2014 Sprint Unlimited 'Shootout' Facts: Chevy has won 20 of 35 all-time

Jeff Gordon will be starting his 21st Sprint Unlimited Shootout 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 10, 2014) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. going into the Sprint Unlimited on Feb. 15. A total of 20 drivers are eligible to participate in the annual preseason, non-points race.

Sprint Unlimited Tidbits

The number of participants has ranged from a low of seven in 1981 to a high of 28 in 2009 (18 are entered in this year’s event).

The drivers with the most Sprint Unlimited appearances:

   * Mark Martin (24)

   * Bill Elliott (23)

   * Jeff Gordon (20)

   * Ken Schrader (19)

   * Rusty Wallace (19)

Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon have appeared in the most consecutive Sprint Unlimited races, competing in 20 consecutive events. Martin from 1989-2008 and Gordon from 1994-2013.

There have been eight multiple winners in the Sprint Unlimited:

   * Dale Earnhardt won six events, most all-time (1980, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995).

   * Dale Jarrett won in 1996, 2000 and 2004.

   * Kevin Harvick won in 2009, 2010 and 2013.

   * Tony Stewart won in 2001, 2002 and 2007.

Other multiple winners: Neil Bonnett (1983-1984), Ken Schrader, (1989-1990), Jeff Gordon (1994 and 1997) andDale Earnhardt Jr. (2003 and 2008).

Bonnett, Schrader, Stewart and Harvick are the only drivers to win back-to-back Sprint Unlimited races. No driver has won three consecutive Sprint Unlimited events.

Buddy Baker (1979), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Jeff Gordon (1994), Dale Jarrett (1996) andDenny Hamlin (2006) all won the first Sprint Unlimited in which they competed.

Only five times in the 32-year history of the race has the winner gone on to win the Daytona 500:

         * Bobby Allison (1982)

         * Bill Elliott (1987)

         * Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000)

   * Jeff Gordon (1997)

There have been three winners from the pole: Darrell Waltrip (1981), Bill Elliott (1987) and Ken Schrader (1989).

Two drivers have swept the Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 pole and Daytona 500 from 1979-2013: Dale Jarrett (2000) and Bill Elliott (1987).

One driver has swept the Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 and the Coke Zero 400 from 1979-2013: Bobby Allison (1982).

Seven drivers have won the Sprint Unlimited (1979-2013) and the same season’s championship. Dale Earnhardt is the only one to have accomplished it multiple times – four times.

   * Tony Stewart (2002)

   * Jeff Gordon (1997)

   * Dale Earnhardt (1993)

   * Dale Earnhardt (1991)

   * Dale Earnhardt (1986)

   * Darrell Waltrip (1981)

   * Dale Earnhardt (1980)

Four drivers have won consecutive Sprint Unlimited races (1979-2013). None went on to win that year’s Daytona 500.

   * Kevin Harvick (2009-10)

   * Tony Stewart (2000-01)

   * Ken Schrader (1990-91)

   * Neil Bonnett (1983-84)

The format for the Sprint Unlimited has changed 12 times since its inception into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 1979.

The second starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field resulting in five wins over the 35 races.

Sprint Unlimited Manufacturer Recap

 

Manufacturer	Victories	Last Victory - Driver
Chevrolet	20	2013 – Kevin Harvick
Ford	7	2004 – Dale Jarrett
Buick	2	1982 – Bobby Allison
Oldsmobile	2	1980 – Dale Earnhardt
Pontiac	2	2002 – Tony Stewart
Dodge	1	2011 – Kurt Busch
Toyota	1	2012 – Kyle Busch

By the Numbers: Sprint Unlimited

.013 –Margin of victory in seconds by Kyle Busch over Tony Stewart in 2012, the closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history.

.058 –Margin of victory in seconds by Kurt Busch over Jamie McMurray in 2011, the second closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history.

.08 –Margin of victory in seconds by Dale Earnhardt over Sterling Marlin in 1995, the third closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history.

1 – Laps led by Rusty Wallace (1998), Neil Bonnett (1983-84), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Dale Jarrett (2000 and 2004) and Kevin Harvick (2009) in the Sprint Unlimited races they won.

2 – The starting position that has produced the most Sprint Unlimited wins (five).

2.75 – Average finish by Dale Earnhardt, best by any driver with multiple starts.

5 – Drivers who have won the event in their first appearance (Buddy Baker, 1979; Dale Earnhardt, 1980; Jeff Gordon, 1994; Dale Jarrett, 1996; Denny Hamlin, 2006).

6 – Number of Sprint Unlimited wins by Dale Earnhardt, the series leader.

7 – Number of fewest starters in the field for the Sprint Unlimited (1981).

9 – Number of races led, most since race began in 1979 (Dale Earnhardt Jr.)

11 – Number of starts before winning, most since race began in 1979 (Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin).

14 – Number of different leaders in the 2009 event, most since race began in 1979.

20 – Number of wins by Chevrolet in the Sprint Unlimited, leads all manufacturers.

20 – Most consecutive starts in the Sprint Unlimited by Mark Martin (1989-2008) and Jeff Gordon (1994-2013).

27 – Kevin Harvick’s starting position in 2009, the lowest by a race winner in the event’s history.

28 – Number of lead changes in the 2011 event, highest number since race began in 1979.

44 – Laps led by Greg Biffle in 2005, the most by a driver who did not win the event.

47 – Laps led by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2008, the most in a single Sprint Unlimited.

124.095 mph – The slowest average speed of the race for the Sprint Unlimited was last season’s event won byKyle Busch.

197.802 mph – The fastest average speed of the race for the Sprint Unlimited was in 1987 won by Bill Elliott.

- NASCAR

Rules Changes, Danica vs Petty, and No. 3 being back spice up 2014 NASCAR season

Danica Patrick vs Richard Petty spices things up for 2014

LAS VEGAS -- We’ve updated all the Daytona 500 odds from around various Las Vegas sports books and, by looking at the chart, it should help identify where to wager if you like a certain driver. Most of the best odds offered can be found at one place, but we were quite surprised to see one particular chain of books, Harrah’s/Caesars, having the best odds on a few drivers such as Denny Hamlin at 18-to-1.

Action on the race is starting to pick up at the books. Most of the Daytona 500 numbers have been up since December, and money has been trickljng in throughout that duration. But with less than two weeks until the green flag drops -- and with some help from the Sprint Unlimited racing this weekend, the dash to the books will come fast from fans everywhere. The Daytona 500 is the second-most bet race of the season behind the Las Vegas Cup race.

There are three things that should really boost the handle in Las Vegas the next few days as we get our first taste of practice and racing at Daytona this weekend. First, the rule changes to the Chase are creating a buzz because if a driver wins, they are virtually guaranteed a spot in the 16-driver Chase during the final 10 races. This is going to be awesome, and it’s great NASCAR has the ability to move swiftly for the betterment of the sport.

The next thing is that the famed No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevy takes the track for the first time in a Cup race since 2001, and rookie Austin Dillon -- the grandson of Childress -- is the driver. Based on the Jan. 10 Daytona testing, and word from several inside the garages at the testing, Dillon should be on the Daytona 500 pole. We’ll see more of the No. 3 in the crowd than we have in a decade because fans have been waiting for its return. And it can be counted on that Childress will honor the car number well with reverence and horsepower.

The other factor is kind of a sideshow of words as Richard Petty, owner of 200 NASCAR Cup wins, doesn’t think Danica Patrick will win a race anytime soon, allegedly saying the only way it will happen is“if everyone else stayed home.”

The King can say no wrong -- he's earned it -- but his own racing program should be thankful it has the best road course racer on the planet or else he might have little chance of having either of his cars perform better than Patrick and her Stewart-Haas Racing No. 10 team this season. Mark it down: Marcos Ambrose and Aric Almirola will be battling Patrick for position all season. That's an insinuation that they are close to being equal, competing with each other to be among the top 20 drivers.

For the Daytona 500, Patrick, who finished in eighth place last season, is set at 40-to-1 odds at the LVH SuperBook, while Ambrose is at 60-to-1. Almirola isn‘t even listed and is part of the ‘Field’ bet. Sure, it’s supply and demand, and no bettors are beating the door down for Ambrose bets, but Patrick is very well respected by all the sports books in plate races because she has proven herself to be very adept in the draft, even in the lesser series.

Because of the Petty comments, we are sure to have some kind of Billy Jean King and Bobby Riggs hoopla in the "battle of the sexes." Bad publicity is sometimes good publicity, right? Yet, there really wasn't any need for Petty to discuss another driver’s situation in that manner, especially since his son, Kyle, already stepped in it last year. What is the agenda? To play mind games with one of the 41 other drivers? But why pick on Patrick, who was a rookie last year? Because she’s popular and hasn’t done much? Because she's a woman? Even Dale Earnhardt wasn’t that tough on a young Jeff Gordon.

People are finicky and if all the fringe fans return to the track or television for the Daytona 500, they’re going to get the insight on the Petty-Patrick story, and Petty is going to be perceived as the one being petty and diving below his status. It’s a bad deal and is the type of commentary that could affect future sponsorship deals. Women are the driving force behind buying their men their favorite NASCAR sponsored stuff. However, there are plenty who agree with Petty and the build-up for both sides should help create a nice buzz, which will translate to more viewers, tickets sales and, of course, wagers here in Las Vegas.

Unlimited is Limited

The Las Vegas sports books wish NASCAR would have added another attachment to differentiate the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship from Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint Unlimited non-points race. Believe it or not, some people who don’t wager much grab one sheet and make wagers thinking it’s the other event. Why not add "Shootout" to the end of "Sprint Unlimited?" A portion of the fans probably have no idea that this is the "Shootout" like everyone remembers growing up. Sprint Unlimited sounds more like a phone service infomercial.

Betting aside, the brand of Sprint Unlimited seems like NASCAR would get more bang for the buck if it had "Shootout" attached. If certain casual fans can’t understand the most consistent of exhibition races, then how does NASCAR plan on bringing more bodies back to the race track? There are still thousands of seats left for NASCAR’s Super Bowl, while the NFL just showed that plenty of corporate-types were willing to sit out in 40-degree temperatures for the Super Bowl.

It’s apparent that NASCAR is attempting to restore its rightful place in the sports market. It was on the fast track with a continuous upward trend in popularity through the 2000s, but now it searches for answers why Bristol is no longer the hottest ticket in sports. However, the Chase changes are a great step in the right direction.

Shuffling Daytona 500 odds

The biggest mover of all has been Dillon, who opened 45-to-1 at MGM’s books and has been bet all the way down to 13-to-1. The book says it has taken a ton of action on the rookie, most of which came immediately after the test session. And, of course, the No. 3 car is in demand. If he doesn’t win, the ticket is a souvenir as the first race back for the No. 3.

Another popular wager has been Dale Earnhardt Jr. He's looking for his first plate race win since 2004, but has averaged a series-best 12.9 finish position in his past 20 Daytona points races. The highest number offered on Junior is 10-to-1 at several books such as William Hill and the Golden Nugget.

A surprising bunch of odds offered was by Harrah’s/Caesars chain of books that initially offered the same rotation and opening odds as the LVH SuperBook. The LVH usually has the most bettor-friendly theoretic hold of all the books on 30-option indexes at about 28 percent. Harrah’s did chop off a lot of those numbers without raising much, but it still offers better overall numbers on attractive drivers than quite a few books.

Read More Here........List of Las Vegas sports books Daytona 500 odds

LVH posts 2014 Daytona 500 Matchups and Propositions

It's almost time for 2014 to really begin....roaring engines in February

DAYTONA 500 MATCHUPS
DAYTONA INT'L SPEEDWAY
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2014

JIMMIE JOHNSON -110
MATT KENSETH -110

JIMMIE JOHNSON -110
KEVIN HARVICK -110

KYLE BUSCH -110
DALE EARNHARDT JR -110

KYLE BUSCH -110
KEVIN HARVICK -110

DALE EARNHARDT JR -110
MATT KENSETH -110

JEFF GORDON -110
BRAD KESELOWSKI -110

JEFF GORDON -120
KASEY KAHNE EVEN (Best advice in the matchups because of crap shoot, is to take all even or plus $$) 

CLINT BOWYER -120
KURT BUSCH EVEN

KURT BUSCH EVEN
BRAD KESELOWSKI -120

GREG BIFFLE EVEN
JOEY LOGANO -120

CLINT BOWYER -130
CARL EDWARDS +110

TONY STEWART -120
DENNY HAMLIN EVEN

DENNY HAMLIN -110
JAMIE McMURRAY -110

KYLE LARSON -110
AUSTIN DILLON -110

GREG BIFFLE -120
MICHAEL WALTRIP EVEN

JOEY LOGANO -125
MARTIN TRUEX JR +105

RICKY STENHOUSE JR -110
DANICA PATRICK -110


DAYTONA 500 FINISH POSITIONS

FINISH BY: JIMMIE JOHNSON
OVER 11.5 -110
UNDER 11.5 -110

FINISH BY: MATT KENSETH
OVER 11.5 -110
UNDER 11.5 -110

FINISH BY: DALE EARNHARDT JR
OVER 11.5 -110 (Series best 12.9 average finish in past 20 Daytona points races)
UNDER 11.5 -110

FINISH BY: KYLE BUSCH
OVER 11.5 -110
UNDER 11.5 -110

FINISH BY: KEVIN HARVICK
OVER 11.5 -110
UNDER 11.5 -110

FINISH BY: BRAD KESELOWSKI
OVER 12.5 -110
UNDER 12.5 -110

FINISH BY: TONY STEWART
OVER 13.5 -110
UNDER 13.5 -110

FINISH BY: CARL EDWARDS
OVER 15.5 -110
UNDER 15.5 -110

FINISH BY: DANICA PATRICK
OVER 17.5 -110 (This prop will have great two way action....Petty has heated up the topic)
UNDER 17.5 -110


DAYTONA 500 RACE PROPOSITIONS

WINNING CAR NUMBER WILL BE:
1-23 -145 (let's see, you get McMurray, Dillon, Harvick, Hamlin, Stewart, Kenseth...still tough to lay)
24-99 +125

TOTAL CAUTIONS:
OVER 7.5 -110
UNDER 7.5 -110
**(At least 200 laps must be completed for action)

WINNING CAR NUMBER WILL BE:
ODD +200
EVEN -240

WINNING MANUFACTURER:
CHEVY -125
FORD +350
TOYOTA +200


DAYTONA 500 GROUP MATCHUPS

GROUP 1
JIMMIE JOHNSON +230
MATT KENSETH +230
KYLE BUSCH +230
DALE EARNHARDT JR +230

GROUP 2
KEVIN HARVICK +215
JEFF GORDON +235
BRAD KESELOWSKI +235
CLINT BOWYER +235

GROUP 3
KASEY KAHNE +230
KURT BUSCH +230
TONY STEWART +225
JAMIE McMURRAY +235

GROUP 4
DENNY HAMLIN +225
JOEY LOGANO +225
CARL EDWARDS +235
GREG BIFFLE +235

GROUP 5
MARTIN TRUEX JR +230
MICHAEL WALTRIP +230
RYAN NEWMAN +230
BRIAN VICKERS +230

GROUP 6
RICKY STENHOUSE JR +230
DANICA PATRICK +230
AUSTIN DILLON +230
KYLE LARSON +230

GROUP BETTING RULES
**All drivers in group must start for action
**Best Finish in Group Wins
**Parlays allowed in Groups 1 thru 6

2014 Sprint Unlimited Preview: Plenty of drivers present value to win

Will take some getting used to seeing Harvick drive the No. 4 SHR Chevy 

We only have two more weekends to patiently wait before the green flag officially drops for the Daytona 500, but for all those thirsty high-octane fans that have the need for speed, there is a little appetizer on Saturday night as the Sprint Unlimited will be run at Daytona. The 75-lap non-points race with only 20 drivers participating that either won a pole during the 2013 season or won a previous Sprint Unlimited, formerly known as the Bud Shootout.

To win a pole, the driver has to be pretty good, and most of the 20 drivers participating are the biggest names in the sport such as Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon. This leaves out a lot of the riff-raff, such as lower funded teams or younger inexperienced drivers, and allows the big boys to go head-to-head in a short Saturday Night Special type of format.

On Friday night, we’ll have our first chance to see these cars in action during two practice sessions, and while those sessions may provide some insight to who might be fast during the race, this event has usually been about who can make that winning move within the last two laps, and it’s amazing that a few drivers continually seem to find themselves in those situations no matter the changes in cars design or team structure, which is a great sign that the driver still matters perhaps more than the car itself in restrictor-plate races.

Take Kevin Harvick for example. Here’s a driver that has switched teams, moving from Richard Childress Racing to Stewart-Haas Racing, but he’s won three of the past five Sprint Unlimited events. That’s two differing type of cars -- the COT and Gen-6, and yet he seems to see the air better than most down the stretch when it counts, and finding that little edge to help propel him through the draft and cross the finish line first.

Harvick’s car will look similar to the past few seasons because he brought the Budweiser sponsorship with him, and he’ll again be driving a Chevy, but it may take some time to get used to the No. 4 painted on his car. For 13 years he drove the No. 29 for RCR, and he had a huge following right out of the gate just because he took over the famed No. 3 team following the passing of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt at Daytona in 2001. It’s debatable how well his entire season will go in 2014, but when the plates are on, not many -- if any -- are better than Harvick.

The same goes for his new boss, Tony Stewart, who missed the final 13 races last season due to breaking his leg after crashing during a race, a non-NASCAR event. Stewart won only one race last season and was pitiful in the first half of the season, but turned things around just before getting injured. Will the surge continue into 2014 or will some of the same issues that plagued him early on continue? We’ll have to wait and see, but the one thing that should be certain is that Stewart is eager to get back to racing, and more importantly, tasting success at Daytona’s appetizer, the Sprint Unlimited.

Stewart has won the non-points race to kickoff a season three times (2001, 2002, 2007) and if we rank two-time Daytona 500 winner Harvick as the best plate racer, Stewart might come in at No. 2. He has yet to win a Daytona 500 himself, but does have four other wins on the 2.5-mile high banked track during the summer. Of all the drivers participating in this event, Stewart may present the best value at the LVH Super Book with 12-to-1 odds.

Another driver that should be considered Saturday night is Jamie McMurray at 15-to-1 odds. He has two wins at Daytona and two others at Talladega, the only other restrictor-plate track. McMurray has a knack for feeling when the appropriate time to jump out of the draft and make a winning pass, as well as how to prevent other drivers from making the pass on him while leading.

Earnhardt Jr. hasn’t tasted a restrictor-plate victory too much in the past nine seasons, let alone any track, but he’s still a driver to be respected greatly which is why he is considered one of the favorites to win Saturday, right up there with Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch at 7-to-1 odds. While he hasn’t won a plate points race since 2004 at Daytona, his 12.9 average finish in the past 20 Daytona races -- spring and summer -- is the best among all drivers. Junior also has two Sprint Unlimited wins (2003, 2008).

I’m going to side with Stewart to win in a race he should be pumped up to be in, and of course, the odds make him very attractive as well. The best long shot of the bunch is Ryan Newman at 20-to-1 only because the top-3 speeds during a January 10 test session at Daytona all came from the RCR stables. Newman, the 2008 Daytona winner, is driving the No. 31 RCR Chevy this season, and is the only RCR driver participating.

Read More Here......Sprint Unlimited Top-5 Finish Prediction

Video: Roberts & Fred Crespi talk Sprint Unlimited odds


Daytona 500 odds
While I have been critical of a few books' Daytona 500 odds offerings, I think it's also appropriate to apologize for painting an unfair picture of a property. I had been so infuriated with Harrah's numbers that chopped the odds of 15 drivers considerably lower from what they opened with while raising only two drivers odds, that I failed to recognize their current odds were still considerably better than several local chain of sports books. While Harrah's looks bad for their chopping methods, they still only have one driver, Earnhardt Jr, at odds (7/1) less than double-digits. Now the next hurdle at Harrah's is getting a wager accepted where the risk is more than $500.

2014 NASCAR Sprint Unlimited Odds: How does 3-time winner Tony Stewart look at 12/1

Tony Stewart's only 2013 win was at Dover

LAS VEGAS -- It's hard to believe we'll be seeing actual NASCAR racing at Daytona within two weeks. Okay, so it's only the non-points Sprint Unlimited consisting of a 75-lap dash with only half the drivers that will be running a week later in the Daytona 500, but for some, it's one of those defining moments in a calendar year like Punxsutawney Phil taking a peak on Groundhog Day or Opening Day in baseball.

The Sprint Unlimited, formerly known as the Bud Shootout, is the race that gets everyone acclimated back into the sights and sounds (and sometimes smells, if going to Daytona) of stock car racing after a few long months off. This is where most get updated of changes and refreshed on some of the storylines and rivalries left off from 2013.

And of course here in Las Vegas, NASCAR fans have the opportunity to walk into a sports book and wager on a few drivers to help make their viewing experience more enjoyable. The only thing more thrilling than seeing your favorite driver win is when the driver you bet on wins.

The LVH Super Book posted odds Tuesday on the Sprint Unlimited and listed Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. as 7-to-1 co-favorites to win -- deservedly so considering they have combined to win five of the past six events. Harvick's win in the Unlimited last season was his third in five years, but all those wins came with Richard Childress Racing. How will he perform driving Stewart-Haas Racing's No. 4 Chevy? Earnhardt Jr. is a two-time winner, and Kyle Busch won in 2012.

Jimmie Johnson last won the Unlimited in 2005 and comes in at 8-to-1 odds, but he did sweep the two points races at Daytona last season -- the races that really matter. Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch (2011 winner), Denny Hamlin (2006 winner) and two-time winner Jeff Gordon all come in at 10-to-1 odds.

The real interesting look here is three-time winner Tony Stewart at 12-to-1. Stewart is coming back after breaking his leg racing in a non-NASCAR event, which caused him to miss the final 15 races of the 2013 season. Stewart had an awful first third of the season and didn't gain a top-five finish until winning at Dover in June. He wouldn't win again, but he did get top-five finishes in four of his final eight races before his accident. Is the Stewart-Haas organization ready to get back into the swing of things with Kurt Busch and Harvick joining the fray, or will the SHR team struggles continue?

Daytona probably won't answer any of those questions for Stewart or his new drivers, but in a favorable format with Stewart likely eager to show his stuff after a long layoff, 12-to-1 looks like a nice price.

Read More Here.........LVH Sprint Unlimited Odds

Nevada sports books set state record for Super Bowl handle,win: $119 Million in wagers taken

NASCAR Truck Series driver Brendan Gaughan helps family business out during Super Bowl at South Point sports book

LAS VEGAS -- Nevada sports books recorded the biggest single-day write and win in state history on Super Bowl Sunday, helped along by public opinion being one-sided on the Broncos and continuing the trend of booming business at the books.

Sunday’s game, won by the Seahawks, 43-8, took in $119.4 million in wagers throughout the state’s 183 sports books, breaking the record of $98.9 million set last year. Also, the $19.6 million won bested the mark set in 2005 when the books raked in $15.4 million. The 16.5 win percentage fell just short of the record 17 percent held in 2005.

Following the game, most sports book directors we talked with were optimistic that a record would be broken, since their individual handles were up from last year. The Golden Nugget’s Tony Miller reported a 20 percent increase, while the MGM’s Jay Rood speculated based on of his own increases that the state would reach about $105 million. But the actual $119.4 million handled was beyond anyone’s wild guess.

Read More Here......

Video: Scenes from south point Sports Book During Super Bowl 48

LVH Super Book Posts Odds to Win 2014 Sprint Unlimited (Shootout)

Kevin Harvick won 2013 Sprint Unlimited

SPRINT UNLIMITED
DAYTONA INT'L SPEEDWAY
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2014

** RACE CONSISTS OF 75 LAPS **

KYLE BUSCH 7
MATT KENSETH 7
KEVIN HARVICK 7
DALE EARNHARDT JR 7
JIMMIE JOHNSON 8
BRAD KESELOWSKI 10
KURT BUSCH 10
DENNY HAMLIN 10
JEFF GORDON 10
TONY STEWART 12
JOEY LOGANO 15
CARL EDWARDS 15
JAMIE McMURRAY 15
RYAN NEWMAN 20
DANICA PATRICK 20
RICKY STENHOUSE JR 30
MARCOS AMBROSE 50


SPRINT UNLIMITED RACE MATCHUPS

KYLE BUSCH -110
KEVIN HARVICK -110

MATT KENSETH -110
DALE EARNHARDT JR -110

JIMMIE JOHNSON -110
BRAD KESELOWSKI -110

KURT BUSCH -110
JEFF GORDON -110

DENNY HAMLIN -110
JOEY LOGANO -110

CARL EDWARDS -110
JAMIE McMURRAY -110

Minor changes to Vegas odds under new Chase rules

Who has edge in new Chase format?

While the Super Bowl line movement around town has been rather boring, Salmons got a boost of excitement thrown his way as the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase rules were announced on Thursday. The new format emphasizes wins and has a bracket-type tournament for the final 10 races, with a championship game of sorts between four drivers in the final race at Homestead.

"I like the changes. It just makes sense," said Salmons, who sets the NASCAR odds for the LVH and has a great passion for the sport. "This is like a true playoffs now. There isn't really anything I don't like about the moves other than not including a road course in the final 10 races. Road course racing is the absolute best type of racing there is in NASCAR."

At first glance, it may appear that some of six-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson’s advantage may have been mitigated with the new rules. But Johnson's odds to win his seventh title were not adjusted too much.

"We moved him from 2-to-1 up to 5-to-2, but really, because he gets so much write to win anyway, there is not much reason to adjust. I think the key in this format, the real wild card, is that second stretch of races at Kansas, Talladega and Charlotte. That's going to be the key, and if Johnson is one of the eight drivers then, that next stretch features tracks such as Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix, where no one is better than Johnson."

If he makes the final race, Johnson will be forced to go for the win for the first time at Homestead, a track he's only had to coast at over the years because he’s entered the race with a substantial lead in the points race.

The LVH didn't adjust any other divers, but will do its standard weekly updating on Monday morning. With wins being the focal point now, the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers appear to have an edge. Kyle Busch may be in a great spot to use his talents to the fullest and win a championship. Denny Hamlin should benefit, too.

Read More Here......

Changes to 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rules during Chase

NASCAR Announces Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup

Championship Format Change

16-Driver Chase Grid Introduced; First-To-The-Finish Finale Unveiled

 

Helton and France chilled like it's just any other day

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 30, 2014) – NASCAR announced a new championship format today that will put greater emphasis on winning races all season long, expands the current Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field to 16 drivers, and implements a new round-by-round advancement format that ultimately will reward a battle-tested, worthy champion.

 

“We have arrived at a format that makes every race matter even more, diminishes points racing, puts a premium on winning races and concludes with a best-of-the-best, first-to-the-finish line showdown race – all of which is exactly what fans want,” said Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO. “We have looked at a number of concepts for the last three years through fan research, models and simulations, and also maintained extensive dialogue with our drivers, teams and partners. The new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be thrilling, easy to understand and help drive our sport’s competition to a whole new level.”

 

Changes announced by France to the championship format include:

-       A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – a change that will put an unprecedented importance on winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race all season long

-       Expanding the Chase field from 12 to 16 drivers, with those drivers advancing to what now will be known as the NASCAR Chase Grid

-       The number of championship drivers in contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship will decrease after every three Chase races, from 16 to start in the Chase Grid; 12 after Chase race No. 3; eight after Chase race No. 6; and four after Chase race No. 9

-       The first three races of the Chase (27-29) will be known as the Challenger Round; races 30-32 will be known as the Contender Round; races 33-35 will be the Eliminator Round and race No. 36 will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship

-       A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Chase race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next Chase round

-       Four drivers will enter the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the prestigious NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

 

Eligibility for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

The top 15 drivers with the most wins over the first 26 races will earn a spot in the NASCAR Chase Grid – provided they have finished in the top 30 in points and attempted to qualify for every race (except in rare instances). The 16th Chase position will go to the points leader after race No. 26, if he/she does not have a victory. In the event that there are 16 or more different winners over 26 races, the only winless driver who can earn a Chase Grid spot would be the points leader after 26 races.

 

If there are fewer than 16 different winners in the first 26 races, the remaining Chase Grid positions will go to those winless drivers highest in points. If there are 16 or more winners in the first 26 races, the ties will first be broken by number of wins, followed by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver points.

 

As was implemented in 2011, prior to the start of the Chase, all Chase Grid drivers will have their points adjusted to 2,000, with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 26 races.

 

Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Structure

After the third Chase race, the Chase Grid will be left with 12 drivers. After the sixth Chase race, the field will drop to eight drivers, and following the ninth Chase race, only four drivers will remain in championship contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup title.

 

The first round (races 27-29) will be called the Challenger Round. If a driver in the Chase Grid wins a Challenger Round race, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions 1-12 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each will then have their points reset to 3,000.

 

The second round (races 30-32) will be called the Contender Round. Likewise, if a driver in the top 12 in points wins a race in the Contender Round, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions 1-8 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each will then have their points reset to 4,000.

 

The third round (races 33-35) will be called the Eliminator Round. If a driver in the top eight in points wins a race in the Eliminator Round, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions 1-4 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each will then have their points reset to 5,000.

 

Additionally, drivers who are eliminated in the Contender and Eliminator Rounds will have their points readjusted. Each eliminated driver will return to the Chase-start base of 2,000 (plus any regular season wins bonus points), with their accumulated points starting with race No. 27 added. This will allow all drivers not in contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup title to continue to race for the best possible season-long standing, with final positions fifth-through-16th still up for grabs.

 

Four Drivers, First-to-the-Finish Championship Finale

The 36th and final race of the season will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. Simply stated, the highest finisher in that race among the remaining four eligible drivers will win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title.

 

Bonus points for laps led will not apply in the season finale, so the official finishing position alone will decide the champion.

 

Note: All rules outlined above also apply to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner championship structure.

 

For more details on the new championship format, please visit NASCARMedia.com for a Fact Sheet / FAQs or visit NASCAR.com.

 

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) governs the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information, visit www.nascar.com and follow NASCAR at www.facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.

NASCAR changes Chase procedures

NASCAR chairman Brian France

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR chairman Brian France has said for the past few years that he wants more emphasis on drivers trying to win races.

He got his wish Thursday by implementing one of the most drastic changes the sport has seen to its Sprint Cup Series and the way it determines its champion.

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In a move that overhauls the 10-year-old Chase for the Sprint Cup , NASCAR announced sweeping changes that forces drivers to win races to make and advance in the Chase and that will guarantee that four drivers will have an equal chance to win the Sprint Cup title in the season’s final race.

The changes
Race winners automatically make Chase field
Field expands to 16 drivers, including points leader
Points used as tiebreaker if more than 16
Points reset to start Chase; winners get three bonus points
Field reset after Chase race three, six and nine
Competitors will be eliminated during Chase
Final four will compete for title at season's final race
Highest finisher among those at Homestead wins Cup

"This will make every race matter, produce compelling competition and award a worthy champion," France said.

“You’ve got to admire NASCAR. This took guts, this is a big deal,” team owner Joe Gibbs said. “You’ve to admire their courage. They went throughout all the scenarios ... and I think they have done their homework.”

The new Chase rules are the most drastic changes NASCAR has made since it implemented the Chase in 2004. Since then it has tweaked the Chase format, expanding the field and adding two wild-card drivers, and changed its points system in recent years, but this is a major move that could change the way drivers and teams race each week and set the sport up for a dramatic Game 7 moment in the season's final race.

Read More Here.....

2014 Daytona 500 Odds: Why not take a chance on Austin Dillon to win at 45/1?

Austin Dillon is being offered at 45/1 odds 

LAS VEGAS -- Mother Nature took away the first of two scheduled NASCAR Sprint Cup testing days at Daytona International Speedway, but the lone day they did test was enough to satisfy the hunger fans and bettors have felt since the 2013 season ended November at Homestead. That also left us all with only one day to decipher what we really saw out of the Richard Childress Racing cars, which posted the top three speeds of the lone January 10 session.

The leader of the pack was Childress’ grandson, rookie Austin Dillon, who already has championships in the Nationwide and Craftsman Truck series. One more thing- Dillon will be the first driver to pilot the famed No. 3 black Chevrolet since Dale Earnhardt passed at Daytona 13 years ago. That’s a heavy responsibility to carry for a rookie, but it’s apparent that Childress has put forth, at least initially, a swing for the fences approach to be the best, if not only for the legacy of the No. 3 and Earnhardt, but also for his grandson.

Dillon’s odds posted at the LVH SuperBook to win the 2014 Daytona 500 are 30-to-1. That number has the scent of doubt attached to it- though perhaps there should be for a rookie. Only 15 drivers have lower odds at the LVH than Dillon for the February 23 race. Danica Patrick is listed at 40-to-1, and this is her best track, while Trevor Bayne (75-to-1) won the 2011 Daytona 500 at 125-to-1 odds. Overall, the lowest odds on Dillon are 20-to-1 at Aliante and the highest are 45-to-1 at MGM Resorts.

So far, we know the kid can drive and hasn’t let the Cup guys push him around too much when mixing it up in the Nationwide series. But this is the Cup series, and it figures it get much rougher than he ever imagined. A huge bonus is that the departed Kevin Harvick won four races and finished second in points last season. Dillon now inherits all those fast cars, which can do wonders for a rookie's confidence. Harvick also won the 2007 Daytona 500 for Childress.

The Harvick angle also has to motivate Childress to put out his best product ever. Last year they were on the upswing, ahead of the curve with the Gen-6 car, and Harvick was given great cars. Childress showed his character in that lame duck situation by giving Harvick’s No. 29 the best engines and chassis’ in the RCR stable. Thus, it wouldn‘t be a surprise to watch Dillon compete well as a rookie. Being fast makes the transition go much smoother.

As for Daytona next month, taking 45-to-1 on him at the MGM books is a great offering. He’ll likely be starting from the pole, which will theoretically keep him out front for a while and out of trouble like we saw Danica Patrick do last season when she finished eighth. If you think he’ll have a good car, and has a good chance of being in the race at the end, isn’t 45-to-1 pretty solid?

We've seen stranger things happen, and some have been associated with the No. 3, like when a Dale Earnhardt Inc. car driven by Michael Waltrip won the 2001 Daytona 500. Or how about when another DEI car driven by Steve Park won the following week at Rockingham? Or how about Harvick winning at Atlanta by .006 seconds in only his second career Cup start? And then the story became even more supernatural when Earnhardt Jr. won the next race at Daytona in the summer for a fitting tribute.

It takes skill to win at Daytona, but the best cars don’t necessarily win because otherwise we would have seen at least one Joe Gibbs Racing car win a restrictor-plate race last season. The best driver on the planet did win in 2013 as Jimmie Johnson swept the season, something that had not been done at Daytona since Bobby Allison in 1982. Despite that domination, Johnson can be found as high as 12-to-1 odds at William Hill books. It will be the longest odds offered on him all season other than Talladega, which will be around the same.

This is a crap shoot, so it serves well to think outside the box when betting and roll the dice. Casey Mears had the sixth fastest lap during testing (most of the top times were all single-car times with no drafting help) and he can be found at 100-to-1. David Ragan is 75-to-1 and his only two Cup wins came in plate races, including last season at Talladega with the same No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford. Ragan and FRM did not participate in the testing.

Rookie Kyle Larson takes over the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Chevrolet for Juan Pablo Montoya and came away with the fifth fastest lap in testing. He was one of the few drivers that ran in the draft. The Ganassi cars have been at their best in plate races. Jamie McMurray won at Talladega last season and also won the 2010 Daytona 500. Larson can be found at 60-to-1 odds at William Hill while McMurray’s best price is 30-to-1.

Test session times at plate tracks don’t tell as much as a 1.5-mile cookie cutter track session might for those type of races, but it is all we have to chew on until we see them practice Feb. 14 for the Sprint Unlimited.

We’ll update the odds chart each week and add more properties as their numbers start popping up.

Read More here.......Odds from 5 different LV Sports Books

Las Vegas Sports Books Post Their 2014 Daytona 500 Odds

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is consensus favorite to win 2014 Daytona 500

LAS VEGAS-- The first day of Daytona preseason testing was rained out Thursday, but it’s as good time as any to see what a some sports books in Las Vegas are thinking about the 2014 Daytona 500 as we all get our juices flowing again for the upcoming season. A few books have had odds posted for the past month and several others are just starting through the process for NASCAR’s Super Bowl, scheduled for February 23.

Because the Daytona 500 odds have such a long shelf life, books can leave them on the board longer than any other race of the season. And because of that, the Daytona 500 generates the second-most action of all the races. The phenomenal Las Vegas NASCAR weekend that dwarfs write from the other tracks roughly doubles the Daytona 500 handle.

If looking at the odds chart below, you can see one of the favorites is Dale Earnhardt Jr (10/1), a driver who hasn’t won a Superspeedway race since 2004, when he won the Daytona 500 and the fall Talladega race. However, he’s been darn close. Since winning the 2004 Daytona 500, a span of 20 races, no driver has a better average (12.9) at Daytona. Last February he was runner-up.

Because of the restrictor-plates and several drivers having a better chance of winning than they do without them on other tracks, the top drivers are getting substantially higher odds. At Las Vegas, Jimmie Johnson will be 7-to-2 and then bet down to 3-to-1. But at Daytona, a place he swept last season, a bettor can get 12-to-1 on him at William Hill bet shops. That is a pretty fat number, but also very telling.

Last season, the Joe Gibbs Racing team looked to have the best cars coming out of preseason testing. While they ran very well in the races, they didn’t come away with any wins in the four plate races. The best car rarely wins here and in some cases the best drivers don’t always win. We can all agree that Tony Stewart (15/1) is an elite all-timer, but he still hasn’t won the Daytona 500.

Jamie McMurray (30/1), the 2010 Daytona 500 winner, got the fourth plate win of his career last season at Talladega. David Ragan (75/1) won at the spring Talladega race for his second career win - the other coming at Daytona (2011) - so he’s got to be considered. At Las Vegas, there's no chance of considering a bet on Ragan, even at 7,500-to-1 odds. But 75/1 at Daytona, sure, why not?

Each of the odds available around town offer a little something different, which makes a walk down the strip to these books worthwhile. A nice little triangle to hit all three at the same time is walking from the LVH to the Riviera (William Hill) and Circus Circus (MGM). It’s an old-school walk, but also fun reflecting on some Las Vegas history. And there is a lot of it there between Elvis (Happy Birthday), Liberace, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.

For whatever it’s worth, after each of his championship seasons, Dale Earnhardt was a regular guest of Mel Larson’s in the penthouse suite at Circus Circus. There is no record or markings commemorating it, but the suite is available for booking and still has that look of early Las Vegas charm and glamour.

After the preseason testing concludes, we’ll review what we saw and how it reflects the odds for Speedweeks events.

Read More Here......Daytona 500 odds from LVH, MGM & William Hill

2014 NASCAR Preseason Testing Schedule at Daytona

2014 WINTER TESTING SCHEDULE
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

Thursday, January 9
7:00 AM NSCS HAULERS ENTER
7:30 AM NSCS GARAGE OPENS
9:00 AM 12:00 PM NSCS PRACTICE-DRAFTING
1:00 PM 5:00 PM NSCS PRACTICE-DRAFTING
5:30 PM 9:30 PM NSCS FAN FEST
6:00 PM NSCS GARAGE CLOSES

Friday, January 10
7:30 AM NSCS GARAGE OPENS
9:00 AM 12:00 PM NSCS PRACTICE-DRAFTING
1:00 PM 5:00 PM NSCS PRACTICE-DRAFTING
6:00 PM NSCS GARAGE CLOSES

Saturday, January 11TH
7:00 AM NNS HAULERS ENTER
7:30 AM NNS GARAGE OPENS
9:00 AM 12:00 PM NNS PRACTICE-DRAFTING
1:00 PM 5:00 PM NNS PRACTICE-DRAFTING
5:30 PM 9:30 PM NNS FAN FEST
6:00 PM NNS GARAGE CLOSES

Sunday, January 12TH
7:30 AM NNS GARAGE OPENS
9:00 AM 12:00 PM NNS PRACTICE-DRAFTING
1:00 PM 5:00 PM NNS PRACTICE-DRAFTING
6:00 PM NNS GARAGE CLOSES

Monday, January 13TH
7:00 AM NCWTS HAULERS ENTER
7:30 AM NCWTS GARAGE OPENS
9:00 AM 12:00 PM NCWTS PRACTICE
1:00 PM 5:00 PM NCWTS PRACTICE-DRAFTING
6:00 PM NCWTS GARAGE CLOSES

Tuesday, January 14TH
7:30 AM NCWTS GARAGE OPENS
9:00 AM 12:00 PM NCWTS PRACTICE-DRAFTING
1:00 PM 5:00 PM NCWTS PRACTICE-DRAFTING
6:00 PM NCWTS GARAGE CLOSES

ALL TIMES ARE LISTED IN LOCAL / EASTERN TIME ZONE