Food City 500 Odds and Predictions
by Christopher G. Shepard - 03/13/2008
Sprint Cup points leader Kyle Busch will try to duplicate Toyota's historic win last weekend as NASCAR heads to Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee for the Food City 500 on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. EST.
Boasting 533, 15-second laps and 30-degree high-banked turns it seems like fans, media and drivers love racing the short-track at Bristol Motor Speedway. If last fall's race is any indication (only three lead changes the entire race) don't expect the wild wrecks you have come to expect in the past as BMS resurfaced the track last summer, which means you'll see a whole lot more action and true sided-by-side racing on the half-mile oval.
Who will win the Food City 500?
Kyle Busch is in the record books again as he brought Toyota their first NASCAR victory last week at Atlanta. Busch's name was also written in the record books last year as he took the checkered flag in an exciting green-white-checkered finish against Jeff Burton in the first ever Car of Tomorrow race. Busch's win was also Hendrick Motorsports' 600th win. After the race he was memorable in his comments when he was quoted as saying he still hates the "new car."
Food City 500 defending champion Busch is driving the "new car" better than anyone else, save for Carl Edwards who might have won his third race in a row had his transmission not blown as he led the Kobalt Tools 500. Certainly Busch, currently the Sprint Cup points-leader, is one of the drivers to beat right now, However, I am looking at another Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota driver this weekend, Busch's team-mate, the out-spoken Tony Stewart, to pick up where he left off last year.
Last year's Food City 500 featured 90 laps run under 15 caution flags. Stewart started the race from fourth position and led during a caution with 211 laps to go in the race when his car suffered a fuel pressure malfunction that ended his hopes for a victory and he finished the race in 35th place. This year it seems like Stewart is getting all of his media attention criticizing Goodyear and other drivers rather than for winning Sprint Cup races. While he has wins in the Nationwide series this year so far a Sprint Cup victory lap has eluded Stewart, currently No. 8 in the Cup standings. On Sunday I see Stewart making news with his driving rather than his mouth.
Pick! No. 20, Tony Stewart (10/1)
Food City 500 Solid Gold Picks
Sportsbook.com has listed many matchups on the Food City 500 but here are a few matchups I really like to cash on Sunday. My lone matchup cashed as we went 1-0 as Kyle Busch not only beat out Jeff Gordon but he won the race as a $1.25 dog to the No. 24 car driver. Over the wall I am 4-5 with my NASCAR match-ups to the tune of -3.05 units.
Long Odds Value Pick
Last week's long odds pick, Juan Pablo Montoya, finished the Kobalt Tools 500 in 16th place. This week at Bristol we are going to look at Rousch Fenway Racing and the driver of the No. 26 Ford, Jamie McMurray. Granted, McMurray has struggled this season but in the past at Bristol he has done his best racing. His best result in Tennessee was when he finished third in 2003. Last spring McMurray finished ninth on the short-track in the Car of Tomorrow's debut race. In that race McMurray posted his fourth top 10 finish in 10 starts at BMS. Perhaps another RFR driver will grab the checkered flag on Sunday.
Pick! No. 26, Jamie McMurray (50/1)
Square Tire Pick
Kurt Busch (-1.30)/Kevin Harvick(even)
This match-up has square tire all over it - and it wasn't even hung by Goodyear! Busch, currently 10th place in the Sprint Cup standings has been installed as the favorite over Harvick who is 3rd in the standings. Harvick has been quietly having a very good year as he has been one of the most consistent drivers for Richard Childress Racing. He's on a 48-race streak without a DNF and raced in 87 points races without a wreck; and he does well at Bristol. His 10.5 average finishes at Bristol is better than Busch's at 14.5 and Harvick's average short-track finish is 13.8 to Busch's 17.7. Moreover, Harvick won both Cup races at Bristol in 2005. To me this is another matchup where the oddsmakers are trying to trap you using a marquee name.
Pick! No. 29, Kevin Harvick (even)
*Food City 500 Odds - Sun, Mar 16th (1:30 pm EST)
Bristol Motor Speedway, TN
Aric Almirola1 50/1
Bill Elliot 200/1
Bobby Labonte 100/1
Brian Vickers 125/1
Carl Edwards 6/1
Casey Mears 50/1
Clint Bowyer 18/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 7/1
Dale Jarrett 200/1
Dario Franchitti 125/1
Dave Blaney 150/1
David Gilliland 150/1
David Ragan 75/1
David Reutimann 100/1
Denny Hamlin 11/1
Elliott Sadler 100/1
Greg Biffle 14/1
J.J. Yeley 125/1
Jamie McMurray 50/1
Jeff Burton 22/1
Jeff Gordon 15/2
Jeremy Mayfield 200/1
Jimmie Johnson 9/1
Joe Nemechek 150/1
John Andretti 200/1
Juan Pablo Montoya 50/1
Kasey Kahne 16/1
Ken Schrader 200/1
Kevin Harvick 11/1
Kurt Busch 9/1
Kyle Busch 6/1
Kyle Petty 200/1
Martin Truex Jr. 30/1
Matt Kenseth 9/1
Michael Waltrip 150/1
Mike Skinner 200/1
Patrick Carpentier 125/1
Paul Menard 100/1
Reed Sorenson 80/1
Regan Smith 150/1
Robby Gordon 100/1
Ryan Newman 22/1
Sam Hornish Jr. 125/1
Scott Riggs 80/1
Tony Stewart 10/1
Travis Kvapil 125/1
*Odds courtesy of Bodog.