Micah Roberts’ Sprint Cup Driver Ratings, Feb. 26
Daytona 500
Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.
9 a.m. (PST) today (Fox); race begins at 10:16 a.m.
Rating Driver Odds Qualified Practice 3 Duels* Shootout*
1. Tony Stewart 10/1 3rd 12th 1st 2nd Has 17 Daytona wins over career, but none in Daytona 500; was 2004 runner-up.
2. Jeff Gordon 12/1 16th 25th 8th 15th Three-time winner, the last coming in 2004; star performer in preseason testing.
3. Jamie McMurray 18/1 19th 28th 10th 16th 2010 winner; three of six career wins have come in restrictor-plate races; new chassis.
4. Kurt Busch 25/1 28th DNP 14th 17th Three-time Daytona 500 runner-up; using Brad Keselowski’s winning ’09 Talladega chassis.
5. Kyle Busch 10/1 14th 30th 7th 1st Series-best average running position of 12.3 over career at Daytona; using new chassis.
6. Kevin Harvick 12/1 13th 8th 7th 22nd 2007 winner; also 2010 winner of summer race; new chassis this week.
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 12/1 5th 42nd 2nd 20th 2004 winner; hasn’t won any points race in past 129 starts but could end drought today.
8. Denny Hamlin 20/1 31st 11th 17th 5th Not his best track, with 22.1 average finish, but preseason test was encouraging sign.
9. Carl Edwards 12/1 1st 41st 5th 9th No plate race wins, but getting close; using runner-up chassis from 2011 Daytona 500.
10. Elliott Sadler 30/1 10th 13th 4th DNP 11th or better in 500 from 2004 to 2009; using chassis run by Jeff Burton in 2010, 2011.
* Results from Thursday’s two Gatorade Duel qualifying races and Feb. 18 Budweiser Shootout.
Note: Practice 3 was the busiest session with most participants in race trim. The other six practices were in qualifying trim or had minimal participation for fear of wrecking a primary car.
Odds courtesy of LVH SuperBook.
Micah Roberts, a former sports book director, has been setting NASCAR lines in Las Vegas since 1995. He can be reached at VegasInsider.com, TheLinemakers.com or Twitter: @MicahRoberts7.
