posted May 14, 2009 at 15:52 EST in NASCAR Free Picks
Betting NASCAR - Sprint Cup's Stars Ready to Shine
by Robby Maddux
Every sport holds an annual All-Star event to dazzle fans with its brightest talent, including NASCAR which is geared up for Saturday evening's Sprint Showdown prior to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race main attraction. Any sports wagering fan that's honest will confess, betting on an All-Star contest is like throwing darts due to no trends or stats to bank on, as a club is composed of players from different teams.
With the exception of a couple day's practice, there's no chemistry, past performance stats or other handicapping tools used as in conventional games. However, NASCAR's All-Star event is a different story, because there's worthy information available making it possible to handicap.
There's a different format used and it's a non-points contest, but in terms of NASCAR wagering, Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race should be approached by handicappers just like any other of the 36 point races on the schedule. It's hands down the most bettor friendly All-Star event among all sports.
For newcomers to online NASCAR betting that's never experienced this spectacle, it's a must see event, as the best stockcar drivers on the planet dash-for-cash at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte under the lights where the stars shine bright. Before getting to your selections, here's the race format and how the star-studded field is determined.
The 2009 Sprint All-Star Race format:
Segment 1—50 laps with a mandatory green-flag pit stop on lap 25 which calls for a mandatory pit and four new tires for every team. At the conclusion of the first segment, the caution flag will wave for optional pit stops.
Segment 2—20 laps with the caution flag waving to end of the second segment and for optional pit stops.
Segment 3—20 laps with a 10-minute break at the end of the third segment. Teams are permitted to make adjustments to cars during the break. The finishing order after the third segment determines the final starting positions for the fourth and final segment.
Segment 4—10-lap shootout with only green-flag laps counting that'll declare the winner.
How the field is determined:
—Drivers who have won races in the current and preceding year. If a driver leaves a team with which he has won a race, he remains eligible BUT the car owner's new driver is NOT eligible.
—Drivers who are past Sprint Cup champions in the last 10 years.
—Drivers who have won The All-Star Race in the past 10 years.
—Drivers who have won in previous years, not eligible by the above (not owners, just drivers).
—The winner and runner-up in the Sprint Showdown and driver who received the highest number of Sprint Fan votes.
The Sprint Showdown, starting at 7:40pm EST, revs up the action and it's always a competitive event, as only the top-two drivers can race their way into the big show by taking the checkers. BetUS NASCAR odds on co-favorites are Brian Vickers and David Reutimann, both priced at +400. That duo is followed by Martin Truex Jr. +500, Juan Pablo Montoya +800 and David Ragan +1000, rounding out oddsmakers top-five favorites to win the Sprint Showdown and run with the big guns in the Sprint All-Star Race.
The Sprint Showdown's format varies slightly from the All-Star Race. The Showdown consist of 40 laps total that will be run in two 20-lap segments. The yellow flag will be waved to end the first segment, providing teams that elect the opportunity to make pit stops. How drivers lineup after pitting will be the starting order to begin the second and final 20-lap segment.
It's an evenly matched field and wide-open. The driver I'm investing in to take the checkers in the Sprint Showdown is rookie Joey Logano with stout money-making odds of +1200. The No. 20 Home Depot Toyota is led by crew chief Greg Zipadelli, who has competed in every All-Star Race since the team’s birth in 1999. Despite winning a race last year with Tony Stewart behind the wheel, the team will have to race its way into the All-Star event with Logano.
In 1999, Stewart’s rookie season, the team was in the same situation. After leading all but one lap of 50 in the Showdown, Stewart won and transferred into the main event where he then finished second. Zipadelli has never put a driver into Victory Lane in a non-points race, but Logano has more than enough talent to change that on Saturday evening.
Last week, Logano led 19 laps on one of the circuits demanding track, finishing a solid ninth, which tied his best career Cup run, in his first Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Logano qualified for the 500-mile race in the fifth position and ran the majority of the race in the top-10. Zippie made savvy pit calls to keep the rookie up front, while the team was flawless on all pit stops. The top-10 finish earned Logano two spots in the point standings and bolstered his chances of claiming Rookie of the Year honors.
Zipadelli's one of the best crew chiefs in the business. He has a lot of experience in these segment races that often is won by strategy, and Zippie knows how to call the winning shots. If Logano can execute on them and stay focused, he has an excellent shot of transferring to the big stage.
Speaking of big stage, when the lights are on the driver who has a knack for turning up the heat is Kyle Busch, even when the boo birds are in full flight. In fact, he seems to relish the crowd's dismay and is fueled by role of NASCAR's villain. During driver introductions, as the boos rain down, he'll most likely take his notorious bow and then take another one after winning the Sprint All-Star Race as the sports betting co-favorite at +600.
Being a non-points race with mega coin at stake, Busch will likely be the most aggressive driver on the track. He'd love to win a race featuring only the best-of-the-best and prove he's the man to beat - love or hate him. Busch has no top-10 finishes in three All-Star starts, but he leads the series this season with three wins. An All-Star victory is about the only thing he hasn't won, however, that could be his next feat conquered on Saturday, starting at 9:00pm EST on SPEED.
Free NASCAR Picks: Joey Logano +1200 (Win Showdown); Kyle Busch +600 (Win All-Star Race) If you bet on NASCAR, good luck and buckle-up for a wild night at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
