NASCAR Michigan 400 Predictions

NASCAR Carfax 400

The 23rd Sprint Cup race of the 2010 NASCAR season takes us back to Michigan International Speedway for the Carfax 400. The race is set to get underway on Sunday, August 15 at 1 p.m. (ET).

Last week on Watkins Glen’s road course, Juan Montoya won his first Sprint Cup race of the season, while Kevin Harvick remained in the top spot in the Sprint Cup standings with 3210 points. Once again Jimmie Johnson is the odds-on-favorites at 4/1 to win this week at Michigan, but there are a few other drivers that might have something to say about that. The following is a preview of the top seven drivers in the Sprint Cup point standings along with their current odds to win this week.

Kevin Harvick 12/1

After an 11^th place finish at Watkins Glen, Harvick is still the leader with 3,210 points. In the first race at Michigan this year he started 31^st and finished 19^th. In this race last year he started 22^nd and finished 12^th. Harvick’s best finish in this race was second in 2003 after starting 11^th. He has five top 10 finishes at this track and three in this race.

Jeff Gordon 10/1

Gordon’s 10^th place finish last week gives him 3,025 points, 185 points out of the lead. Earlier this year at this track he started 6^th and finished 4^th. Last year in this race he finished second after starting 11^th. Back in 1998 Gordon won this race after starting third. He has 23 career top 10 finishes at Michigan and 10 in this race.

Jeff Burton 15/1

With a ninth place finish last week, Burton now has 2,895 points, 315 back. In the first race here this season he started fifth and finished eighth. It was Burton’s first top 10 finish here since 2002. Last year in this race he started 22^nd and finished 26^th. His best finish in this race was in 2002 when he ended up fourth after starting 25^th. In his career, he has ten top 10 finishes at this track.

Kurt Busch 8/1

Busch’s second place finish last week gives him 2,892 points, 318 points out of the lead. In the first race at Michigan this year he started on the pole and finished third. Last year in this race he started sixth and finished 36^th. He won this race in 2007 after starting 15^th. Busch has eight top 10 finishes here and three in this race.

Jimmie Johnson 4/1

After finishing a disappointing 28^th last week, Johnson dropped to fifth in the standings with 2,882 points, 328 behind Harvick. Earlier this year at Michigan, he finished sixth after starting third. Last year in this race he started third and finished 22^nd. His best effort in this race was in 2007 when he finished third after starting seventh. Johnson has seven top 10 finishes at Michigan and three in this race.

Denny Hamlin 7/1

Hamlin currently is 338 points out of the lead with a total of 2,872 points. He will be going for the season sweep this week after winning the first race here this season after starting seventh. Last year in this race he started 16^th and finished 10^th. His best finish in the race was fifth in 2007, after starting eighth. Hamlin has five career top 10 finishes at this track, with three of them coming in this race.

Kyle Busch 10/1

With an eighth place finish at Watkins Glen, Busch now has 2,866 points, 344 points out of first place. In the first race at Michigan this season he started 15^th and finished 20^th. Last year in this race he started 39^th and finished 23^rd. In 2008 he started 11^th and finished second, his best finish ever in this race. In 11 career starts at Michigan, Busch only has three top 10 finishes.