2013 Auto Club 400 Free Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs : Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California can be very unpredictable for a track that is also one of the calmest in the series. The racing groove is so wide at the 2.0-mile track that drivers can comfortably race side-by-side when they aren’t spread out. As a result, caution flags tend to be few and far between at ACS. Some races, this simply means that the drivers with the fastest cars bury most of the weaker competition a lap or two down and settle the race amongst themselves. However, there are also races when the when pit stops fall in a way that puts every driver within a few laps of having to make an extra pit stop. In other words, fuel mileage decides the outcome. When this happens, some teams take the safe approach and pit while other try to slow down a bit and make it to the finish. Depending on which drivers run out of fuel and when, drivers that were previously running outside the top 10 can end up in the top five or even Victory Lane. With that in mind, here are a few drivers that could pull the upset in Sunday’s Auto Club 400.
Although his 17.6 average finish at Auto Club Speedway isn’t great, Ryan Newman has been much better at the track recently. He has finished seventh or better in his last three starts in Fontana, logging a pair of top-five finishes and posting a 5.7 average finish during the stretch. Newman’s sudden success at ACS can basically be tied to his move to Stewart-Haas Racing, and during the same three races that he has been finishing near the front, his teammate and car owner Tony Stewart has gone to Victory Lane twice. Newman has access to the same equipment and setup information, and it has been paying off. It could also pay off for bettors if Newman continues to build on his success at ACS and notches a win Sunday as a 40/1 longshot.
He will be making his Auto Club Speedway debut at the Cup level this weekend, and although he is inexperienced, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. could end up being a steal at his 50/1 odds. For one, he is off to a solid start in his rookie year, finishing between 18th and 12th in all four races. More importantly, he is driving for a Roush Fenway Racing organization that has had a ton of success. Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards have all scored victories at ACS for Jack Roush, and Stenhouse should gain a huge advantage by driving the same equipment. In fact, Stenhouse has actually taken over the No. 17 machine that Kenseth took to Victory Lane in Fontana three times since 2006. Again, Stenhouse is inexperienced, but he is also talented enough to have won the last two Nationwide Series championships. With everything else working in his favor, Stenhouse is worth the gamble.
After losing his ride with Penske Racing last year because of a failed drug test, A.J. Allmendinger’s career in NASCAR was thought to be pretty much over. However, he landed a part-time ride with Phoenix Racing, and after struggling with the team at the end of 2012, he has quietly been a new man this year. In his two starts in the No. 51, Allmendinger has finished 11th and 13th. He has also finished in the top 15 in his last two starts at Auto Club Speedway so there is a good chance he will be hovering near the top 10 Sunday. Granted, a top-10 isn’t a win, but at a track like ACS where fuel mileage often comes into play, any driver on the lead lap that is close to the front can steal a victory with the right strategy. Yes, Allmendinger is a longshot and needs a lot of things to go his way to pull an upset Sunday. However, his 100/1 odds make the potential reward worth a little risk.
Be sure to check the NSAwins.com Betting Daily Blog all week for updated 2013 Auto Club 400 odds, free tips, free picks, predictions and articles from NASCAR expert tipster Brian Polking. NSAwins.com is your home for 2013 Auto Club 400 Betting Odds and Handicapping coverage!
Odds to win the 2013 Auto Club 400
101 Jimmie Johnson +700
102 Kyle Busch +800
103 Kasey Kahne +800
104 Matt Kenseth +800
105 Brad Keselowski +900
106 Denny Hamlin +1200
107 Carl Edwards +1200
108 Greg Biffle +1200
109 Jeff Gordon +1200
110 Dale Earnhardt Jr +1400
111 Kevin Harvick +1400
112 Tony Stewart +1600
113 Clint Bowyer +2000
114 Martin Truex Jr +2000
115 Brian Vickers +3000
116 Joey Logano +4000
117 Ryan Newman +5000
118 Ricky Stenhouse +5000
119 Field +1500
| 2 EASY STEPS to BET on the 2013 Auto Club 400 Odds! STEP 1: CLICK HERE to OPEN BOVADA Account STEP 2: Deposit with Credit Card or Deposit by Check and get a 50% BONUS instantly FREE. |
Check the latest NASCAR Odds and Betting Lines from BOVADA below: