2011 IRWIN Tools Night Race Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs

2011 IRWIN Tools Night Race Expert Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs – How to Bet on the IRWIN Tools Night Race: While Kyle Busch has put his personal stamp on Bristol in recent years, winning four of the last five races, the track still has all the elements needed for an upset. Passing is difficult and track position is vital, which means pit strategy could end up determining the outcome. Just about anything can happen when drivers start bumping and banging, and short track racing has been known to produce some surprises. Two potential drivers that could provide just that this weekend are wildcard contenders Brad Keselowski and Paul Menard.

Keselowski has always been a solid short track option. In fact, it was the only type of track he could perform well on during his first full season in the Cup Series. Bristol was no exception, and in three career starts at the half-mile track, he has never finished outside the top 20. He has finished as high as 13th, and he has a 16.8 average finish.

While his numbers at Bristol are enough to put Keselowski on the watch list, it is his recent performances that make him a steal at his current 25/1 odds. He has reeled off four straight top-10 finishes leading up to this weekend’s race. In his last three starts, Keselowski has finished first, second and third. Keselowski has come out of nowhere to become a regular threat to win, and he has done so at tracks where he has had next to no success at in the past. Considering short tracks are normally his strong suit, a victory is definitely within reach.

Menard is a different story. Unlike Keselowski, he has struggled at Bristol for most of his career. In fact, he failed to crack the top 15 in his first seven starts at the track. In five of those starts, he wasn’t even able to crack the top 20. Despite all the struggles, his performance at Bristol earlier this year makes Menard a much better option for bettors than his 50/1 odds may suggest.

He finished a career-best fifth at in the March event in his first start for Richard Childress Racing at the track. Sometimes a change of scenery can transform a driver. After all, Jamie McMurray won the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 after rejoining Chip Ganassi last season. Menard himself became a first-time winner in the Cup Series this season with RCR, claiming the prestigious Brickyard 400 as well. Equipment accounts for a lot in NASCAR, and now that Menard has some of the best on the track, his value to bettors is on the rise.

View the most current 2011 IRWIN Tools Night Race Odds for the IRWIN Tools Night Race this Saturday, August 27th at Bristol Motor Speedway.