NASCAR Betting Odds: Daytona Shootout
Finally, NASCAR betting has returned. The 2011 season kicks off Saturday with the Budweiser Shootout, and Kevin Harvick is favored on Bodog’s auto racing odds to get things started with a win.
Harvick has finished among the Top 5 in the Sprint Cup standings four times in his career, including a third-place effort last season. It was easily the best season of Harvick’s career, as he racked up 16 Top-5 finishes and 26 Top-10 finishes, not to mention three victories. The most relevant stat? He won the Budweiser Shootout. It was Harvick’s second career win at Daytona, and he also finished seventh in another race there last season. In fact, in Harvick’s past three races at Daytona, he’s finished seventh, first, and second. Not a bad track record.
Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart are tied with 8/1 odds to win the Shootout. Busch is trying to work his way up the standings after finishing eighth last season. If he can recapture the magic of 2008, when he won eight races, that would be a great start. Unfortunately, he struggles at Daytona. Busch failed to crack the Top 10 in either of his races there last season and had a brutal averaging finishing position of 27th. He has one win in 12 career races at Daytona.
Stewart is searching for his first championship since 2005. He’s cracked the Top 10 in the standings in four consecutive years, but hasn’t made the Top 5 since he won it all. Stewart didn’t fare well at Daytona last season; despite starting sixth and ninth in his two races, he finished 22nd and 25th. Traditionally, he’s been much better there over his career. Stewart has finished among the Top 10 in half of his 24 races at Daytona, including seven Top-5s and three victories.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Jamie McMurray round out the top competitors. They each have 10/1 odds to win the Shootout.
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