Atlanta Betting Preview: 2017 Folds of Honor Quik Trip 500

Jimmie Johnson favored at Atlanta for good reason.

As much as I love the Daytona 500, I found myself shouting a few choice words regarding restrictor-plate racing as a few of my drivers wagered on were systematically caught up in the someone elses mess ending their day. It's so frustrating!

But I still couldn't help being thrilled that the NASCAR season was finally happening and most of all that Las Vegan Kurt Busch, who I watched race from his beginnings as a teenager, finally won a plate race. No wins at Daytona or Talladega and it happened in his 17th Cup season.

For the past 15 years I've been saying he's the best plate racer to never win a plate race. The wait for him had to make the victory all the more sweeter and bettors that had faith in him they got paid nicely at 25/1 odds (Bet $100 to win $2,500).

The image that I found most interesting was Busch's retired boss Tony Stewart congratulating him after he won every big race during his great career except the Daytona 500. Stewart-Haas Racing made the decision to leave a successful operation with Chevrolet, one that produced a championship for Kevin Harvick in 2014, for Ford.

So far so good with the move, but the real test for the team will happen this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway for Sunday's Folds of Honor Quik Trip 500, the first off 11 races on 1.5 mile tracks. Doing well on these type of tracks is the gateway to winning a championship. The Daytona 500 starts the season with a bang, but the real start to see how good all the teams are happens this weekend.

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