STP 500 Predictions
The NASCAR Monster Energy Series is back in action this afternoon for the STP 500. Here’s our picks for this race.
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch are co-favorites to win, as each has 11/2 odds. Other short odds to win are Jimmie Johnson (7/1) and Brad Keselowski (15/2). The STP 500 takes place on Sunday at 2PM ET from Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia.
Denny Hamlin is too good to ignore at this track. He is a five-time winner at Martinsville with an average finish of 9.2 at the track. His driver rating there is 108.2, which is second-best in the field to Jimmie Johnson, but Johnson has been struggling this season. Hamlin could use the win, and this is the track for him to get it.
Brad Keselowski has yet to win at Martinsville, but I think today could be his day. First, he is on a real hot streak right now, finishing in the top 5 in four straight races. That includes one victory. Keselowski has an average finish of 13.8 at the track while his driver rating is 90.8. His driver rating is sixth-best in this weekend’s field. Look for Keselowski to have another strong run today.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has 15/1 odds to win today. This year hasn’t been going very well for Junior, as he has yet to finish in the top 10. However, he has been very strong at Martinsville in his career. He has one win to his credit with an average finish of 11.957 of the track. His driver rating there is 98.7, which ranks fourth in today’s field. Junior is getting longer odds than he should because of his slow start in 2017, so I think it’s worth jumping on him.
