A speeding ticket for driving in excess of 100 mph in North Carolina this week won’t keep Kyle Busch from trying to improve on last year’s third-place finish when NASCAR travels to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the endurance contest known as the Coca-Cola 600 this Sunday at 6:15 (EST) p.m.
Carl Edwards dominated the All-Star Race last week, so keep in mind that in the 27-year history of the All-Star Race seven times the winner has gone on to win the Coca-Cola 600. The last was Kurt Busch (2010) and Kasey Kahne did it in 2008. Jimmie Johnson had won five of six races at Charlotte until 2005 when the track got repaved. Since then Johnson has notched only one win, in 2009. However, Johnson won the 2003 Coca-Cola 600 from 37th on the grid. This is the farthest back any driver has won the Coca-Cola 600. Meanwhile, 14 races have been won from the pole, with Johnson the last driver to do it at the Coca-Cola 600 in 2009. Matt Kenseth won the fall race from the pole in 2000.
NASCAR Predictions: Who will win the Coca-Cola 600?
Memorial Day Sunday should provide racing enthusiasts enough racing to last a week when NASCAR piggy-backs on the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500. This year will be no different, and while you are enjoying a full day of racing as you kick back with your coolers, cell-phones, brats, beers and families, make sure you tip your hat in thanks to all our Armed Forces past and present for their service.
Carl Edwards and his team, Roush Fenway Racing, are clearly ahead of the pack when it comes to their intermediate track program. Not only is Carl Edwards 24-points ahead of Johnson in the Sprint Cup standings, but he won the All-Star Race so easily that it looked like the No.99 was floating above the track. Too bad for Edwards he blew-out his winning car on the post-race burn-out, so he’ll need his backup car this week.
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Edwards has been dominant for most of the season, and getting him out of first place has proven rather difficult. He remains the Sprint Cup points leader after winning last week’s All-Star Race rather handily. Edwards will look to win again for Roush Fenway Racing, currently the most dominant team in NASCAR. And it most likely has something to do with the new tires that NASCAR has been using this year. Drivers like Edwards, Harvick, and Johnson have adjusted well to the new tires and drivers like Hamlin and Kurt Busch have not. Now, if you combine the tire adjustment with RFR’s excellent intermediate program it is not hard to see why Edwards is the odds-on favorite to win on Sunday night.
I am not all that sold on Edwards on Sunday. If this race was 500 miles then I’d be a lot more enthusiastic about backing Edwards to extend his lead in the points, but that might prove tougher to do than it is to say. I think either Kenseth or Edwards are good, popular picks given the resurgence of RFR this year, but it is the extra 100 miles in which anything can happen that might cost you from cashing your ticket. One mental mistake over the course of the more than four-hour race can cost a driver this title.
If Kyle Busch had lost his driver’s license for going 125 in a 45-mph zone would he have been still allowed to drive in Sunday night’s race? Most likely, but still, I wonder what the cop’s expression was when he saw Kyle behind the wheel? On Sunday Kyle will be able to go in excess of 125 mph, and if past performance is any indication the only ticket Kyle will get is for speeding on Pit-row. Busch has been money at Charlotte, winning four of the last six races and has finished no worse than eighth place in the last eight races at Charlotte. Busch is Mr. Consistent at Charlotte and that is why he is my pick to win the 600 on Sunday night.
Pick! Kyle Busch, No. 18, (+500)
Coca-Cola Lucky Dog Long Odds
There are only two drivers with more than two races at CMS who have Top-10 finish averages; Johnson (9.8) and Joey Logano (8.5). Logano is currently in 27th place and 178 points from the leader. For all intents and purposes Logano won’t make the Chase this season, but with two-thirds of the season to go, anything can happen if he starts winning or finishing a few races in the Top 10. Logano is seeking his third straight Top-10 finish in the Coca-Cola 600. Despite having eight races this season that he finished 23rd or worse, he has had some success at Talladega, where he finished 10th for his best finish of the season. Joe Gibbs Racing should have a solid car for Logano on Sunday and if you are looking to throw a dart at a team that is not RFR, Logano is a decent selection for Sunday as my Lucky Dog pick.
Pick! Joey Logano, No. 20, (+3000)
Coca-Cola 600 – Odds* Top Three Finish
Call this play a hunch play. Bowyer is in eighth place and 80 points out of first. Bowyer has notched two Top 10 finishes in his last two starts at Charlotte and has put together a solid year after last year’s disappointing end to his Chase. Bowyer is bringing the same car that performed so well at Texas earlier this year when he finished second. If Bowyer qualifies well, look for him to seek out the clean air and try and stay in front for the majority of the day. If he can manage that then you’ll get a great payout for picking a Top-3 finisher.
Pick! Clint Bowyer, No.33, (+600)
Coca-Cola 600 – Odds* to Finish Top-Three
Charlotte Motor Speedway – NC
AJ Allmendinger +2000
Bobby Labonte +3000
Brad Keselowski +2000
Brian Vickers +1200
Carl Edwards +150
Clint Bowyer +600
Dale Earnhardt Jr +750
David Ragan +2000
David Reutimann +900
Denny Hamlin +350
Greg Biffle +450
Jamie McMurray +900
Jeff Burton +900
Jeff Gordon +400
Jimmie Johnson +200
Joey Logano +900
Juan Pablo Montoya +1200
Kasey Kahne +700
Kevin Harvick +300
Kurt Busch +750
Kyle Busch +150
Marcos Ambrose +2000
Mark Martin +900
Martin Truex Jr +1200
Matt Kenseth +300
Paul Menard +2000
Regan Smith +3000
Ryan Newman +1200
Tony Stewart +300
Field (Any Other Driver) +2500
Coca-Cola 600 – Odds* to Win
Charlotte Motor Speedway – NC
AJ Allmendinger +7000
Bobby Labonte +8000
Brad Keselowski +7000
Brian Vickers +4000
Carl Edwards +300
Clint Bowyer +2000
Dale Earnhardt Jr +2000
David Ragan +7000
David Reutimann +3000
Denny Hamlin +1200
Greg Biffle +1500
Jamie McMurray +3000
Jeff Burton +3000
Jeff Gordon +1500
Jimmie Johnson +700
Joey Logano +3000
Juan Pablo Montoya +4000
Kasey Kahne +2500
Kevin Harvick +1200
Kurt Busch +2500
Kyle Busch +500
Marcos Ambrose +7500
Mark Martin +3000
Martin Truex Jr +4000
Matt Kenseth +1000
Paul Menard +7500
Regan Smith +8000
Ryan Newman +4000
Tony Stewart +1200
Field +8000
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