2014 NASCAR STP 500 Picks & Predictions
By ATSSportsline.com
RIDGEWAY, VA (ATS CONSULTANTS) – The STP 500 will take place on Sunday at 1:13PM ET. Here is a look at the drivers to consider for this NASCAR Sprint Cup race.
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Jimmie Johnson is the clear favorite to win, as he has 2/1 odds while Jeff Gordon has been given 5/1 odds.
Here are our predictions for this weekend’s race.
Jeff Gordon 5/1
Gordon hasn’t found his way to the checkered flag very often, but if there is a time it is going to happen, it is at Martinsville. Oddsmakers seem to agree, giving him 5/1 odds. He is an eight-time winner at this track and has been racing well as of late, sitting third in the point standings. Gordon’s average finish at Martinsville is an impressive 6.8 and his driver rating is 121.1, second only to Jimmie Johnson.
Brad Keselowski 8/1
Keselowski has been pretty strong to start 2014. He seems to be in position to win every week. Last week he was in good shape until cutting a tire late in the race. Despite never winning at Martinsville, this is a track he has some strong history in, averaging a finish of 10.4 while having an 89.2 driver rating. For a driver that had some horrible runs early in his career, those numbers are strong thanks to recent performances.
Live Long Shot
Jamie McMurray 50/1
McMurray is quietly having a nice start to his season as he finds himself 12th in the point standings with a pair of top 10s. He is seeking his first win at Martinsville, but has one top 5 and 12 top 10s at this track. His average finish there is 16.2 and his driver rating is 84.2. With 50/1 odds, you are obviously taking a chance with McMurray, but his 12 top 10s show he is always in the hunt at this track. He just needs to make a good decision on strategy, and he can find himself winning, and get you a massive pay day.
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NASCAR STP 500: Three Drivers to Watch at Martinsville Speedway
By Jay Dotson
RIDGEWAY, VA (The Spread) - Martinsville Speedway hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup race this week for the STP 500 starting around 1pm EST on Fox. Here are three drivers to keep an eye on today.
View Jay Dotson's Expert Picks
The oddsmakers' favorite to win this week is Jimmie Johnson, starting 4th, and with his dominant driving on this track in the past, it's hard not to like him here. Johnson has won eight times on this track, with an average finish around four, over his last 20 starts here. The odds this week on Johnson are +275, which isn't a whole lot of bang for your buck, but with his performance on this track, how can you not like him here?
Oddsmakers have Jeff Gordon listed at +500 this week. Gordon has also won eight times on this track and is coming off a great run last week. Gordon won on this track last fall and you would have to think he's going to give himself a chance here. Look for Gordon, starting 5th this week, to battle it out with Johnson.
Joey Logano is listed at +2800 this week and if you are looking for more of a long shot prediction, this is it. Logano, continues to qualify well, and is starting 3rd this week. Logano ran into some mechanical issues last couple of races, but has looked good when his car cooperates. Logano's best finish in recent history is 13th, but if he catches the right breaks could find himself battling it out at the end of the race.
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