Saturday, February 16, 2013

Final 2013 Sprint Unlimited Driver Ratings Following All Practice Sessions

Micah Roberts’ Top-10 NASCAR Ratings
Sprint Unlimited (Formerly known as the Bud Shootout)
Daytona International Speedway
Saturday, February 16, 2013, 8:10 p.m. ET.

RATING   DRIVER        ODDS                           TEST*          PRAC 1        PRAC 2     2012 SHOOTOUT**
 1. Kevin Harvick 8/1                                2nd            1st            4th              22nd
Two-time winner, the last coming in back-to-back years in 2010. Childress cars look good.
 2. Matt Kenseth 8/1                                 1st              9th          N/A             21st
No wins in the Shootout, but does have two Daytona 500 wins, including last season.
 3. Kyle Busch 8/1                                    3rd            10th          9th                1st
2012 winner; comes off a fantastic final 10 stretch in 2012 with seven top-5 finishes.
 4. Greg Biffle 12/1                                   1st             3rd           3rd                6th
Hasn’t won at Daytona since 2003 Firecracker, but Roush Racing affiliation strong here.
 5. Kasey Kahne 12/1                              3rd             4th           7th              13th
Only restrictor-plate win of career came in 2010 Duel, but car has look of a possible winner.
 6. Martin Truex Jr. 15/1                           3rd             5th          N/A             19th
Best finish in two Shootout starts has been 19th, but Waltrip cars might have an edge here.
 7. Denny Hamlin 10/1                              3rd            12th          1st                5th
Won Shootout as a rookie in 2006, his only career plate win. Gibbs cars might be best overall.
 8. Mark Martin 25/1                                4th             13th         N/A             N/A
1999 Shootout winner with only one top-5 in last 10, but MWR car is the strength here.. 
 9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 8/1                          4th              6th          N/A             20th
Two-time Shootout winner, 2003 and 2008; new car might bring plate racing edge back to him.
10. Tony Stewart 10/1                             5th             16th         N/A               2nd
Three-time Shootout winner: 2001, 2002 and 2007; average finish of 4.9 over last 12 starts.
                     
* Best ranking on speeds charts from any of the six preseason test sessions held at Daytona Jan 10-12.
** Finish in the 2012 Budweiser Shootout, held February 18, 2012.

Odds courtesy of the LVHn 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 TheLinemakers.com or follow on Twitter: @MicahRoberts7


Sprint Unlimited Practice Notes: Nothing Really Gained

No comments: