2014 Hollywood Casino 400 Odds, Picks and Predictions: Favorites, Sleepers and Drivers to Avoid: The second round of the 2014 Chase for the Sprint Cup kicks off this weekend at Kansas Speedway, and while the eventual finale at Homestead will be the most pressure-packed race of the season, the eight drivers still eligible for the championship will certainly be doing everything they can to win Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400. After all, a victory automatically qualifies a driver for the Elimination Round, and the last thing any driver wants is to head to an always-chaotic race at Talladega in a couple of weeks needing a good finish to advance to the next round of the playoffs. With winning at premium this weekend, here is a closer look at the drivers with the best chance of securing the all-important victory at Kansas.
The Favorites
He is the defending winner of this weekend’s race, and Kevin Harvick nearly won at Kansas again earlier this season, leading the most before settling for a second-place finish. In fact, Harvick has led the most laps in each of the last two races at Kansas. Throw in the fact that no driver has led more laps in 2014 than Harvick, and he is a safe bet to have one of the cars to beat this weekend.
After winning at Kansas earlier this year, Jeff Gordon will try to complete a season sweep at the 1.5-mile oval this weekend. Considering he happens to be one of the most accomplished drivers at the track, there is a pretty good chance he could end up back in victory lane. After all, Gordon has 10 top-five finishes in 17 starts at Kansas, including a series-leading three wins.
No driver has been more consistent at Kansas than Jimmie Johnson. His 7.6 average finish at the track is the best in the series, and in 16 starts, he has logged 14 top-10 finishes. In fact, Johnson has finished in the top 10 in each of his last 11 starts at the track, picking up a pair of victories during the stretch.
The Contenders
Although he is winless in 2014, Matt Kenseth has been a consistent force at Kansas in recent years. He has finished 11th or better in eight straight starts at the track, and he has finished fourth or better in four of his last six starts at the track. More importantly, he won at the track in both 2012 and 2013 so he knows how to seal the deal.
After struggling at Kansas early in his career, Joey Logano has morphed into a contender since joining Team Penske. He finished a career-best fourth at the track last fall, and earlier this year, he matched that result. Logano is also the only driver that has finished in the top five in each of the first three races of the Chase so he brings plenty of momentum into Sunday’s race.
Sleeper Special
He has been dreadfully inconsistent all season, but Kasey Kahne did manage to win at Atlanta a few weeks ago, and Kansas has a similar 1.5-mile layout to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Meanwhile, he has had a history of running well at Kansas in the past. He has seven straight top-15 finishes at the track, and he has four top-four finishes during the stretch, including a third-place finish earlier this year.
Big Name to Avoid
Even the best drivers have at least one track that gives them trouble, and for Kyle Busch, that track is Kansas. In 14 starts, he has compiled a dismal 22.7 average finish, and he has only finished in the top 10 twice. More concerning is the fact that Busch has never logged a top-five finish at Kansas while finishing outside the top 25 six times.
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