2011 Showtime Southern 500 Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs

2011 Showtime Southern 500 Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs – How to Bet on the 2011 Showtime Southern 500: Thanks to its unique shape and narrow racing surface, Darlington Raceway is one of the most unique tracks on the Cup Series schedule. As a result, even the most skilled drivers can find themselves searching for the right setup. That’s not to say that the big names in the sport haven’t enjoyed success at the track, but underdogs have been known to visit Victory Lane on occasion as well. Ward Burton, Ricky Craven and Terry Labonte are just a few of the names that have pulled off surprise wins in the last 15 years, and there are few candidates that could add their name to the list this weekend.

One driver that has been showing signs of a breakthrough performance at the tricky track is Brad Keselowski, and at 100/1 odds, bettors have to like the potential payout if he can pull off the upset. He debuted at the track in 2009, and in just his first start, he delivered a seventh-place finish. Keselowski followed the top-10 performance with a 12th-place run last year, cementing his status as one of the best young drivers at the track.

Although the sample size is small, his 9.5 average finish at Darlington is the third-best among active drivers. Historically, the track hasn’t been kind to beginners, which makes Keselowski’s initial success all the more intriguing. For whatever reason, his driving style seems to fit Darlington’s unique layout. Keselowski has been mediocre at best since becoming a full-time driver in the Cup Series, but he is a contender at Darlington.

At 28/1 odds, bettors should also consider Jamie McMurray when looking for that wildcard driver to grab a big payoff. He has been relatively quiet in 2011 after winning three races last season, but he has always been capable of strong runs at Darlington. He has three finishes of fourth or better at the track, including his second-place run last season.

McMurray has developed the reputation as a driver that always seems to be at his best on the sport’s biggest stages, and this weekend’s Southern 500 is one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. Last season, he won the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400, and he finished second in the Southern 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. Those four events are often referred to as the Grand Slam of NASCAR, and McMurray nearly won all four in the same year. Bettors that back McMurray are getting a driver that has proven he can perform under pressure.

View the most current vegas betting odds to win the 2011 Showtime Southern 500 for this Saturday, may 7th in Darlington, South Carolina.