NASCAR Update: JJ Turns a Pit Stop into Victory in Auto Club 500

The favorite in the NASCAR sportsbook, Jimmie Johnson who was going off at +450, didn’t disappoint on Sunday when he used a fortunate caution flag to gain control of the Auto Club 500 and take the checkered flag.

It was lap 223 and #48 was on pit road when Brad Keselowski spun his car off of turn four after coming into contact with David Reutimann. NASCAR pulled out the yellow caution flag and wouldn’t you know it? The 4-time Sprint Cup Championship winner Johnson beat the pace car to the scoring line at the exit.

Johnson inherited the lead while the rest of the cars under the lead lap pitted under the yellow. Johnson held the lead for a restart on Lap 231 of the 250 lap race.

Lucky? Yes, but that’s what happens to ultra-successful people. They also get very, very lucky. Team Johnson hasn’t won four straight Sprint Cup titles because of just skills for just luck. They have both luck and skills.

It was Johnson’s 5th victory at the Auto Club Speedway and the 48th of his career.

Harvick Impresses Again

Kevin Harvick, who had a horrible 2009, impressed again on Sunday. Harvick won the Budweiser Shoot-Out, finished 2nd in the Gatorade Duel 1, 7th in the Daytona 500 and 2nd by .311 of a second in the Auto Club 500.

The man is sitting on a victory and could be tough this week in Las Vegas even though he has never won a race or even a pole at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Could Kevin Harvick be the 2010 version of Mark Martin? A driver who exceeds expectations?

He could. Harvick and his team are firing on all cylinders so far this year. NASCAR betting fans need to keep an eye on Team Harvick this week.

Besides Johnson, Martin Comes Up Big For Hendrick, Gordon and Jr. Not So Much

Mark Martin showed that Hendrick Motorsporrts has more than just Jimmie Johnson Mark Martin finished 4th in the Auto Club 500 to signal to the rest of his peers that he’s not going anywhere in his quest for the Cup.

Although Martin had a great run in Fontana, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. did not. Gordon finished 20th while Jr. finished 32nd. Gordo’s finish was a disappointment, but it wasn’t anything compared to Jr.’s finish.

A lot was expected from NASCAR’s biggest star who got lucky due to the pot hole incident at the Daytona 500 when finishing 2nd to Jamie McMurray. Even Jr. looked like he expected to have a good race during an interview before the NASCAR dropped the green flag.

McMurray, who won the Auto Club 500 Pole, ended up finishing 17th in the race. It wasn’t as bad as 32nd but it still wasn’t that great. I suppose you can take solace in that fact, Jr.

Jimmie the Likely Favorite Again at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

This week’s race, on February 28th, is the Shelby American at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Jimmie Johnson figures to be the favorite in the sportsbook again this week. He’s won 3 out of the 5 last races at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway but he hasn’t won since 2007. Carl Edwards won in 2008 and Kyle Busch won in 2009 and no doubt will be going off as the second or third choices in the sportsbook.

Will JJ win two in a row? Or, will Edwards and Busch bounce to a victory at Las Vegas?

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