2014 Zippo 200 Odds, Free Picks and Predictions: Favorites, Sleepers and Drivers to Avoid: The second road course race of the Nationwide Series season is set for Saturday afternoon, and unlike the first road course event of the year at Road America, this weekend’s race with be a companion event with the Cup Series. As a result, the field is loaded with Cup drivers pulling double duty. In fact, Saturday’s field is one of the toughest of the year in terms of number of Cup drivers on the entry list. With that in mind, here is a closer look at the drivers that could end up celebrating in victory lane this weekend.
The Favorites
His 4.0 average finish at Watkins Glen is the best of any driver in the field this weekend, and Marcos Ambrose has more than proven that he can seal the deal at the track in the Nationwide Series. In four starts at the track, he has made three trips to victory lane. In fact, Ambrose has won his last three starts at The Glen so he will be gunning for a personal four-peat at the road course Saturday.
He is the defending winner of this weekend’s race, and Brad Keselowski has been a factor in every Nationwide start he has made at Watkins Glen. In five career starts, he has compiled a 4.4 average finish, and he has never finished worse than ninth. Meanwhile, Keselowski just keeps getting better at the track. He has finished fourth, second and first in his last three starts, and he will try to make it back-to-back wins at The Glen this weekend.
Although he has never won a Nationwide race at Watkins Glen, Kyle Busch has had plenty of close calls at the track. He has finished sixth or better in five of his last six starts at the road course, notching a pair of runner-up finishes during the stretch. Throw in the fact that Busch is a two-time winner at The Glen at the Cup level, and it is a safe bet that he will be in the mix for a win Saturday.
The Contenders
Consistency hasn’t been his strong suit, but Joey Logano has come close to reaching victory lane on multiple occasions at Watkins Glen. In six starts, he has three finishes of seventh or better, including a pair of top-three finishes. Granted, he has finished outside the top 20 in his other three starts at the road course, but Logano’s best is enough to put him in victory lane.
He has been up and down at road at Watkins Glen throughout his career, but Paul Menard has had his share of solid runs at the track, especially recently. In seven starts, he has four finishes of eighth or better, including finishes of sixth and eighth in his two most recent starts at the road course. Don’t be surprised if Menard works his way into the mix this weekend.
While he has never been much of a road racer in the Cup Series, Matt Kenseth has had a couple of strong runs at Watkins Glen at the Nationwide level. In three starts, he has a respectable 8.3 average finish, and his two most recent starts at the track, he finished sixth and third. Throw in the fact that he is one of the best drivers in NASCAR, and Kenseth should find a way to contend.
Sleeper Special
Of all the series regulars in the field this weekend, Elliott Sadler has proven himself to be the most consistent road racer. Since 2012, he has five top-10s in seven road course events to go along with an 8.6 average finish. Meanwhile, he has never finished worse than 12th in three starts at The Glen, and he finished a career-best fifth at the track last year. If someone is going to upset all the big names, Sadler is the likeliest option.
Big Name to Avoid
He hasn’t been terrible at Watkins Glen, but Trevor Bayne hasn’t exactly been a serious contender at the track either. In three career starts, he has a mediocre 16.0 average finish, and he has never finished better than ninth. With this weekend’s field being particularly loaded, it is hard to see Bayne making a run at the win.
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