Kyle Busch the Bud favorite
Oddsmakers expect Kyle Busch to get back on track after last year’s late-season collapse, listing the younger of the two Busch brothers at +450 odds to win Saturday’s Bud Shootout.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., the winner last year, follows at +600 odds while his teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are +700.
The Shootout offers bettors a chance to get NASCAR wagering in before next week’s Daytona 500 and this year we’re giving 500 bettors the chance to win $5,000.00. Check Sportsbook.com next week for full details.
And check our Live Odds page for full odds for the Bud Shootout and Daytona 500.
Bettors looking for a big payday may want to check out the long shot picks. Jamie McMurray is listed at +2500 odds and he won the last Sprint Cup event at Daytona last season and has in contention on the Super Speedways.
Tony Stewart, a two-time winner, is listed at +1000 odds in his new ride.
If you haven’t checked in with the sport since it left off back in November, you’ve missed a frenzy of offseason, off-track activity. We stress the word “off-track” because with the circuit’s recent ban on testing, few drivers have actually been behind the wheel.
The biggest story in NASCAR has been the economy, which has left teams short on sponsors, equipment, and thus the ability to field cars. Several teams have merged, including Evernham and Petty, as well as DEI and Ganassi. Others have dissolved operations, but have been replaced by new upstarts.
The new team you’ll recognize most is Stewart-Haas Racing, guided by former two-time Cup Champion Tony Stewart. He’ll drive for the team in the #14 car with teammate Ryan Newman in the #39.
Other key driver changes to watch out for are rookie Joey Logano taking over for Stewart in the #20 Home Depot Toyota, and Mark Martin latching on with the powerhouse team at Hendrick Motorpsorts. He will pilot the #5 car formerly driven by Casey Mears, who goes over to Richard Childress Racing and the #07 car.
Other notable drivers on the move are Bobby Labonte, Paul Menard, and David Stremme. Be sure to check your game program to familiarize yourself with which driver is in which car.
The Budweiser Shootout traditionally kicks off Speed Week. The non-points event has jump-started the Sprint Cup Series season since 1979.
The Shootout previously consisted of drivers who earned a Bud Pole Award in the previous season and past champions of the event who did not earn a Bud Pole during the previous year but finished among the top 50 in the season’s final championship standings.
The Shootout’s entry format will change in 2009: only the top six teams and one wild-card entry in owner points from each manufacturer will earn berths in the season-opening exhibition race at Daytona.
Repeat champions include Dale Earnhardt (6), Dale Jarrett (3), Tony Stewart (3), and Neil Bonnett, Ken Schrader, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. with two victories apiece. In fact, the 1998 race won by Bill Elliott with an average speed of 197.802 mph stands as the fastest sanctioned race in the history of NASCAR.
The only drivers to win back-to-back Budweiser Shootout crowns are Neil Bonnett (1983-84), Ken Schrader (1989-90) and Tony Stewart (2001-02).
