Micah Roberts’ Sprint Cup driver ratings
CampingWorld.com 500
Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala.
11:30 a.m. today, NBCSP (38)
Rating Driver Odds Practice 1 Practice 2 Qualified ‘Dega May*
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 9/2 23rd 3rd 5th 1st
Six-time winner only controls Chase destiny by winning; using same chassis from May race
2. Brad Keselowski 15/1 19th 1st 11th 22nd
Three-time winner, including this race to advance in 2014; clinches by finishing second or better
3. Jimmie Johnson 7/1 36th 9th 3rd 2nd
Two-time winner; finished second in past two plate races; out of Chase, but will be fast
4. Kevin Harvick 12/1 18th 6th 7th 8th
2010 winner, ninth or better in past three starts; clinches by finishing fourth and leading a lap
5. Jeff Gordon 12/1 17th 10th 1st 31st
All-time leader with 12 plate wins, including six at Talladega; clinches by finishing second
6. Denny Hamlin 12/1 15th DNP 8th 9th
2014 winner can watch what everyone else is doing; clinches with 14th place
7. Matt Kenseth 10/1 13th DNP 4th 25th
2012 winner in most desperate situation of all Chase drivers, needing win to advance
8. Kasey Kahne 12/1 5th 5th 2nd 34th
Two-time runner-up; has never won plate race but has fast Hendrick Chevrolet
9. Kurt Busch 15/1 24th 7th 12th 14th
Might be best plate racer to never win with one on; clinches with eighth-place finish
10. Paul Menard 35/1 10th 13th 3rd 13th
Evolved into quite the ‘Dega racer with finishes of fourth, sixth and third in past four
This is the final race of the Contender Round in the Chase. Eight drivers will advance to the Eliminator Round and four will be eliminated.
* Results from the Geico 500 at Talladega on May 3.
Note: Practice times on restrictor-plate tracks mean less to a rating than all other types. Only 30 drivers participated in the final session for fear of damaging their cars when nothing can really be gained that they don’t already know.
Odds courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas.
Micah Roberts, a former Las Vegas sports book director, has been setting NASCAR odds since 1994. Follow him on Twitter: @MicahRoberts7.
