NASCAR betting - Two in a row for Concrete Carl?

Those Auto Club 500—and hopefully it’s not a ‘380’ this time!

With the removal of testing in NASCAR, bettors have less of a jump on early favorites as compared to last year, and need to wait until roughly Thursday of each week before they can get a read on who has good equipment. As practice commences, sports betting sharps should begin narrowing their selections down to a nice four-pack, so as to work towards a nice Top 3 selection parlay once Sunday rolls around on NASCAR odds.

Let’s take a look at four great picks judging by past performance, and appearance at practice!

Carl Edwards

The aforementioned removal of testing has done very little to hinder the performance of Roush/Fenway racers. Jack Roush is more or less the George Steinbrenner of NASCAR, and is seemingly unaffected by the economy, judging by the quality of cars he put on the track last week. Nonetheless, one such driver in his stable could probably win a race at Fontana in a go-kart if need be. Carl Edwards has eight Top 10 finishes in nine career starts at Cali, and won last year’s duel here as well. Similarly, he loves racing at Fontana, also a very flat-banked track. Courses such as this allow an aggressive racer like Edwards to really put the pedal to the metal and gun for the checkered flag , which is great news for those evaluating NASCAR lines.

Jimmie Johnson

If you’re betting on NASCAR, you have to feel comfortable picking a man who has won the Sprint Cup championship in three consecutive seasons. That comfort should not disappear this week, as Jimmie Johnson feels right at home when he’s driving at Fontana. These races are akin to driving to the corner store for him. Double J has won two of the past four races here, so it’s hard not to like those NASCAR racing odds.

AJ Allmendinger

One of the real late-blooming prospects in NASCAR betting, AJ managed to qualify for the Daytona 500, given that he is outside the shelter of owners points, and turned in a Top 10 finish. He’s been surrounded by veterans his entire career, and it would appear that some of their expertise is starting to wear off.

Kasey Kahne

NASCAR’s pretty boy has enjoyed his fair share of success in sunny California as well, including seven Top 10 finishes, and the best average starting position amongst racers in the field at Fontana. If he’s on the pole, he’ll have a good shot. But does he have the horsepower behind him to come from the back of the pack if he does not qualify well?