2011 AAA Texas 500: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs

2011 AAA Texas 500 Expert Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs – How to Bet on the 2011 AAA Texas 500: Texas Motor Speedway has been home to many things over the years, including thrilling finishes and spectacular wrecks. However, upsets haven’t been all that common at the 1.5-mile track. The good news for bettors is that there have been a few signs that the trend could be changing, and it could happen as soon as this weekend. The two drivers that have the best chance of breaking through and beating the big names are Paul Menard and David Ragan.

Menard opened his Texas Motor Speedway career with eight straight finishes outside the top 10. However, his last two starts have been stellar. He finished a career-best 10th at the track last fall, and he improved on that result earlier this year when he finished fifth. If the trend continues, the next step could be a trip to Victory Lane. At the very least, it is clear that Menard has found a setup at Texas that works for him.

Not to mention the fact that Menard’s Richard Childress Racing team has been solid at Texas. Clint Bowyer has back-to-back top-10 finishes at the track, including a second-place run earlier this year. Kevin Harvick has three top-10 finishes in his last four starts at Texas, and Jeff Burton won at Texas in 2006. Menard’s fifth-place finish in his team debut at Texas was a sign that he has definitely benefited from his new equipment. At 65/1 odds, bettors may want to gamble that his recent hot streak and his RCR ride turn out to be the winning combination.

Ragan also enjoys the benefit of driving for an organization that has a ton of success at Texas. Roush Fenway Racing has arguably been the top team at the track. Carl Edwards finished third at the track in the spring and has three wins overall. Matt Kenseth is going for a season sweep this weekend and has the best average finish among active drivers. Even the struggling Greg Biffle has back-to-back top-five finishes at the track.

Ragan himself has had success at the track, finishing in the top-10 in back-to-back starts. He also has five top-15 finishes in his last seven starts at the track. He has been strong at the 1.5-mile tracks this season as well, finishing as high as second at Charlotte. It is only a matter of time before Ragan breaks through, and at 35/1 odds, bettors may want to take a chance that it happens this weekend.

View the most current 2011 AAA Texas 500 Odds for the 2011 AAA Texas 500 this Sunday, November 6th at Texas Motor Speedway.