Sprint Cup Series - Pep Boys Auto 500 Preview
by BetUS Staff
After a week away, the Sprint Cup Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. NASCAR betting revs its engine for the Pep Boys Auto 500 on Sunday night.
The half-mile oval is the second-last shot for drivers sitting on the edge of the points standings. The Top 12 drivers advance into the Chase for the Championship, and with just a handful of points separating those who are in and those who are out, bettors can expect some fireworks at Atlanta.
Jimmie Johnson is the betting favorite, priced at +500 for the weekend. The three-time defending Chase champion has been a monster in the ATL. In his last 12 races there, Johnson has finished inside the Top 10 ten times and has captured the checkered flag in three of those events. The No. 48 team is currently second in the standings following an eighth-place showing at the Sharpie 500 two weeks ago.
Carl Edwards is one of four drivers set at +700 for this weekend's race. The No. 99 car sits fifth in the standings despite a goose egg in the win column. Edwards is running well heading into the Chase. He followed two Top-10 showings with a 16th-place finish at Bristol. In his career, Edwards has three victories at Atlanta and has finished inside the Top 5 in six of his 10 starts there.
Johnson's teammate, Jeff Gordon, is priced at +700. He's currently third in the points and is coming off a 23rd-place finish two weeks ago. Gordon is another driver with a stellar history at Atlanta. He has four wins in 34 career starts and has placed inside the Top 10 in his last four runs at the track. The No. 24 team is hungry for a win heading into the Chase; they haven't been to victory lane since early April.
Another driver tagged with +700 in the Kyle Busch. He claimed the checkered flag in last year's Kobalt Tools 500 and finished fifth in the 2008 Pep Boys Auto 500. The Wild Man found his stride at Bristol two weeks ago, winning his fourth race of the season. Busch is currently 13th in the standings and needs a solid showing. Expect the No. 18 to throw caution to the wind Sunday.
Veteran Mark Martin (+700) is holding on tight to his 10th-place spot in the points. Martin bounced back from a tough race in Michigan to take second place at the Sharpie 500. That gave the No. 5 team their seventh Top-5 showing of the season. In 47 career starts at Atlanta, Martin has two wins and 13 Top-5 finishes. However, in recent races there he has struggled to crack the Top 10 – making it only once in the past six events.
Points leader Tony Stewart is listed at +1,000 for the weekend. Stewart seems to be complacent the past two races, finishing 17th and 33rd after locking up his spot in the Chase weeks ago. He owns two career wins at Atlanta and finished in eighth there earlier this season. In his last eight trips to Georgia, Smoke has one win, four Top 5s, and two Top 10s. Now a team owner, Stewart will be focused on helping out his driver this weekend. Look out for Ryan Newman (+3,000), who has seven poles at Atlanta but no wins.
