MICAH ROBERTS’ SPRINT CUP DRIVER RATINGS

MICAH ROBERTS’ SPRINT CUP DRIVER RATINGS

Irwin Tools Night Race (500 laps)

Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.

4:30 p.m. today, ABC (13); race starts at 4:45

Rating DriverOdds Practice 1 Practice 2 Qualified Bristol*

1. Kyle Busch5/1 4th1st 43rd2nd

Five-time winner; wrecked in qualifying but still has best car, and no backup being used

2. Brad Keselowski 8/15th13th12th3rd Won event in 2011 and ’12; seeking first win of season and knows he can do it here

3. Jeff Gordon15/1 3rd3rd32nd 34th Five-time winner, last in 2002; second-fastest 10 consecutive lap average in Practice 1

4. Kurt Busch 12/1 7th2nd 2nd 4th Five-time winner, last in 2006; fast at single and average lap speeds during practices

5. Kasey Kahne 8/1 23rd11th 7th1st Spring race winner, his third top-five finish in 19 starts; using winning March chassis

6. Jimmie Johnson5/1 2nd30th13th 22nd 2010 winner, his lone win in 23 starts; solid practices using winning Texas chassis from 2012

7. Matt Kenseth 8/1 28th 6th 5th35th Two-time winner; led 85 laps in spring race before accident with 98 laps left while second

8. Martin Truex Jr. 20/1 16th 9th 9th12th Runner-up in 2011, third in 2012; had fastest 10 consecutive lap average in Practice 1

9. Clint Bowyer 10/1 13th 12th 24th 5th Best finish of third accomplished twice; seventh or better in past three starts

10. Denny Hamlin 15/1 11th8th1st23rd 2012 winner; led spring race twice for 117 laps; racing to salvage something in 2013

Note: Friday’s first practice session (two hours) was the most telling of the two because most everyone was exclusively in race trim. The second session (45 minutes) primarily was used for mock qualifying runs.

* Results from the March 17 race at Bristol.

Odds courtesy of the LVH.

Micah Roberts, a former sports book director, has been setting NASCAR lines in Las Vegas since 1995. For more of Roberts’ insight on the race, go to The Linemakers on SportingNews.com or follow on Twitter: @MicahRoberts7.