NASCAR – Bank of America 500
Tony Stewart made his move towards the top of the leader board in the fourth race of the Chase with a victory in the Pepsi Max 400 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA. last Sunday. Four-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson remained in first place in the standings with 5673 points after finishing third
This Saturday night, Oct. 16 NASCAR heads back to Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. for the Bank of America 500. The race is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. (ET) start. Johnson is once again the current odds-on-favorite to win this week but there are 11 other drivers still in the Chase that might have something to say about that.
Here is a look at the top seven drivers in the Sprint Cup point standings along with their odds to win this week at Charlotte.
Jimmie Johnson 3/1
Johnson continues to keep the pressure on the rest of the field with a third place finish last week at Fontana . He remains the Sprint Cup leader with 5673 points. He started fifth in the first race at Charlotte this season and finished 37th. Johnson won this race in 2009 for the third time in his career after starting from the pole. The other two victories were in 2005 after starting third and in 2004 after starting ninth. He currently has six wins at this track along with six additional top 10 finishes.
Denny Hamlin 12/1
An eighth place finish last week gives Hamlin 5637 points, leaving him only 36 points out of the lead. Earlier this season at this track he started seventh and finished 18th. Last year in this race he finished way back in 42nd after starting 17th. Hamlin’s best career finish in this race was in 2005 when he ended up eighth after starting 39th. He has three top 10 finishes in 10 career starts at Charlotte .
Kevin Harvick 15/1
Harvick continues to remain near the top of the leader board with 5619 points after a seventh place finish in last week’s race. He finished 11th in the first race here this season, after starting 32nd. Last year in this race, he started 32nd and finished 18th. His best career effort in this race was an eighth place finish in 2001 after starting 14th. Harvick only has three top 10 finishes at Charlotte with the last one coming in 2003.
Jeff Gordon 12/1
Gordon held onto the fourth spot in the standings with a ninth place finish at Fontana . He now has 5588 points and is 85 points out of first. In the first race here this year he finished sixth after starting 15th. Last year in this race he started ninth and finished fourth. Gordon has two career victories in this race; 1999 after starting 22nd and more recently in 2007 after starting fourth. He has 20 top 10 finishes at this track with 10 coming in this race.
Tony Stewart 12/1
A huge victory in last week’s Pepsi Max 400 vaults Stewart right into the thick of the Chase. He now has 5566 total points and is within striking distance at 107 points back. Earlier this year here, he finished 15th after starting 26th. Last year in this race he started fifth and finished 13th. Stewart won this race in 2003 after starting sixth. He has 11 top 10 finishes at Charlotte including six in this race.
Kurt Busch 9/1
A disappointing 21st finish last week leaves Busch 140 points behind Johnson with a total of 5533. This week he will be going for the Charlotte series sweep after winning the first race here this year from a second place start. Last year in this race, he finished 10th after starting 15th. His best finish in this race was second after starting seventh in 2005. Busch only has four top 10 finishes at this track but three were in this race.
Carl Edwards 9/1
Edwards 34th finish last week put a dent in his title hopes as he is now 162 points out of the lead with 5511. He finished 16th in the first race here this season, after starting 31st. Last year in this race he ended up 39th after starting 28th. Edwards’ best finish in this race was in 2007 when he came in fifth after starting 18th. He has seven career top 10 finishes at Charlotte including three in this race.
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