NASCAR Betting – New Contenders in Atlanta

NASCAR betting fans are witnessing a fairly unusual sports betting season thus far, as several new drivers have burst into the Top 12. Names such as Michael Waltrip, David Reutimann, Daivd Ragan and Bobby Labonte, once thought of as long shots every single week, are suddenly solid bets for those analyzing NASCAR lines.

This week at Atlanta, we see the good ol’ boys return to the intermediate track, which strongly favors aggressive drivers who are willing to take a chance. Last week at Las Vegas was anyone’s ballgame, however Kyle Busch thrilled the hometown crowd and took the checkered in what is normally considered a small team’s best chance of winning in the season.

Let’s take a look at some of the new faces who could contend at the Kobalt Tools 500 in Atlanta this weekend!

Joey Logano

It appears that the 18-year old protege is adapting to his surroundings, with solid runs in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup series last week in Las Vegas. Logano just might have the youthful confidence to win a race at Atlanta, if he’s willing to take a shot. The problem is that he is under significant pressure under a huge race team, and so he’s perhaps not going to take the chances on the race track that he wants to. Nonetheless, Logano has the skill to take the checkered in Atlanta.

Michael Waltrip

The cagey veteran is enjoying quite the comeback year, after he appeared irrelevant to NASCAR betting fans following last season. Waltrip still has the benefit of a tremendous pit crew, and his years of knowledge make him capable of winning on any track his tires hit. However, Waltrip is where he is in the standings due to smart driving, not aggressive driving. That’s not to say that he’s not capable of driving for the checkered anymore, but it’s a bit of a gamble. NASCAR betting sharps will need to find significant value on NASCAR odds before laying it down with the No. 55 car.

David Ragan

Much like Waltrip, Ragan needs to prove that he is capable of winning a race this season. While this writer believes that he can, until he does it, NASCAR lines will be stacked against him. However, what that means is, when the time finally comes, hopefully you’re the one with money on it! Roush Racing struggled with engine problems last week as well, which will further push NASCAR odds away from Ragan. However, if Roush can figure out the equipment problems, Ragan should run in the top 10 all day, given his familiarity with intermediate tracks such as Atlanta.