2013 Bojangles’ Southern 500 Predictions
This week the Sprint Cup series returns to the heart of NASCAR racing country for the prime time running of the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Bojangles’ Southern 500 Preview and Prediction
Race: Bojangles’ Southern 500, Darlington Raceway
Date: Saturday, May 11, 2013
Time: 7 p.m. (ET)
Broadcast: FOX
Odds: Bovada
Saturday night’s race is set to get underway at 7 p.m. and it will be broadcast nationally on FOX.
David Ragan stunned the field last week at Talladega in a wild green-white-checkered finish with another longshot, David Gilliland taking second. Carl Edwards rounded-out the top three of this rain soaked event.
The following is a closer look at our favorite, contender, and longshot picks for this Saturday night’s race with odds provided by Sportsbook.
The Favorite (odd of less than 10/1)
As expected, one of the top favorites to win this week is current Sprint Cup point leader Jimmie Johnson at +600.
The No. 48 car has already opened up a 41-point lead in the standings in its pursuit to recapture the title after a two-year absence. Johnson has posted two victories and three other top-five finishes to tally 383 points in the first 10 races.
Adding even more value to these odds is the fact that he comes into this week’s race as the defending champion. He has three career Sprint Cup victories at Darlington and a number of other top-10 runs that add up to a 9.1 average finishing position at this track. [ad-8757089]
The Contender (odds from 10/1 to 19/1)
In 2011 Carl Edwards came painfully close to winning the Sprint Cup title and after suffering through a disappointing season in 2012, he is right back near the top this year. With a victory at Phoenix combined with four other top-five finishes the No. 99 car is sitting in second place in the standings with 342 points.
Edwards comes into this race at +1000 to win his first ever point race at this track. He ended-up second in 2011 and finished seventh in last year’s race.
The Longshot (odds 20/1 or greater)
Anytime you can get longer odds on a driver that is currently sitting in third place in the point standings you should jump at the chance. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is still looking for his first victory this season and he has been opened as a mild +2000 longshot to end the drought this Saturday night.
The No. 88 car has been in the mix all year long with six top-10 finishes in the first 10 point races including a second-place finish at both Daytona and Fontana to tally a total of 324 points so far. The reason for the long odds is an average finishing position of 15.3 at this track with is last top-five finish coming in 2008.
Odds from Bovada
Kyle Busch 5-1
Jimmie Johnson 6-1
Matt Kenseth 7-1
Denny Hamlin 8-1
Jeff Gordon 10-1
Kasey Kahne 10-1
Greg Biffle 12-1
Carl Edwards 12-1
Brad Keselowski 12-1
Clint Bowyer 15-1
Martin Truex Jr. 15-1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 18-1
Kevin Harvick 20-1
Tony Stewart 20-1
Joey Logano 30-1
Mark Martin 45-1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 50-1
Kurt Busch 55-1
Juan Pablo Montoya 80-1
Ryan Newman 80-1
Aric Almirola 100-1
Marcos Ambrose 100-1
Paul Menard 100-1
Danica Patrick 500-1
Field (All Others) 100-1
