2013 STP Gas Booster 500 Odds, Free Picks and Predictions – STP Gas Booster 500 Favorites and Sleepers to Win on April 7, 2013 at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia:The Cup Series heads to Martinsville Speedway this weekend, and for a sport built on speed, a trip the smallest and slowest track on the schedule could seem a bit uninteresting. However, the flat corners of the half-mile, paperclip-shaped oval tend to produce plenty of bumping and banging and exciting moments. Of course, one of the drivers responsible for many of the exciting moments in recent years won’t be in the field this weekend. Four-time Martinsville winner Denny Hamlin will miss his first of at least five races Sunday after suffering a back injury two weeks ago in Fontana. No driver has one more races at Martinsville since the start of the 2009 season than Hamlin so with him on the sidelines, the odds for the rest of the field just got a little better.
Last April, Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon dominated much of the event, leading a combined 440 of the 515 laps. Gordon led a race-high 329, and he and Johnson lined up side-by-side late in the race for what everyone assumed would be a victory-deciding restart. However, Clint Bowyer had other ideas, a three-wide pass attempt and ultimately taking out himself and the HMS teammates. The beneficiary was Ryan Newman, who scooted by the melee and then held of A.J. Allmendinger on the final restart to seal the surprise win.
2013 STP Gas Booster 500 Odds, Free Picks and Predictions
The Favorites
He has been nothing short of spectacular at Martinsville, and Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with a 5.5 average finish and a 122.3 driver rating. More importantly, he is a seven-time winner at the track and has finished in the top five 15 times in his last 20 starts. The last time the series visited Martinsville, Johnson went to Victory Lane. Considering that anything less than a top-five finish is a disappointment, there is a good chance Johnson will be celebrating again this weekend.
Although his last win at Martinsville came in 2005, Jeff Gordon seems to be in contention whenever the series visits the track. In the last 20 races at the track, his 4.9 average finish is the second best in the series, and the same goes for his 120.9 driver rating. During the stretch, Gordon has 15 top-five finishes and 18 top-10s, and as a seven-time winner at the track in his career, he could get back to Victory Lane at any point.
The Dark Horses
His 16.8 average finish at Martinsville isn’t great, and although Kyle Busch has never won at the track, he has had some close calls. In his last 12 races alone, he has finished fourth or better six times. On the flip side, Busch has also finished outside the top 20 six times during the stretch. That being said, he is coming off a win at Auto Club Speedway and has finished in the top five in the three races leading up to Martinsville. With momentum on his side, look for Busch to have won of his strong runs at the paperclip-shaped track and be in contention for a win.
Thanks to top-10 finishes in all five races in 2013, Dale Earnhardt Jr. rolls into Martinsville as the point leader. Considering he has finished in the top 10 in seven of his last 10 starts at the track and in four of his last five, he could easily leave as the leader, as well. In addition to the consistency, Junior has finished second and third in his last two spring races at Martinsville. He always seems to be running near the front, and amid his hot start, Junior might finally seal the deal and get to Victory Lane.
Denny Hamlin’s injury has caused quite a bit of driver shuffling, but for this weekend’s race, Mark Martin will be behind the wheel of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 car. While he didn’t race at the track at all last year, Martin did manage four top-10s in six starts at Martinsville from 2009 to 2011 with Hendrick Motorsports. JGR has enjoyed plenty of success at the flat track, and Hamlin and the No. 11 team have been the best the organization has had to offer. Martin has shown throughout his career that he can deliver top notch results when given top notch equipment. He will have exactly that Sunday and could make the most of his start in the No. 11.
Sleeper Special
Last year was Aric Almirola’s first full-time season at the Cup level, and while there were some ups and downs overall, he enjoyed nothing but success at Martinsville. After finishing eighth in the spring race at the track, he followed it up with a fourth-place run in the fall. Maybe it was beginner’s luck, but Almirola was so impressive at Martinsville last year that he is definitely worth taking a chance. Keep in mind that he was one of only three drivers to finish in the top 10 in both races at the track last year so he was in rare company.
Big Name to Avoid
While he hasn’t been awful at Martinsville, Carl Edwards hasn’t looked like a driver capable of winning at the track either. In 17 starts, he has compiled a 16.1 average finish and has managed just five top-10s. Worse yet, Edwards has just a single top-five finish in his career at the track, and that came five years ago. He is off to a great start in 2013, but don’t expect him to be a factor for the victory Sunday.
Be sure to check the NSAwins.com Betting Daily Blog all week for updated 2013 STP Gas Booster 500 odds, free tips, free picks, predictions and articles from NASCAR expert tipster Brian Polking. NSAwins.com is your home for 2013 STP Gas Booster 500 Betting Odds and Handicapping coverage!
Odds to win the 2013 STP Gas Booster 500
101 Jimmie Johnson +250
102 Brad Keselowski +900
103 Kyle Busch +700
104 Jeff Gordon +600
105 Tony Stewart +3000
106 Clint Bowyer +900
107 Kasey Kahne +1200
108 Dale Earnhardt Jr +1500
109 Matt Kenseth +1800
110 Kevin Harvick +1500
111 Carl Edwards +1500
112 Mark Martin +4000
113 Greg Biffle +3000
114 Ryan Newman +3000
115 Joey Logano +2000
116 Martin Truex Jr +2500
117 Brian Vickers +2000
118 Field +1800
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