Kenseth Takes Daytona 500 and Top Spot on Power Poll
Matt Kenseth is the top dog in NASCAR right now after winning at Daytona. NASCAR’s first race of the season was real letdown after rains came down on the racetrack.
Some the major players didn’t fair to well in the BetUS Sportsbook either namely Kyle Busch who finished outside of the top thirty at Daytona.
Let’s take a look at the rankings.
NASCAR: Power Rankings
1. Matt Kenseth – – His odds to win at Daytona were 20 to 1. Nice, considering that Kenseth has been a very good driver before in the Cup Chase. I didn’t even consider him. That shows you how much respect I had for the go going into the race. He gets the top ranking but he’s not going to stay there long, I can almost guarantee it.
2. Kevin Harvick – – Harvick was at 15 to 1 going into the race and he looked like he might pull off the victory, but it was another let down for Kevin. No worries. If anything, his Dayton run shows that he should have a good season after a disappointing 2008.
3. Clint Bowyer – – Bowyer was a 40 to 1 underdog to win Daytona and a 8 to 1 underdog to finish in the top ten. Bowyer is actually my long shot driver this year because he looks to be making a huge leap with a new team, new cars, new crew and new attitude. His Daytona run was awesome.
4. Tony Stewart – – Tony was spectacular again after finishing in the Top Ten. He actually looked better in the number 14 car than anybody expected. His 8 to 1 odds to win the race were on the low side, but the run indicates that he’s going to be a huge factor this season.
5. Jeff Gordon – – 6 to 1 on Gordon was fair. He did finish in the top twenty, but I didn’t like how he couldn’t keep it going after starting off the race in the top three. What’s going on Jeff? It’s actually too early to ask but a few more races like the one at Daytona and the question become pertinent.
6. Jimmie Johnson – – The champ finished 31st at Daytona. I knew he would have a bad run, but that was ridiculously bad. It was almost as bad as Kyle Busch. Still, Jimmie will get it going and everybody will be staring at him as he rushes past them, but it won’t happen until later on this season.
7. Carl Edwards – – Edwards was another disappointment on Sunday. He finished 14th at odds of 15 to 1, but everybody, including Roush Racing, his owner, expected him to do better. It’s a long season, but Carl has started it off very badly.
8. Juan Pablo Montoya – – Maybe I’ve got him ranked too high right now, but even Montoya haters have to admit that at 40 to 1, he did very well by finishing in the top fifteen. He’s driving with much more calmness and clarity. I still have the feeling that he’s going to break out this season.
9. Kurt Busch – – The other Busch showed why he is the big brother by beating down his younger sibling and finishing 10th at 20 to 1. He could be a serious player in the Cup Chase if he keeps it going.
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. – – Jr. was horrible again finishing 27th but he’s part of the Hendrick team which means he should be ranked. All three of Hendrick’s top drivers didn’t fair so well with Jimmie being the worst. I’ll give Jr. a pass but until his odds approach 20 to 1 instead of the 7 to 1 bettors were getting on him at Daytona, I won’t be making wagers on him any time soon.
