NASCAR Picks and Odds - Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500

The Chase for the Sprint Cup was thought to be over but last week Jimmie Johnson crashed at Texas and finished a poor 38th in NASCAR picks. The bad finish cost him more than half of his points lead and now it is down to 73 over Mark Martin with just two races remaining. Jeff Gordon is also in the mix as he is 112 points back. Johnson is the 4-1 favorite at online sportsbooks to win this week’s Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 while Mark Martin is 5-1. Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin are 8-1 in NASCAR odds.

Johnson has won this race the last two years and even when he doesn’t win this race he is in the running. He has finished 7th or better in NASCAR picks for each of the last six years in this race. Last year Johnson won the pole and became the first pole sitter to ever win this race. He was able to hold off Kurt Busch in a close green-white-checker finish. He led 217 of 313 laps. Two years ago it was Johnson winning in NASCAR odds as he held off Greg Biffle. Chevrolet has won this race the past six years with Johnson’s two wins in addition to victories by Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. twice. Johnson is the obvious favorite in NASCAR picks but he is not the only contender in this race. Kurt Busch has been in the Top 10 in this race five times in the last eight years and his Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 are appealing at 12-1.

Carl Edwards has either been great at Phoenix or terrible. He has finished 4th, 5th and 6th but also has 37th and 42nd place finishes. He is 15-1 in NASCAR betting picks at online sportsbooks. Jeff Gordon is being ignored a little bit in NASCAR picks to win as he is 10-1 but has had a lot of success in this race even though he has never taken the checkered flag in the Auto Parts 500. In the last eight races, he has seven Top-10 finishes. Last year was a bust as he finished 41st but before that he was 10th, 4th, 3rd, 3rd, 7th, 3rd and 6th. He is a definite contender this week in NASCAR picks. The Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 can be seen on ABC television on Sunday beginning at approximately 3:30 pm Eastern.

Bower's NASCAR Picks: This is turning into a nice shoot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup between Johnson and Martin. The sportsbooks and handicappers are taking Johnson to win the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 but I'm gonna have to go with the old man from Arkansas. My NASCAR picks for Sunday's race at Texas Motor Speedway will be to take Mark Martin 5-1.