Earnhardt Jr. favored in 2016 Sprint Unlimited, but value is with JGR

The Joe Gibbs drivers have won three of past four Sprint Unlimited races.

LAS VEGAS -- The first green flag of 2016 drops Saturday night for the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway — a non-points, 75-lap dash with only 25 drivers eligible. Dale Earnhardt Jr. comes in as the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook's 6-to-1 favorite, but we think there are a couple other drivers that offers better value, beginning with all four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.

What's not to like about JGR in the short Saturday night special format? They've got thing things figured out at Daytona, winning three of the past four Sprint Unlimited's. It's the longer race the following week that has somehow eluded them.

"Yeah, it seems like we’ve won just about everything under the sun when it comes to those exhibition races or the duel races or the unlimiteds, and we just haven’t won the 500." Denny Hamlin said two weeks ago during a teleconference. "It’s coming. I mean, we know that it’s bound to happen. We’ve had a lot of guys in position to win over the last 10 years since I’ve been there. I think we’ve finished in the top 5 three of the last four or five races, something like that."

It's actually sixth or better for Hamlin in his past four points-paying Daytona starts (3.75 average finish), including runner-up in the 2014 Daytona 500. The week before the runner-up he won the Sprint Unlimited for the second time in his career. If you look at the Westgate odds board this week, Hamlin is sitting at fat 15-to-1, which we consider as the top value of the week. But all the Gibbs drivers offer value, including their unofficial teammate Martin Truex Jr. (15-1), whose Furniture Row No. 78 will now essentially be a JGR Toyota — they'll be using actual 2015 JGR race used chassis.

Read More here....Updated Sprint Unlimited odds