This Week in Auto Racing February 17 - 19
Autoracing Betting Lines
02/14/2012 - Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's time to go racing again. Speedweeks 2012 at Daytona kicks off this weekend, with the Budweiser Shootout scheduled for Saturday and then qualifying for the Daytona 500 slated for Sunday.
NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
Budweiser Shootout - Daytona International Speedway - Daytona Beach, FL
The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season will rev up on Saturday night with the 34th running of the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. This year's scheduled 75-lap, 187.5-mile preseason race will feature a field of 25 cars.
The format for this race is unchanged from last year, but there is a tweak in the eligibility requirements. Drivers finishing among the top-25 in the Sprint Cup point standings this past season as well as active drivers who are not in the top-25 but previously won the Budweiser Shootout, the Daytona 500 or the 400-mile July race at Daytona are eligible.
Trevor Bayne, the 2011 Daytona 500 winner, will not be among the 25 drivers competing in the Budweiser Shootout, since Wood Brothers Racing could not secure sponsorship for his No.21 team in this event. Bayne is entered to compete in the Daytona 500.
Geoffrey Bodine, Derrike Cope, Bill Elliott, Terry Labonte and Ken Schrader are also eligible for the Budweiser Shootout but not participating in the event.
The Budweiser Shootout will serve as a dress rehearsal for the Daytona 500 and Gatorade Duels (twin 150-mile qualifying races for the 500). NASCAR recently revised its rules for restrictor-plate racing in an effort to minimize and perhaps eliminate two-car tandems, which have become an unpopular style of racing at restrictor-plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega Superspeedway). NASCAR is hopeful the rule changes will return pack racing.
"When you pack race, in most instances, if not all, it's important to race the whole time," said Jimmie Johnson, who won the preseason race at Daytona in 2005. "You're going to have to race for the win from the first lap. Unlike what we have now, where you know you can make up so much time in a short period of laps, you'll be much more engaged throughout the race."
NASCAR has also banned communications between drivers on their car radios during a race at plate tracks in another attempt to break up the two-car breakaways.
Most Sprint Cup teams participated in a three-day test session at Daytona last month. During the test, NASCAR gathered data when as many as 20 cars ran in a draft. Further modifications to the restrictor plates and the size of the front grille opening on the cars could be forthcoming.
Teams competing in the Budweiser Shootout will also get a chance to familiarize themselves with the new electronic fuel injection systems during race conditions.
Several drivers will make their debuts with new teams in the Budweiser Shootout. They include: A.J. Allmendinger (Penske Racing), Clint Bowyer (Michael Waltrip Racing), Kurt Busch (Phoenix Racing), Kasey Kahne (Hendrick Motorsports) and David Ragan (Front Row Motorsports).
"It's definitely something to be excited about and look forward to, and I can't wait to get down there and practice a little bit, and then qualifying on Sunday is going to be exciting," Kahne said.
Busch, who drove the No.22 car for Penske last year, is the defending race winner.
Marcos Ambrose and Brad Keselowski are those drivers who are competing in this race for the first time.
The starting lineup for the Budweiser Shootout will be determined during a random drawing held Friday evening at Daytona.
Daytona 500 qualifying - Daytona International Speedway - Daytona Beach, FL
Qualifying for the Daytona 500 -- NASCAR's most prestigious race of the season -- is a unique format. Just the first two starting positions in the February 26 season-opening race will be determined on Sunday. The remainder of the 43- car field will be decided in the February 23 Gatorade Duels at Daytona.
The top-35 in Sprint Cup owner points are already guaranteed a starting position in the Daytona 500. Where they start is based on how they finish in twin 150-mile qualifying races. The top-two finishing, non top-35 teams in each of the two qualifiers will secure a starting position in the 500. The remaining starters -- as many as four drivers -- will be based upon speeds recorded in Sunday's time trials.
No driver has ever won all four major Speedweeks events at Daytona -- Budweiser Shootout, Daytona 500 pole, Gatorade Duel and Daytona 500. Cale Yarborough (1984), Ken Schrader (1989) and Dale Jarrett (2000) have won three of the four events.
Last year's Speedweeks winners were: Kurt Busch (Budweiser Shootout and Gatorade Duel race one), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Daytona 500 pole), Jeff Burton (Gatorade Duel race two) and Trevor Bayne (Daytona 500).
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays and manager Joe Maddon have agreed on a three-year contract extension, according to The Tampa Bay Tribune. The Rays have scheduled a Wednesday morning press conference at T
<< Nuggets' Nene, Mozgov out vs. Suns
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Nuggets will be without centers Nene
and Timofey Mozgov for Tuesday's game against the Suns.
Nene, who is averaging 13.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game this season,
tweaked his left calf in
<< Honors Saturday for Rapid Redux and friends
Laurel, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Record holder Rapid Redux and his connections
will receive another honor on Saturday at one of their favorite tracks. The
Maryland Jockey Club will recognize the gelding as well as his owner Robert
Cole al
<< Berlocq advances in Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo, Brazil (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fifth seed Carlos Berlocq was an easy
opening-round winner Tuesday at the $475,300 Brasil Open.
The Argentine Berlocq, a runner-up in Chile two weeks ago, blew past France's
Eric Prodon 6-4, 6-0 at thi
<< U.S. draws Ukraine in Fed Cup playoff
White Plains, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 2012 Fed Cup World Group
Playoffs draw was held Tuesday and the United States drew an away tie in
Ukraine that will be played April 21-22.
The U.S. needs to defeat the Ukrainians
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The National Football League on Tuesday named head coaches Jeff Fisher of the St. Louis Rams and Ken Whisenhunt of the Arizona Cardinals, along with Green Bay Packers president and chief executive officer
Dulgheru exits Bogota >>
Bogota, Colombia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second seed Alexandra Dulgheru was a
first-round upset victim Tuesday at the $220,000 XX Copa BBVA Colsanitas
tennis tournament.
Italian Karin Knapp drove out the Romanian Dulgheru 6-2, 6-2 on the red
c
In the FCS Huddle: Patriot scholarship decision will affect Ivy >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Some Ivy League football programs can look
down the road and know their schedules already are completed for quite a
while.
Princeton, for example, is booked through 2017, with some of the following
season
Lisicki, Hantuchova fall in Doha >>
Doha, Qatar (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rising German Sabine Lisicki and last week's
Pattaya City champion Daniela Hantuchova were a pair of first-round upset
victims Tuesday at the $2.168 million Qatar Open.
Angelique Kerber stayed red hot by comi
Troicki wins Rotterdam opener >>
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Seventh seed Viktor Troicki posted
a first-round victory Tuesday at the $1.6 million ABN AMRO World Tennis
Tournament.
The Serbian Troicki topped wild card and Dutch crowd favorite Thiemo de Bakker
Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament odds
As of February 9, MySportsbook.com has released its coveted 2007 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament betting odds. “March Madness betting ” only a month away, the top ranked Florida Gators are favorite at 7-2 to win it all. The defending champs have not disappointed at all this season and currently have a 22-2 record and are undefeated (9-0) in SEC play. The Gators’ thrive off of their extremely balanced, experienced and versatile attack. All five starters started in last seasons National Championship game. What is most impressive with this group is their balance; the five starters all average between 10.7 and 13.6 PPG. The Gators have been on an absolute roll having won 15 straight by an average of 16.4 PPG.
Right behind the Gators are the 5th ranked UNC Tar Heels at 9-2. The Heels (21-3, 7-2) are absolutely loaded with top notch talent and are as deep as any team in the country. A concern for the Tar Heels might be inexperience. Of their top four scorers/ minute earners, three are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. The rest of the regular season, the Tar Heels play only one team that is currently ranked (Duke). Their remaining opponents do combine for an impressive 107-58 record though.
Other teams that the MySportsbook.com members seem to believe will win it all include the west coasts’ top team #2 UCLA (6-1), #3 OSU behind man-child Greg Oden (8-1), and #4 Wisconsin (10-1) behind their defense which has given up 70+ points only three times all season.
Below is a list of some of the favorites to win the 2007 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship lines. For the full list of teams and March Madness odds be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com. If you want to use your credit card to bet on college hoops or any other event, MySportsbook.com has the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry.
Arizona 20-1
Butler 20-1
Duke 30-1
Florida 7-2
Georgetown 30-1
Indiana 35-1
Kansas 15-1
Marquette 25-1
Maryland 40-1
Memphis 50-1
Nevada 50-1
UNC 9-2
OSU 8-1
Oregon 30-1
Pittsburgh 15-1
Texas 30-1
Texas A&M 18-1
UCLA 6-1
Wisconsin 10-1
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