NASCAR Power Rankings - Odds Crazy on McMurray and Martin

With two races to go before the chase, huge NASCAR odds can be found on some high-profile drivers to win the 2010 Sprint Cup Championship.

Of course, if sports gamblers are going to take those odds then they’re going to have to with the understanding that they are betting on a longshot.

I’m referring to two drivers in particular, Jamie McMurray and Mark Martin.

Jamie McMurray, this year’s Daytona 500 winner, is going off at +7000 odds in the sportsbook, and Mark Martin, one of 2009’s top drivers, is going off at a staggering +10000 to win the Sprint Cup.

Both guys are going to have to be close to perfect in order to make up ground and get into the Top 12 in the next two weeks, but, because of the NASCAR odds, I’m not talking anybody off of either McMurray or Martin.

Neither one is in my Top 10, though, that’s for sure.

NASCAR Betting Power Rankings

1. Jimmie Johnson +350 - - Jimmie finished 35th at Bristol but he’s still the favorite as we get closer to the Chase because he’s failed at Bristol before and has come back to win the title. He’s got 3 victories at Atlanta during his career as well. So, don’t expect another 35th place finish this weekend.

2. Kevin Harvick +400 - - Harvick’s only won once at Atlanta but his 11 Top 5 finishes and 16 Top 10 finishes on the year says that he’ll put in a good run this Sunday.

3. Denny Hamlin +500 - - Atlanta is another one of those tracks where Denny hasn’t found success yet. That could all change this Sunday because Denny finished 34th at Bristol. A bounce back in Atlanta is almost assured.

4. Kyle Busch +500 - - Kyle goes into this off of the best weekend of his life the last time NASCAR ran a Sprint Cup race. I don’t see him repeating the 3-peat in Atlanta because he has only 1 victory over the track during his career. Then again, along with brother Kurt, Kyle has owned Atlanta. The Busch Brothers have 3 wins, 4 Top 5 and 5 Top 10 finishes between them in the last 5 races at Atlanta.

5. Jeff Gordon +700 - - I still say that Gordo is going off at excellent NASCAR odds to win the 2010 Sprint Cup Championship. He hasn’t won yet in 2010 but he and crew chief Steve Letarte have figured out how to work the system. Jeff’s currently 2nd in the Sprint Cup Standings.

6. Greg Biffle +1500 - - No victories on the track and only 3 Top 5 finishes but I can’t drop Biff in the power rankings before the Sunday’s race is run, can I?

7. Carl Edwards +1000 - - I had a dream about Carl doing a back flip in Atlanta. If I have another before Thursday morning, I’m definitely going to have to pick him to win this Sunday.

8. Kurt Busch +1200 - - Read what I wrote about little brother Kyle to get the gist on Kurt’s chances to win this Sunday. He’s yet another, like Gordo, going off at excellent NASCAR odds to win the Sprint Cup.

9. Matt Kenseth +1800 - - At 18 to 1, I wouldn’t talk anybody off of Matt to win the 2010 Sprint Cup. Kenseth has done well enough to put himself into position to make the Chase. If you make the Chase, you’ve got a shot at the title. That’s all there is to it.