2013 Sprint Cup Championship Rankings and Predictions: Tony Stewart a Dark Horse to Bet On

2013 Sprint Cup Championship Rankings and Predictions – Tony Stewart a Dark Horse to Bet On: Through the first 11 races of the 2013 season, Tony Stewart was sitting outside the top 20 in points and managed just a single top-10 finish. Needless to say, it was by far the worst start of the three-time champion’s decorated career, and experts were blaming everything to the new “Generation 6” car to the resources at Stewart-Haas Racing being stretched too thin in an attempt to get rookie Danica Patrick’s race team up and running. Regardless of the reason behind his struggles, Stewart’s stock plummeted in the eyes of oddsmakers, and he went from being a preseason title favorite to a 50/1 longshot.

While it’s hard to blame oddsmakers for dropping Stewart down the list of title contenders, his performance the last three weeks suggests that a major turnaround is eminent, and Stewart’s slow start could end up being a blessing in disguise for bettors. His comeback began with a quiet seventh-place finish at Charlotte, but it picked up rapidly the next weekend when he went to victory lane at Dover. Stewart followed his first win of the year with a fourth-place run at Pocono. Do the math, and Stewart has posted a 4.0 average finish the past three weeks. He has also climbed to 13th in the standings and is right back in the thick of the Chase picture.

The simple fact that bettors have a chance to get 50/1 odds on a three-time champ that won the title as recently as 2011 should have them intrigued. The fact that Stewart seems to be gaining steam and has a reputation for getting better as the year goes on should have them running to put some money down on Stewart. After all, he isn’t going to be a 50/1 longshot for long if the last three weeks are any indication. Even if he doesn’t keep the hot streak going, his win at Dover all but ensures that he will make the Chase and at least have a shot at a championship. Keep in mind that the two drivers with the most wins that aren’t in the top 10 in points earn wild card spots, and Stewart is currently the only driver outside the top 10 with a victory.

Of course, making the Chase and winning a championship are two totally different things, but bettors have reason to be optimistic about Stewart’s chances of rounding into championship form in time for the playoffs. For one, we are only 14 races into the 2013 season, and 38 of Stewart’s 47 career victories have come after the 14th race of the year. Perhaps more importantly, Stewart’s 11 wins during the Chase itself are the second most in NASCAR history. In other words, bettors have every reason to believe that his best is yet to come.

Regardless of how poorly he was running this season, there is really no reason that Stewart’s odds should have plummeted so drastically. The guy is two years removed from one of the most incredible playoff performances in NASCAR history, and since joining the Cup Series in 1999, only Jimmie Johnson has been more impressive. It was only a matter of time before Stewart got his season back on track, and it is only a matter of time before his odds start to reflect his recent results. Bettors need to take advantage of this rare opportunity to get a proven champ at the type of odds normally reserved for sleepers.

Check the latest NASCAR Vegas Odds and Betting Lines from BOVADA below: