NASCAR – Thursday Qualifying Matchup Bets for the Coca-Cola 600

Qualifying for the Coca-Cola 600 occurs this Thursday giving drivers an extra day to practice.  That’s all well and good for the drivers, but does it matter for sports gamblers?

Are some drivers better on Thursday during qualifying than they are on Friday?  I’m not exactly sure.  The best thing to do is to look at all of the stats and make qualifying matchup bets in the NASCAR sportsbook based on those stats.

NASCAR:  Coca-Cola 600 Qualifying

Where:  Charlotte Motor Speedway, Charlotte, NC

When:  May 27th, 2010

Track:  1.5 miles Quad-oval

TV:  Speed Channel at 7:00 pm EST

Best Qualifying Matchup NASCAR Bets

1. Jeff Gordon -125 vs. Mark Martin -105 – - Gordo hasn’t started out of the Top 10 in 3 out of the last 4 Sprint Cup races at Charlotte.  He started 8th in the second race in 2008 and 9th and 3rd in the 2 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2009.  Martin started 4th and 2nd in the 2 races in 2009 but is having a worse year than Gordo.  Is he worth a bet at the NASCAR odds?  I think so.  Martin’s going to get hot eventually.  Why not start during qualifying?

           Pick:  Mark Martin -105

2. Kyle Busch -180 vs. Denny Hamlin +150 – - Kyle’s a huge favorite over Denny in the qualifying matchups, but are the odds justified?  They sure are!  Kyle started 2nd in the second race at Charlotte in 2009.  He started 10th in the first race at Charlotte in 2009.  Denny hasn’t started in the Top 10 at Charlotte since 2007.

            Pick:  Kyle Busch -180

3. Kurt Busch -130 vs. Juan Pablo Montoya Ev – - Juan Pablo’s 9th start in the second race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2009 is better than either of Kurt’s starts on the track last year.  In fact, Kurt Busch hasn’t started better than 15th at Charlotte in the last 3 Sprint Cup qualifiers at Charlotte.  Kurt’s All-Star Race victory appears to be the reason for his favoritism in this matchup.           

            Pick:  Juan Pablo Montoya Ev

4. Tony Stewart -150 vs. Matt Kenseth +120 – - Big odds on Kenseth who could be justified for a NASCAR bet in this matchup.  Smoke started 7th in the second race in 2008 and 5th in the first race in 2009.  Other than that, his Charlotte form hasn’t been all that great with 29th, 14th and 31st starts in the 2 races in 2007 and the other race in 2008 and a 28th start in the second race in 2009.  I’m rolling the dice with Kenseth.

           Pick:  Matt Kenseth +120

5. Jamie McMurray -150 vs. Kevin Harvick +120 – - McMurray’s been great during qualifying this year while Harvick’s been the most consistent driver on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Circuit.  It’s hard to look past the fact that McMurray’s won 2 poles this year even though his Charlotte form during qualifying has never been all that good.  He’s the bet in the NASCAR sportsbook.

           Pick:  Jamie McMurray -150

6. Kasey Kahne -130 vs. Ryan Newman Ev – - Kasey’s been exceptional during qualifying at Charlotte.  He started 2nd in the first race in 2008, 3rd in the first race in 2009 and 6th in the second race in 2009, but a case can be made for Newman in this qualifying matchup.  Ryan started 6th in the first race in 2009 and won the pole at Charlotte in 2007, twice, and in the second race in 2009.  I’ll take the better NASCAR odds on Ryan Newman in this matchup.

           Pick:  Ryan Newman Ev

 This week, drivers stay in Charlotte, North Carolina for the Coca-Cola 600! Log onto the sportsbook and make NASCAR wagers on one of the most exciting races of the year!