Micah Roberts’ Sprint Cup Driver Ratings, Sept. 16

Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Ill.

10 a.m. today, ESPN (30); race starts at 11 a.m.

Rating Driver Odds Practice 1 Practice 2 Qualified Kansas*

1. Denny Hamlin 8/1 5th 5th 8th 1st Should be good on long runs; finished third or better on past four 1.5-mile tracks

2. Kyle Busch 10/1 28th 1st 21st 10th 2008 winner; had second-best 10 consecutive lap average in Practice 2

3. Kasey Kahne 12/1 24th 6th 6th 8th Best finish of third in 2008; using car that won on fast 1.5-mile Charlotte track

4. Martin Truex Jr. 20/1 1st 25th 18th 2nd Finished 12th or better on past five 1.5-mile tracks, including dominating Kansas run

5. Jeff Gordon 12/1 20th 10th 19th 21st 2006 winner with 10th-place average in 11 starts; only Hamlin is hotter

6. Jimmie Johnson 7/1 25th 7th 1st 3rd One of five Cup tracks at which he hasn’t won; using chassis that is unbeaten in two starts

7. Matt Kenseth 8/1 32nd 8th 3rd 4th Two-time runner-up; top-10 finishes on past five 1.5-mile tracks; using new car

8. Tony Stewart 8/1 12th 14th 29th 13th Three-time winner, including in 2011; has track-best 8.7 average finish; using new chassis

9. Brad Keselowski 12/1 3rd 16th 13th 11th Career-best fifth place last season; finished fifth or better on past three 1.5-mile tracks

10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 12/1 2nd 31st 4th 7th 2005 winner; only driver in top 10 at all six 1.5-mile tracks in 2012; using Pocono car

* Results from the April 22 race at Kansas Speedway, a 1.5-mile track with a layout and banking that is most similar to Chicagoland.

Odds courtesy of LVH.

Micah Roberts, a former sports book director, has been setting NASCAR lines in Las Vegas since 1995. For more Roberts insights on the race, go to The Linemakers on SportingNews.com or follow on Twitter: MicahRoberts7.