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NASCAR Power Rankings - Smoke is on Fire

Bookmark and Share by D.S. Williamson

Tony Stewart increased his lead in the Sprint Cup Points Standings this past week when he won the road course race at Watkins Glen. Smoke has become the undisputed favorite to win the Sprint Cup in 2009. Stewart is now a 2 to 1 favorite to win the Chase.

The odds on Tony weren’t the only ones that dropped, though, as Juan Pablo Montoya was in the sportsbook at 35 to 1 last week and is now at 25 to 1 this week. That’s a full 10 point drop.

Let’s take a look at the power rankings.

NASCAR: Sprint Cup Power Rankings with Odds

1. Tony Stewart +200 - - Stewart won at Watkins Glen to increase his lead but 2 to 1 is just too short for my blood. I can’t bet Smoke at those odds and will probably wait for him to lose a race or two before doing so. Even though he won at Watkins Glen, Stewart prefers to maintain which means a Top 10 finish at Michigan is more likely than a second straight victory. The odds just aren’t right to bet Tony right now.

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2. Jimmie Johnson +300 - - Jimmie’s odds didn’t change in the sportsbook because even though he didn’t crack the Top 10 at Watkins Glen, Johnson did find a way to get into the Top 15 at #12. Johnson is the perfect maintain and then pounce driver. He’s done it three years in a row in the Chase.

3. Jeff Gordon +500 - - Gordon’s accident at Watkins Glen ended any chance he had of winning the race but his odds dropped a full point from 5 to 1 to 6 to 1 anyhow because he’s going into Michigan this week where he has done well. Gordon has maintained his spot in the power rankings even though he hasn’t been dominant in 2009.

4. Kurt Busch +1200 - - A 7th place finish at Watkins Glen has helped Kurt Busch keep his Top 5 power ranking. Busch has to be the least talked about guy to win the Sprint Cup Chase in 2009 but at Michigan I see him driving well. So, he might not be a forgotten man for long.

5. Denny Hamlin +1200 - - Hamlin followed up his victory two weeks ago with a 10th place finish at Watkins Glen. He too could be a tough guy to bet against once he makes the Chase. Is there any doubt who is going to be the driver to watch from Joe Gibbs Racing come the fall?

6. Carl Edwards +700 - - Carl’s odds dropped even though he still hasn’t won a race in 2009. A 3rd place finish at Watkins Glen will do that. He will go into Michigan with a chance to win it and deserves some consideration at the odds to pull off a Sprint Cup Championship victory for Roush Racing.

7. Juan Pablo Montoya +2500 - - Montoya went into Watkins Glen saying that the victory wasn’t the goal. A Top 10 finish was the goal. Consider the goal accomplished as Juan Pablo crossed the finish line in 6th place at Watkins Glen. He has taken a huge jump in 2009 and now might have to be considered one of he elite drivers in NASCAR.

8. Kasey Kahne +1200 - - Kasey couldn’t repeat his road course victory at Sonoma. Instead, he ended up in 17th place. It wasn’t bad for Kahne who had been hot until Watkins Glen last week. Kasey has a chance to bounce back this Sunday at Michigan.

9. Ryan Newman +2000 - - Newman’s been steadily falling in the power rankings. He did so again because even though he started in 6th place at Watkins Glen the best he could do was a 21st place finish. Ryan Newman is a good driver but if he doesn’t step it up he could find himself out of the Chase.

10. Greg Biffle +2000 - - Biffle had a fantastic Watkins Glen when finishing 5th. He will be tough at Michigan this Sunday and could even be a guy that could very well climb up the power rankings and possibly get into the Top 6 should he get hot. With both Biffle and Edwards in the Chase, Roush Racing has a pretty good hand going into the fall right now.

11. Mark Martin +400 - - Martin has won 4 races but needs to win another in order to secure his spot in the Chase. At the odds, Martin should be in 3rd place in the Sprint Cup Points Standings, not in 11th. If Martin doesn’t turn it around soon, he could find himself on the outside looking in.

12. Matt Kenseth +2500 - - Kenseth, Martin and Biffle keep changing spots in the power rankings. This week, it’s Kenseth’s turn to be in 12th place. His 14th place finish at Watkins Glen was okay, but he’s going to need to do a lot more just to secure his spot in the Top 12.