NASCAR Power Rankings - Busch is the Food City Champ

NASCAR returned to action on Sunday and so did Kyle Busch. Busch racked up his second Sprint Cup victory of the season in the Food City 500.

Busch is back on track after the victory, but after a terrific regular season in 2008, Kyle floundered in the Chase. Hopefully, he won’t flounder in 2009. Consistency will be the key.

Now, it’s on to Martinsville, Virginia this Sunday for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500.

Let’s get to the rankings in the Sportsbook.

NASCAR: Power Rankings

1. Kyle Busch - - Busch was extraordinary in the Food City 500. He not only won the race, but he won it by passing Jimmie Johnson and holding off Denny Hamlin. At odds of +600, Kyle came through in style.

2. Jeff Gordon - - The NASCAR odds on Gordon dropped like an anchor in the Food City 500 to +300. That made him the favorite. He finished fourth and should be ready to win a few of these.

3. Jimmie Johnson - - That’s the Jimmie we’ve grown to love! Finally, Jimmie broke through with a Top 5 placing in a race when finishing 3rd in the Food City 500 at odds of +800. Jimmie’s on the cusp of a victory like Gordon.

4. Denny Hamlin - - At +800, a lot was expected of Hamlin who unfortunately has played second fiddle to Kyle Busch for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008 and the beginning of 2009. He didn’t disappoint by finishing 2nd to his teammate in the Food City.

5. Mark Martin - - The Food City 500 pole sitter didn’t do too badly by finishing 6th at odds of +1200. Martin could be a nice long shot to win the Cup should he continue to drive well.

6. Kasey Kahne - - Kahne might be too high in these rankings but the truth is that he’s starting to drive very, very well. His 5th place finish in the Food City 500, at odds of +1500, comes on the heels of a 7th place finish in the Kobalt Tools 500. Bettors need to keep an eye on NASCAR’s pretty boy.

7. Jeff Burton - - Burton has a Top 5 finish and a Top 10 finish in two out of the last three races. As long as his odds continue to be huge, he went off +1800 in the Food City 500, he deserves consideration from gamblers.

8. Kurt Busch - - The elder Busch’s run in the Food City 500 wasn’t too bad as he finished 11th, but it wasn’t as good as some expected coming off of the Kobalt Tools 500 victory.

9. Clint Bowyer - - At odds of +1200, more was expected out of Bowyer than his 13th place finish, but Clint’s been driving well enough to not drop out of the Top Ten.

10. Juan Pablo Montoya - - Montoya garnered his first Top Ten placing of the season when finishing 9th in the Food City 500. Since his odds were +10000, the 9th place finish was impressive.