posted May 22, 2009 at 10:40 EST in NASCAR Free Picks
Coca-Cola 600 - Your Three Best Bets
by Robby Maddux
Sunday evening's Coca-Cola 600, starting at 6:00pm EST, at Lowe's Motor Speedway is race 12-of-36 on the Sprint Cup schedule and it's the longest event of the NASCAR wagering season in terms of distance. The 400 laps ran on the 1.5-mile track makes for a 600-mile scenic ride consisting of beautiful sports betting action, while 43 drivers engage in a fierce battle of endurance and nutrition.
That alone creates instant contenders featured in a grueling and demanding race. With that in mind, including some numerical support, let's enjoy a full night of racing and attempt to build our BetUS bankrolls by cruising into Victory Lane. Here are my free NASCAR picks that I believe will be key players when the checkers near then wave. I'm investing in all three drivers to win outright and hedging each selection with bets to finish in the top-three.
Coca-Cola 600 Contenders:
Jimmie Johnson—Would make Lowe's very proud to have its logo displayed on the No. 48 Chevrolet with a win on its home sponsored track. Johnson and Hendrick teammate
Jeff Gordon share the most wins among all active drivers at Lowe's with five each. Though, Johnson isn't even close to where he was at this point in 2008, when he posted a series third-best seven wins and third straight championship.This year, he's found Victory Lane just once, thus far, while placed a firm fourth in points after gaining two spots with a runner-up finish in the last points race at Darlington in the Southern 500. If you bet on NASCAR, don't be surprised if Johnson breaks the tie with Gordon to become Lowe's winningest driver, while making oddsmakers look brilliant as the BetUS NASCAR odds on co-favored priced at +600 with Kyle Busch.
Carl Edwards—Dubbed ''King of Intermediate Tracks'' Cousin Carl is back on a 1.5-mile configuration he dominates, and he's getting decent respect from oddsmakers, who's pricing him at +900. 14 of his 16 career victories has come on intermediate tracks such as Lowe's Motor Speedway. He's never won there but has three top-five finishes and six top-ten runs with a strong 10.8 average of finish, meaning in eight-career starts at Lowe's only twice he's finished outside the top-ten.
One of his runs outside the top-ten came last October, when he started second but finished 33rd because of engine trouble. Edwards finished fifth in the All-Star Race last week that gives this team something to build on, as they try for its first win in 2009. He has everything it takes to win the circuits only 600-mile event, including physicality's, stamina and endurance. Edwards is one of the sport's most fit athletes that works out vigorously and routinely.
Mark Martin—Even at the age of 50, Martin ranks right up there beside Edwards in conditioning. Martin, too, keeps himself in tip-top shape for online NASCAR betting events such as this. The wily veteran has proven twice in 2009 with wins that age is a non-factor when behind the wheel of Hendrick horse-power. Martin has four career victories, 17 top-fives and 22 top-ten finishes compiled in 48 Lowe's starts, making him the second winningest driver there. He currently owns stout sports wagering value of +1000.
Considering he's ran in 48 races, most among all full-time drivers, he has a respectable 15.8 average of finish there with a wealth of experience that will help get his car setup for the track's transition from day to night conditions. It takes a team effort to win this event and Martin's group has all necessary intangibles to take the checkers. Including, great strategy being called by crew chief Alan Gustafson, a patient heady driver and pit crew that's reliable, which is huge because of the number of pit stops made over the course of 600 miles.
For the NASCAR online betting investors in Gordon, with him collecting five Lowe's wins, 15 top-five finishes and 18 top-tens in 32 starts at the track he claimed his first career Cup victory, Gordon's numbers are certainly inviting. Oddsmakers agree having installed him at +700 as the second betting choice. If this were a shorter and lesser endurance race, the four-time champion would be included on my BetUS Coca-Cola 600 betting ticket. But there's reason for concern surrounding Gordon's ailing back, which could create problems given the distance and physical demanding nature of this race.
Gordon has been experiencing progressive and worsening back pain over the past few years. The No. 24 camp has been down playing the severity of the pain he's enduring, however, Gordon received an injection of lidocaine on Monday with hopes the procedure will alleviate much or all the pain. He timed the medical procedure to give him relief before Sunday’s 600 miles of racing in cramped quarters in a race car's seat that will tightly fasten him in. But if the procedure doesn't help as much as they're hoping, the season's already longest race will become even long for the point's leader. It's purely speculation, but it wouldn't be surprising if an unrevealed driver has been put on standby if Gordon can't go the distance.
