Saturday, February 26, 2011

Final Phoenix Driver Ratings Following All Practice and Qualifying Sessions


Roberts Weekly Driver Ratings 
Each week I will provide an analysis of my top rated drivers on how well they will do in the race based on the following criteria:
• Practice sessions leading up to the weekend’s Sprint Cup race
• Chassis information on what was brought to each track by each team, good or bad
• Driver tendencies at certain tracks
• Recent and overall histories for each driver at each track
• Decipher poor past results with what really happened, good car -- or bad luck?
These final ratings should help assist in final betting strategies with the Las Vegas books or match-up and prop plays, as well as help in NASCAR fantasy leagues.


Micah Roberts Top 10 Driver Ratings
Subway Fresh Fit 500k
Phoenix International Raceway
Sunday, February 27, 2011 - 12:15 pm (PDT)
Rating    Driver     Odds          Phoenix*   Practice 1  Practice 2    Qualified  

 1. Kevin Harvick 12/1              6th              4th             25th             17th
Swept Phoenix races in 2006. Fastest average speeds in first practice; new chassis.                  
 2. Denny Hamlin 5/1               12th            3rd             34th             12th         
Led the most laps in 2010 fall race; 4 third place finishes in eight COT starts on track.
 3. Carl Edwards 6/1                1st              12th            3rd                1st          
Won the 2009 fall race; 11.8 average finish in 13 starts. Using new chassis this week.
 4. Ryan Newman 30/1            2nd             15th             7th               14th        
Won 2010 spring race and was runner-up in the fall; using same chassis this week.
 5. Kyle Busch 7/1                    13th             5th             1st                4th 
Won as a rookie in 2005, no top fives since. Fastest consecutive 10 lap practice average.     
 6. Kasey Kahne 30/1              30th             7th             17th               3rd           
Never been his best track, but showed great average lap times in both practice sessions.                     
 7. Jimmie Johnson 6/1            5th             14th             21st             28th              
Four-time winner with an all-time track best average finish of 4.9 in 15 starts.
 8. Joey Logano 25/1                3rd              8th             15th              6th           
Looks to be a track well suited for him, 10th and 3rd in the 2010 races; practiced well.
 9. Tony Stewart 12/1               17th            21st             8th               18th     
1999 winner with 12.0 average finish; using runner-up chassis from June’s Loudon race. 
10. Kurt Busch 15/1                  9th              1st              39th              2nd           
2005 winner with 13.3 average finish in 16 starts; using rebuilt chassis from fall Charlotte race.                                         
                    
* Results from the November 14, 2010 fall race at Phoenix.
Note: Practice 1 was primarily used in race trim with exception of Kurt Busch. 
Odds courtesy of the Las Vegas Hilton Super Book.
Micah Roberts, a former race and sports Director, has been setting NASCAR lines in Las Vegas since 1995. For more Roberts insights and post-practice analysis on the race, go to VegasInsider.com.

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