Micah Robert’s Sprint Cup Driver Ratings

MICAH ROBERTS SPRINT CUP DRIVER RATINGS

PEPSI MAX 400

Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, Calif.

Coverage begins at noon today on ESPN (30)

Rating Driver Odds Practice 1 Qualifying Practice 2 Practice 3

1. Jimmie Johnson 2-1 9th 8th 23rd 1st Won past three fall Fontana races; five wins overall, with 5.5 average finish in 15 starts

2. Greg Biffle 8-1 3rd 7th 1st 4th 2005 winner, with three other top-fives; was most impressive driver in Saturday practices

3. Kevin Harvick 10-1 24th 21st 13th 5th Had best Fontana finish in spring as runner-up; using winning Michigan chassis

4. Jeff Gordon 8-1 21st 17th 5th 2nd Three Fontana wins, with 11.0 average finish in 20 starts; outstanding Saturday practices

5. Matt Kenseth 15-1 15th 3rd 2nd 10th Last win came at Fontana in spring of 2009; three Fontana wins, with 9.1 average finish

6. Kyle Busch 12-1 4th 16th 14th 6th 2005 Fontana winner, with 10.8 average finish in 12 starts; using Michigan car

7. Jamie McMurray 30-1 1st 1st 4th 3rd Great practices Saturday but has been inconsistent; 16.4 average finish in 14 Fontana starts

8. Denny Hamlin 15-1 18th 34th 6th 9th Struggled in past two Fontana starts; using winning Richmond chassis

9. Carl Edwards 8-1 17th 20th 11th 20th 2008 winner, with 7.2 average finish in 12 starts; using runner-up Atlanta chassis

10. Tony Stewart 15-1 28th 22nd 10th 23rd Fontana one of three tracks at which he hasn't won; using sixth-place Michigan chassis

Note: California Speedway is the sister track of Michigan Speedway, with each having similar traits. That makes the Aug. 15 Michigan race a good barometer to use for handicapping today's race.

Odds courtesy of the Las Vegas Hilton Super Book.

Micah Roberts, a former race and sports book director, has been setting NASCAR lines in Las Vegas since 1995. He writes for multiple publications covering all sports. He can be reached at MM.Roberts7Gmail.com. For more Roberts insight on the California race, log on to LVRJ.com/Motorsports.