NASCAR Kansas 400 Predictions

NASCAR – Price Chopper 400

It only took two races into the Chase before four-time defending Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson made his presence felt with a victory in the AAA 400 at the Monster Mile of Dover International Speedway last Sunday. Denny Hamlin finished ninth and held onto the Sprint Cup point lead with 5368 points.

This Sunday, Oct. 3 NASCAR heads to Kansas Speedway for the Price Chopper 400. The race is scheduled for a 1 p.m. (ET) start. Johnson is the current odds-on-favorite to win again 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 Kansas.

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Denny Hamlin            12/1

A ninth place finish at Dover last week was enough to keep Hamlin in the top spot of the Sprint Cup point standings with 5368 total points. Last year in this race he started 22^nd and finished fifth which was his best finish ever in five career races at Kansas. It was also his only top 10 finish here.

Jimmie Johnson           7/2

Johnson took a major step towards winning his fifth straight Sprint Cup title with a huge victory last week at the Monster Mile. He now has 5333 total points and is only 35 points out of the lead. Last year in this race he started 11^th and finished ninth. In 2008, starting from the pole, he won this race for the first time. Johnson has eight career starts at Kansas and has finished in the top 10 six times.

Kyle Busch                    7/1

After finishing sixth in last week’s race, Busch now has 5323 points and is 45 points out of first. Last year in this race, he finished 12^thafter starting all the way back in the 34^th position. In 2006 Busch started 13^th and ended up seventh, which was his only top 10 finish in six career starts at this track.

Kurt Busch                   12/1

This Busch brother finished fourth last week, giving him 5309 points for the Chase. He is now 59 points out of the lead. Last year in this race, he finished 11^th after starting 39^th. His best career finish in this race was sixth in 2006, after starting 22^nd. Busch has just two top 10 finishes in the nine years NASCAR has raced at Kansas.

Kevin Harvick              12/1

Harvick ended up 15^th in last week’s race and now has a total of 5303 points, 65 points back. Last year in this race he started 38^th and finished 24^th. He has nine career starts at Kansas and has finished sixth three times; in 2003, 2007, and 2008. These are his only top 10 finishes in this race.

Carl Edwards               10/1

A fifth place finish at Dover last week gives Edwards 5295 points, leaving him 73 points behind Hamlin. Last year in this race he started 17^th and finished 10^th. His best career finish in this race was in 2008 when he took second after starting 34^th. Edwards has four top 10 finishes in six races at this track.

Jeff Burton                   18/1

Burton took seventh place in last week’s race, giving him 5288 points for the Chase. He is now 80 points out of the lead. Last year in this race, he finished 23^rd after starting 35^th. His best career effort at Kansas was a fifth place finish in 2006 after starting 10^th. In nine career races at this track he only has two top 10 finishes.