Kobalt 400 Gambling Preview
NASCAR’s third point race of the new Sprint Cup racing season takes us to the gambling capital of the world for the running of this Sunday’s Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is set to get underway at 3:15 p.m. and it will be broadcast nationally on FOX.
NASCAR Sprint Cup-Kobalt 400 Preview and Prediction
Race: Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Date: Sunday, March 9, 2014
Time: 3:15 p.m. (ET)
Broadcast: FOX
Odds By Bovada
It did not take Kevin Harvick long to put his stamp on the new season by holding off Dale Earnhardt Jr. down the stretch to take the checkered flag in last Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Phoenix.
Brad Keselowski raced his way to another top-three finish after finishing third in the season opener at Daytona.
The following is a look at my top favorite, contender and longshot to win this Sunday’s race based on odds provided by Bovada.
The Favorite (odd of less than 10/1)
Jimmie Johnson started the defense of his 2013 Sprint Cup title with a fifth-place finish in the Daytona 500 and a sixth-place finish at Phoenix, but the Oddsmakers like his chances to notch a win this time around the track as the +500 favorite for this race.
The No. 48 car has obviously been competitive the past two weeks, but the real value in these odds is Johnson’s past performance at this track.
[ad-8757089]
Over the course of his storied career, he has raced his way to four checkered flags at Las Vegas while posting an average finishing position of 9.4. He finished second in this race in 2012 and ended-up sixth last year.
The Contender (odds from 10/1 to 19/1)
I was torn between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brad Keselowski for this pick with both drivers sporting +1000 odds to win on Sunday, but in the end I decided to go with the No. 2 car. Both drivers have started the season in excellent form, but with Junior’s win at Daytona, it is time for Keselowski to get off the schneid.
He won five times in his run to the 2012 Sprint Cup title, but last season that number dropped to one with a victory at Charlotte in mid-October. Keselowski won the Pole for last year’s race in Las Vegas and he finished third.
The Longshot (odds 20/1 or greater)
Looking down the list for a quality driver with longer odds for Sunday’s race, I settled upon Martin Truex Jr. at +5000. While this pick is a real reach, the No. 56 car had a pretty solid run last season at Las Vegas with an eighth-place finish after starting 11th.
This team finished the 2013 season with seven top-five finishes including a victory on the road course at Sonoma. So far this season, Truex has finished dead-last at Daytona and 22nd at Phoenix. Like I said, this pick is a real reach.
Odds from Bovada
- JIMMIE JOHNSON 7/1
- KEVIN HARVICK 15/2
- MATT KENSETH 15/2
- DALE EARNHARDT JR 8/1
- DENNY HAMLIN 10/1
- KYLE BUSCH 10/1
- BRAD KESELOWSKI 10/1
- KASEY KAHNE 12/1
- JOEY LOGANO 12/1
- JEFF GORDON 15/1
- CARL EDWARDS 15/1
- TONY STEWART 15/1
- CLINT BOWYER 20/1
- KURT BUSCH 20/1
- GREG BIFFLE 20/1
- RYAN NEWMAN 30/1
- JAMIE McMURRAY 30/1
- AUSTIN DILLON 50/1
- MARTIN TRUEX JR. 50/1
- PAUL MENARD 50/1
- KYLE LARSON 60/1
- RICKY STENHOUSE JR. 60/1
- BRIAN VICKERS 60/1
- MARCOS AMBROSE 75/1
- ARIC ALMIROLA 75/1
- DANICA PATRICK 200/1
- FIELD (ALL OTHERS) 60/1
