2011 Pure Michigan 400 Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs

2011 Pure Michigan 400 Expert Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs – How to Bet on the Pure Michigan 400: Heading into this weekend’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway, bettors have to be on the lookout for an upset special. After all, five drivers have already won their first career Cup race in 2011. The 2.0-mile track probably won’t play host to another first-time winner this weekend, but there are a few underdogs that with a couple of wins to their name that could breakthrough again. Two of the most likely candidates are Brian Vickers and Brad Keselowski.

Vickers has been a stud at Michigan throughout his career. He has finished in the top 10 in his last six starts at the track, and in August of 2009, he outlasted Jimmie Johnson for a win. His 14.8 average finish at MIS is his second-best mark at any track on the schedule, and his eight top-10 finishes are the most at any track. Not to mention the fact that he has a career-high three poles at Michigan. Despite the numbers, he is a 50/1 longshot to win this weekend because he enters the race a distant 28th in points.

As encouraging as his overall numbers are, bettors really have to consider Vickers this weekend because of his performance at Michigan in June. He finished a respectable 10th in the race after missing both races at the track in 2010 because of a heart issue. Vickers has struggled to rebound from his lost season at almost every other track, but MIS was an exception. With a few more races under his belt, Vickers should only improve this weekend. He has already shown he can win at the track, and he could salvage his season to the tune of a big payoff with a second trip to Victory Lane.

Keselowski on the other hand doesn’t have a track record of success at Michigan. In fact, he has never finished better than 24th in four career starts. Despite his struggles, bettors have reason to be optimistic about his chances this weekend. Keselowski is one of the hottest drivers in the series, and at 25/1 odds to win, bettors should strongly consider playing the hot hand.

He has finished in the top 15 in six of his last seven starts at the track, climbing from outside the top 20 to 14th in points. He has five top-10 finishes during the stretch, including three straight. More importantly, Keselowski has a win and a second-place finish in the two races leading up to this weekend’s event at Michigan. He has been outperforming his career numbers at almost every stop on the schedule these days, and Keselowski is a much better option than his career stats or odds would suggest.

View the most current 2011 Pure Michigan 400 Odds for the Pure Michigan 400 this Sunday, August 21st at Michigan International Speedway.