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The NASCAR Sprint Cup series puts pedals to the metal later this month but sports betting enthusiasts need not wait a minute longer to jump start their wagering engines.
Once a sport reserved for the likes of "Joe Six-pack," stock car racing has enlarged its demographic to include upscale "Sean Chardonnay" types while also expanding its wagering base beyond its 36-race regular race schedule to include future books odds and proposition bets.
No, it's not your father's Oldsmobile any more.
This year's race for the Cup features two-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson trying to fend off the advances of a pair of teammates, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Other drivers well-known enough to have their own bobble-head dolls such as Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart also should be in the title hunt.
Let's look at the contenders. (Composite odds in parentheses):
Jimmie Johnson (3/1): Only Cale Yarborough has won three consecutive Cup titles but Johnson has a shot to equal that mark. Johnson won 10 races last season, four more than his nearest competitor, and was at his best when it counted most, capturing four straight at the end of the year.
Jeff Gordon (9/2): Gordon's "Drive for Five" came up a little short when Johnson zipped past the four-time champion after Gordon had led most of the year. Still, Gordon won six times and led the circuit in both top 5s (21) and top 10s (30).
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (7/1): Junior's move to Hendrick Motors puts him back in the spotlight after a horrible year in which he never won and finished in the top 10 just 12 times. Now with a powerful team, there will be no excuses if Earnhardt fails.
Matt Kenseth (9/1): Kenseth will have a new crew chief in Chip Bolin but that probably won't slow down his push for a second Cup title. Kenseth finished fourth in the points standings last year and should not be overlooked this season.
Kyle Busch (10/1): The move from Hendrick to the Joe Gibbs racing team should help Busch who, at 22, is the youngest of the circuit's big guns. Busch won only one race last year but was consistent and finished fifth in the points standings.
Tony Stewart (10/1): As immensely talented as he is short-tempered, the two-time Cup winner now is the face of Toyota. Stewart had three wins and 23 top 10s last year and is a live longshot.
Carl Edwards (10/1): The Edwards scorecard included three wins and one fight with teammate Matt Kenseth last year. Expect more of the former and less of the latter this season.
Martin Truex Jr. (14/1), Kurt Busch (15/1), Denny Hamlin (18/1), Clint Bowyer (20/1), Kasey Kahne (30/1) and Kevin Harvick (35/1) are other choices, especially for those NASCAR sports betting fans who enjoy a more robust price.
In addition to straight future book wagering, the presence of a handful of highly regarded newcomers to the circuit has prompted many sportsbooks to also offer futures on which of the group will win Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year honors.
Indianapolis 500 winner and IRL champion Dario Franchitti is the early favorite at odds of 7/5. Even if Franchitti loses, he gets to go home to his actress/wife, Ashley Judd.
Jacques Villeneuve made his Sprint Cup debut with a 21st place finish at Talladega last October. At 7/2, bettors will be counting on him transferring his open wheel experience to the NASCAR circuit.
Regan Smith, 4/1, has the benefit of a stock car pedigree as well as the tutelage of NASCAR veteran Mark Martin.
Patrick Carpentier, a 9/2 shot, brings road course experience to the Sprint Cup but faces far tougher competition than previously.
Sam Hornish Jr., also 9/2, excelled at another level and has the backing of the famed Penske Racing outfit but is inexperienced behind the wheel of a stock car.
Going for a Sunday drive took on new meaning when NASCAR burst on the scene and nowadays, after more than a decade as a staple of the sports betting landscape, the need for speed is even greater for both fans and bettors.
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