2012 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Picks: Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs

2012 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Expert Picks – Betting on Underdogs for Big Payoffs: Last weekend, Tony Stewart won for the third time in 2012, tying him for the series lead with Brad Keselowski. Ironically enough, Keselowski had just taken the outright lead with a victory the week before. While Stewart and Keselowski have been the most frequent visitors to Victory Lane this year, the Cup Series has actually seen a lot of new names take the checkered flag in recent weeks. Three of the last five races have been won by drivers that were winless prior to their victory. With the series heading to a New Hampshire track where track position is king and is famous for producing rain-shortened races, there is a good chance another driver could end up getting their first win of 2012 this weekend. At the very least, bettors have to like the chances of an underdog upsetting the favorites. Here is a look at some of the top options.

Roush Fenway Racing has never been a dominant force at flat tracks, and current driver Greg Biffle knows that as well as anyone. That being said, Biffle has had a few bright spots at New Hampshire despite an overall shaky record at the 1.0-mile oval. He actually won at the track in 2008, and last fall, he finished a strong third. Granted, he has had plenty of unimpressive finishes in between, but bettors simply aren’t going to find a proven winner at the Cup level with longer odds than Biffle. He is a 22/1 longshot to win Sunday, and considering he is sitting third in the standings and tied for the second-most top-five finishes in 2012, bettors have to love the idea of getting a potentially big payoff from a driver that has been running at a championship level all year long.

After three-plus years of up and down performances, Joey Logano has fallen out of favor with a lot of people, including oddsmakers. He is a 30/1 option to win this weekend, but a quick look at his history at New Hampshire reveals that Logano is being overlooked. For starters, he went to Victory Lane in just his second career start at the track. Yes, he used some pit strategy in a rain-shortened race to get the job done, but he has continued to run well in the races since his win. Logano has finished in the top 15 in four of his last six starts at New Hampshire, including a fourth-place run last July. Throw in the fact that Logano is in the middle of his best stretch of the season and just won a few weeks ago at another flat track in Pocono, and bettors might want to consider gambling on the young driver.

He is only running a handful of races in 2012, but Brian Vickers could make a splash for bettors when he gets behind the wheel this weekend at New Hampshire. In his three previous starts with Michael Waltrip Racing this year, he has picked up a pair of top-five finishes and has done so at two tracks where he has never been particularly great. Now, he heads to a New Hampshire track where he finished in the top five last fall. Vickers is basically racing for his future. When Red Bull Racing shut down at the end of last season, he was the odd man out in free agency. With every strong run, it becomes more and more likely he will land a full-time ride next season. Plain and simple, there isn’t a more motivated on the track than Vickers. He has 35/1 odds to win this weekend, and for a driver that has shot at winning in two of his three starts this year, he could be a steal for bettors.

Check out the latest 2012 Coke Zero 400 odds and predictions from NSAwins.com’s NASCAR handicapping expert Brian Polking!