2013 All-Star Race Predictions
The NASCAR Sprint Cup series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the next two weeks in preparation for the running of the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend, but this Saturday night it will stage its annual All-Star Race.
NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race
Race: Sprint Cup All-Star Race, Charlotte Motor Speedway
Date: Saturday, May 18
Time: 9 p.m. (ET)
Broadcast: Speed Network
Odds: Bovada
This 90-lap sprint features all the drivers that won a point race either last season or this year along with the winner and runner-up of the Sprint Showdown. The All-Star Race is a non-point event but the winner lays claim to $1 million first place prize.
All the action this Saturday night is slated to get underway at 7 p.m. with the start of the Sprint Showdown followed directly by the All-Star Race. Both races will be broadcast nationally on the Speed Network.
The following is a closer look at our favorite, contender, and longshot for this year’s All-Star Race along with their current odds to win as provided by Sportsbook.
Favorite (odds of less than 10/1)
One of the top favorites to win on Saturday night is Kyle Busch at +500. From late March until early April he was unstoppable with two victories in a span of three races. While the No. 18 car has cooled from that pace since then, it showed signs of returning to form with a sixth-place finish last week at Darlington.
This team is currently in eighth-place in the Sprint Cup standings with 325 points as a result of five top-five finishes in the first 11 races.
The real value in Busch’s odds this week is based on his recent performance in this race. Starting from the Pole the last two years, he finished second in 2011 and fourth last year. [ad-8757089]
Contender (11/1 to 19/1)
Carl Edwards went into the final race of the 2011 season with a chance to win the Sprint Cup title and while he came up just short to Tony Stewart, one of his biggest accomplishments that season was a victory in this race.
After a forgettable 2012 campaign, the No. 99 team is back in championship form and sitting in second place in the standings with 379 points as a result of a win in Phoenix to go along with four other top-five finishes.
Edwards has been opened at +1200 to win this race and comes in with the proven ability to get it done, which adds a ton of value to these odds.
Longshot (odds 20/1 or higher)
Clint Bowyer has raced in seven previous All-Star Races and his best finish was sixth back in 2007 so the value in his +2000 odds to win this year’s race is not based on past performance, but rather on current form.
He has the No. 15 car in fifth place in the standings with 349 points on the strength of four top-five finishes this season.
Bowyer came close to taking the checkered flag twice so far with a second-place finish at Martinsville and Richmond.
Odds from Bovada
JIMMIE JOHNSON 5-1
KYLE BUSCH 5-1
MATT KENSETH 6-1
KASEY KAHNE 8-1
DENNY HAMLIN 8-1
CARL EDWARDS 12-1
BRAD KESELOWSKI 12-1
JEFF GORDON 15-1
GREG BIFFLE 15-1
DALE EARNHARDT JR 15-1
KEVIN HARVICK 15-1
CLINT BOWYER 20-1
TONY STEWART 25-1
JOEY LOGANO 30-1
KURT BUSCH 30-1
MARK MARTIN 40-1
RYAN NEWMAN 40-1
FIELD 20-1
