2011 Sam’s Town 300 Vegas Odds and Predictions – Favorites and Drivers to Bet On: It’s another companion race this weekend as the Nationwide Series head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and as a result, there are plenty of Cup drivers pulling double duty. These drivers should immediately jump to the top of the list of potential winners as betters try to hit it big Vegas. The only non-Cup driver to win a race at the track came in the inaugural event in 1997 when Jeff Green went to Victory Lane.
It was the Kevin Harvick show at Las Vegas last season. Despite the best efforts of his pit crew to cost him the victory, Harvick would not be denied. He overcame a pair of slow pit stops late in the race, passing Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin in the closing laps to get the win. Cup drivers claimed the top-five spots and seven of the top-10.
The Favorites
He won this race last season, and being up front has become the norm at Vegas for Kevin Harvick. He has two wins at the track and has finished fourth or better in six of his last eight starts. There is no safer bet to be running near the front at the finish than Harvick, and bettors that like to back the favorites should turn to Harvick this weekend.
He has yet to win at Vegas, but it is only a matter of time for Carl Edwards. He has an impressive 6.2 average finish in seven starts at the track, finishing seventh or better five times. More importantly, he has finished second and third in his last two starts. Betters will want to get on board because he is going to breakthrough and win sooner rather than later.
The Dark Horses
The only non-Cup driver to win a Nationwide race last year was Justin Allgaier. In other words, he knows how to pull off the upset. He has finished inside the top-10 in both his starts at Vegas, finishing a career-best seventh last season. For betters looking to go with a non-Cup driver, Allgaier is the only guy that has shown he can beat the big dogs.
His Nationwide starts are few and far between these days, but Mark Martin could make the most of his start this weekend. In his last two starts at Vegas, he has put his car in Victory Lane. His limited schedule makes him a forgotten man, but his numbers at Vegas are among the best in the series.
Sleepers Specials
His weekend at Phoenix was forgettable to say the least, but Trevor Bayne’s past numbers at the track weren’t exactly encouraging. The opposite is true at Vegas where he finished sixth in his track debut last season. Like most young drivers, Bayne is comfortable at the 1.5-mile tracks, and he could make some noise this weekend and pay off in a big way.
He hasn’t made a start at Vegas since 2007, but Reed Sorenson has finished in the top-10 in two of his three starts at the track. More importantly, he enters this weekend’s race as the point leader and is one of the most experienced drivers competing for the title. Betters should never underestimate the importance of confidence, and Sorenson has plenty rolling into Vegas.
Big Names to Avoid
For as good as Kyle Busch has been at Vegas in the Cup Series, he has been nearly as bad in the Nationwide Series. He has just one top-10 finish in seven starts at the track, including three straight finishes outside the top-15. Don’t get me wrong, Busch has a chance to win whenever he gets behind the wheel. However, the payoff is minimal for less than encouraging numbers.
Defending series champ Brad Keselowski has accomplished at the Nationwide level, but nobody will accuse Vegas of being one of his best tracks. He has finished as high as fourth, but he has three finishes of 23rd or worse in four starts. His normally top-notch performers have him listed as one of the favorites, but his past numbers expose him as a liability.
PREDICTION: Kevin Harvick will be the WINNER at 13/2 Odds
Odds to win the Nationwide Sams Town 300
Drivers/Odds
Aric Almirola #88 22/1
Brad Keselowski #22 13/2
Brian Scott #11 40/1
Carl Edwards #60 9/2
Danica Patrick #7 80/1
Denny Hamlin #20 9/2
Derrike Cope #28 150/1
Elliott Sadler #2 20/1
Eric McClure #14 150/1
J.J. Yeley #27 60/1
Jason Leffler #38 40/1
Joe Nemechek #87 100/1
Justin Allgaier #31 22/1
Kevin Harvick #33 13/2
Kyle Busch #18 9/4
Mark Martin #32 17/2
Mike Bliss #19 65/1
Morgan Shepherd #89 100/1
Reed Sorenson #30 16/1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #6 60/1
Robert Richardson Jr. #23 150/1
Scott Wimmer #40 100/1
Steve Wallace #66 80/1
Trevor Bayne #16 12/1
Field (Any Other Driver) 15/1
Check out the 2011 Kobalt Tools 400 Betting Odds for each driver.