Micah Roberts’ Sprint Cup driver ratings
Federated Auto Parts 400
Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Virginia
4:30 p.m. Saturday (TV: NBCSP)
RATING DRIVER ; ODDS ; RICHMOND* ; PRACTICE 1 ; PRACTICE 2 ; QUALIFIED
1. Kyle Busch ; 6-1 ; 2nd ; 1st ; 17th ; 5th
Four-time winner, 15 top-fives in 22 starts (6.5 avg.). Best 10-consecutive lap average in Practice 1.
2. Carl Edwards ; 8-1 ; 1st ; 8th ; 20th ; 13th
Two-time winner, including spring race, 13.4 average. Best 10-consecutive lap average in Practice 2.
3. Matt Kenseth ; 8-1 ; 7th ; 5th ; 26th ; 3rd
Two-time winner, including last fall. Second-best 10-consecutive lap average in Practice 2.
4. Denny Hamlin ; 8-1 ; 6th ; 3rd ; 7th ; 1st
Two-time winner for the native Virginian. His 1,405 laps led are most among full-time active drivers.
5. Kevin Harvick ; 5-1 ; 5th ; 13th ; 21st ; 19th
Three-time winner with 8.8 average finish over past 20 starts; using April Richmond chassis.
6. Martin Truex Jr. ; 12-1 ; 9th ; 2nd ; 3rd ; 6th
Only one top-five finish in 21 starts, but the Gibbs’ equipment make him instant contender.
7. Brad Keselowski ; 6-1 ; 11th ; 20th ; 11th ; 17th
2014 fall winner. No 2016 top-10 finishes among Phoenix, Richmond and New Hampshire.
8. Jimmie Johnson ; 12-1 ; 3rd ; 11th ; 8th ; 10th
Three-time winner but none since 2008. Slumping, with only one top-five in past 12 on season.
9. Kurt Busch ; 20-1 ; 10th ; 17th ; 9th ; 5th
Two-time winner, the last in spring of 2015; using chassis that finished sixth at Phoenix in March.
10. Joey Logano ; 8-1 ; 8th ; 7th ; 10th ; 12th
2014 winner, which started a run of five straight finishes eighth or better; third last fall.
* Results from April 25 race at Richmond that featured 23 lead changes among eight drivers.
Note: Along with referencing the first Richmond race as a handicapping tool, results from the flat one-mile layouts at Phoenix and New Hampshire this season are also applicable.
Odds courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas.
Micah Roberts, a former sports book director, has been been setting NASCAR lines in Las Vegas since 1994. Follow on Twitter @MicahRoberts7
