Online betting players watched Kevin Harvick go through the worst year of his career last year, and there were rumors of the driver they sarcastically call “Happy” being ready to leave Richard Childress Racing, where he’s been since replacing Dale Earnhardt in 2001. But Harvick is on a roll to start the 2010 season, and the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway is the perfect place for him to officially signal his return to the title chase.
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Harvick isn’t the favorite for this race because that honor goes to Kyle Busch at +600, and with good reason: the younger Busch brother has won this race in two of the last three years, and he swept the Bristol races last year. Busch routed the field last year, leading 378 laps along the way, and he’ll need some good memories as he has yet to notch a top-10 this year. But sportsbook players shouldn’t worry about Busch, as he can rattle off a winning streak faster than anyone in the series.
Busch’s teammate at JGR, Denny Hamlin, is right behind him at +700, and that’s fitting because he finished second to Busch in this race last year. Hamlin also needs something good to happen, as he’s struggled badly this year after being tipped as the next challenger to Jimmie Johnson’s throne. With some bad luck, Hamlin is 22nd in the standings right now and with Martinsville, one of his best tracks, coming up next week, Hamlin would like to get on a roll.
Kurt Busch will also be a factor at +1200 after winning last week at Atlanta, but at the spring race at Bristol, the No.2 driver has been doing his best Jekyll and Hyde impression. In nine spring races, Busch has four wins (every year between 2002 and 2006, except for 2005), but those are his only top-10s. He just missed last year, coming in 11th, so he’ll be looking for a return.
Keep an eye on Greg Biffle’s sportsbook odds at +1600, as the No.16 driver is one of three drivers, with Harvick and Roush-Fenway teammate Matt Kenseth, to finish in the top 10 in all four races so far this year. He has five top-10s in seven spring races at Bristol, and although he finished 39th last year, he did bounce back nicely to finish fourth in the summer race.
Still, we’re going with Harvick at +1000, as he broke Kurt Busch’s hold on this race with a win in 2005, and he has a 9.2 finishing average in nine spring races, which includes seven top-10s. He didn’t crack the top 30 in either race last year, but that will change. Take Kevin Harvick before checking out your college basketball odds.
