While NFL Week 2 matchups are the hot play of the weekend, it’s only the second week. The playoff portion of the Chase for the Sprint Cup begins Sunday with the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and a former champion will start his quest for a third series title with the checkered flag.
New Hampshire Odds – Sunday, September 20, 2:00 PM ET
Denny Hamlin is the favored driver with NASCAR odds of +600, and his 8.3 average in seven races at New Hampshire is the best among active drivers. The No.11 driver won the New Hampshire summer race back in 2007, and he’s coming off a victory at Richmond, his hometown track. With no Kyle Busch in the Chase, JGR’s efforts will be focused solely on Hamlin’s title bid.
Jeff Gordon has won at New Hampshire three times, and he finished second to Joey Logano in the rain-shortened summer race back in June. The No.24 driver is rated at +700 along with Hendrick teammate (and three-time defending series champion) Jimmie Johnson, and Gordon has four top-10s in his last six races. But his teammate may not be far behind as Johnson led 93 laps in the summer, and he has two wins of his own at New Hampshire. And don’t forget about Mark Martin at +800, as the No.5 driver heads into the Chase as the top seed.
For sports picks outside of the favorites, look at Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick at +1200, and Juan Pablo Montoya at +3000. The older Busch brother has three wins at New Hamsphire, including a 2004 sweep, and he finished third here in the summer. Harvick has been on a roll lately, and has less to lose now that he’s not in the Chase. The No.29 driver won this race back in 2006. Finally, Montoya has been driving conservatively to get into the Chase, and now he can let loose. He finished 12th here back in June.
However, Tony Stewart comes in at +800, and the No.14 driver has a pair of wins at New Hampshire, although neither has come in the fall. Stewart had a major point advantage before drivers were reseeded for the Chase, and he was the most consistent driver of the season. He’s slumped in recent weeks, but that’s due to experimentation by his team as they were already locked into the Chase. With a 12.2 average in 21 races here that puts him fifth among active drivers, and the motivation to make a statement, go with Tony Stewart in your betting software.
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