This week’s NASCAR odds for the NASCAR Banking 500 on Saturday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway favors the driver who shares a sponsor with the 1.5-mile track which is the headquarters of the series, and he showed why with a fast qualifying lap. However, for better value, go with his teammate who is trying to keep his dreams of a fifth championship alive.

NASCAR Odds – Saturday, October 17, 8:00 PM ET

Jimmie Johnson (+225) had the best qualifying lap of the entire season to win the pole for Saturday night’s race at a place some call “Jimmie’s House”. Johnson, who is also sponsored by Lowe’s, won five of six here between 2003 and 2006, and his 9.1 average in 16 races here is the best among active drivers.

Mark Martin (+600) has the best chance in your offshore sportsbook of catching Johnson, although he yielded the lead to his Hendrick teammate after Johnson won last week at California. Martin has finished seventh or better in his last seven races, and he’s won four times at Lowe’s in the past.

Another Hendrick driver, Jeff Gordon (+700) is tied with Johnson at five wins apiece at Lowe’s, most recently in the 2007 fall race. Gordon’s second-place run last week at California was his eighth runner-up finish of the season, but the No.24 driver knows he needs to start winning if he’s going to chase down Johnson and Martin in the standings.

Tony Stewart (+800) won this race back in 2003, and he followed up his Kansas win with a gusty fifth-place run at California in which he fell a lap down due to a speeding penalty. Through good pit work and a couple lucky cautions, Stewart got back on the lead lap and got a much better finish than the No.14 team deserved.

Juan Pablo Montoya (+1200) is the only driver to finish in the top five of all four Chase races so far, but he’s yet to win on an oval, which holds him back in the eyes of some who make sports picks. However, the No.42 driver has improved tremendously over the year, and it’s only a matter of time before he finds Victory Lane. In five trips to Lowe’s, Montoya has one top-10 and two DNFs.

Sports pick: Johnson is the easy pick  here, especially from the pole, but if you want some value, go with Gordon, and we’re betting management at Hendrick think he’s due for a win after a number of close calls.