortably sits in the number 7 position in the points. The driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge captured his only victory on the road course in Sonoma, California back in June. Kahne could build on his recent momentum this coming week as the NASCAR circuit takes on another road course at Watkins Glenn. Despite capturing top 10 finishes in 5 of the last 6 races, Kahne must find a way to capture more wins in the final 10 races to make a run at a championship. However, Kahne is known for performing better in the hotter summer months of the season and that has definitely been the case over the past few weeks.

Odds to Win Championship = +1200

#10. Ryan Newman

Ryan Newman was the lone ranger to travel over and team up with Tony Stewart at Stewart-Haas Racing this season. However, the change in teams for Newman has worked out for the best just like it has for Tony Stewart. Newman has failed to compete over the past few seasons with Penske Racing. However, Newman has been able to run up front for the majority of the season. Despite a few poor finishes, the #39 team is definitely on the upswing. Even though the team maybe a year or two away from being their best, Newman and company still have all the resources to capture a few wins before the season ends.

Odds to Win Championship = +1800

Complete NASCAR odds to win the 2009 Sprint Cup From BetUS (as of 8/6/09)
(Click Here & Mention BankrollSports.com To Get a 100% Bonus @ BetUS)