It's that time of the year again when gasoline fills the air and the women fill the saloon in Daytona Beach, Florida as the first NASCAR racing events of the season get ready for their final preparations. The 2.5-mile, tri-oval International Speedway will open its doors to the public on February 18th for the Budweiser Shootout at 8:00pm EST on FOX which will be followed by the Gatorade Duals on February 23rd at 1:00pm EST on the Speed Channel. Then the grand daddy of them all will take place on February 26th as 2012 Daytona 500 odds will take center stage when the checkered flag drops at 12:00pm EST which can be seen live on FOX. NASCAR betting in Vegas favors Kevin Harvick at 8/1 to win the first race of the year with Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr all listed as second choices at 10/1.

The final race of the 2011 NASCAR racing season is set to take place on Sunday afternoon from the Homestead Miami Speedway as Ford 400 odds will have the top 2-drivers going bumper to bumper in the Chase for the Cup at 3:00pm EST. Edwards vs Stewart will be the featured attraction in Sunday's race from Miami which can be seen live on ESPN or heard on MRN radio beginning at 2:00pm EST. Vegas bookmakers and online sportsbooks have listed Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart as +450 favorites to win the 2011 Ford 400 followed by Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth at +750 and Jimmie Johnson at +800. Only three points separate Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart from claiming the title as the best driver in NASCAR as the two head into this weekend's race at the Homestead Miami Speedway in the chase for the cup.

NASCAR racing for this weekend will take place on Sunday afternoon from the Michigan International Speedway as the 2011 Pure Michigan 400 takes off at 1:00pm EST. Sunday's race will take place from Michigan live on ESPN or can be heard on MRN radio beginning at 12:00pm EST. 2011 Pure Michigan 400 odds to win in Vegas have listed Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin as the favorites for Sunday's race. Kenseth has been listed at 11/2 in NASCAR predictions followed by Hamlin and Greg Biffle at 8/1, Jimmie Johnson at 9/1 with Carl Edwards and Jeff Gordon at 10/1. Kenseth will take the track at the 2.0-mile tri-oval course as the NASCAR betting favorite in 2011 Pure Michigan 400 odds as the #5 ranked driver on the Sprint Cup Standings

NASCAR betting for this weekend will be featured at the famed Watkins Glen Internation road course on  Sunday afternoon for the 2011 Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips which can be seen live on ESPN. Sunday's race will take place at 1:00pm EST on ESPN from Watkins Glen or can be heard on MRN radio beginning at 12:00pm EST. 2011 Watkins Glen odds to win in Vegas have listed Marcos Ambrose and Kurt Busch as the favorites for the race in New York. Ambrose has been listed at 11/4 to win the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips followed closely by Kurt Busch at 11/2, Tony Stewart at 8/1, Juan Pablo Montoya at 17/2, Kyle Busch at 9/1 with Jeff Gordon at 11/1 and Jimmie Johnson at 12/1.

All eyes will be on Pocono Raceway this Sunday afternoon as NASCAR betting will feature the 2011 Good Sam RV Insurance 500 today which can be seen live on ESPN. The race will take place at 1:00pm EST on ESPN or can be heard on MRN radio beginning at 12:00pm EST. 2011 Good Sam RV Insurance 500 odds have listed Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards as the favorites in NASCAR predictions to win at Pocono. Vegas betting lines for Sunday's race in Pennsylvania have listed Hamlin at the 4/1 favorite to win followed by Edwards at 7-1, Jimmie Johnson at 9-1 along with Kasey Kahne and Kevin Harvick.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway will once again host one of the most prestigious races in all of NASCAR betting when the 2011 Brickyard 400 takes off on July 31st which can be seen live on ESPN. The race will take place on Sunday afternoon at 1:00pm EST on ESPN or can be heard on IMS radio beginning at 12:00pm EST. Early 2011 Brickyard 400 odds have listed Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson as the favorites in NASCAR betting picks to win at Indy. Vegas odds for next Sunday's race have listed Edwards and Johnson as the 6-1 favorite to win at Indianapolis followed by Kyle Busch at 8-1, Juan Pablo Montoya at 9-1 with Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick listed at 10-1.

Kentucky Speedway will be the host for the inaugural race of the Quaker State 400 this weekend which can be seen live on TNT. The race will take place on Saturday evening at 7:30pm EST on TNT or can be heard on PRN radio beginning at 7:00pm EST. 2011 Quaker State 400 odds have listed Kyle Busch as the NASCAR betting choice to win to win the inaugural race. Vegas odds for Saturday night's race have listed Busch as the 9/2 favorite to win at Kentucky followed by Carl Edwards at 5/1, Jimmie Johnson at 8/1 with Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth listed at 9/1.

TNT heads to Central Florida this weekend when drivers take the field for the 2011 Coke Zero 400 from Daytona International Speedway. The race will take place on Saturday night and can be seen live at 7:30pm EST on TNT or heard on MRN radio beginning at 6:30pm EST. Kevin Harvick won in 2010 Coke Zero 400 odds and has been listed as the second betting choice to win in NASCAR picks. Vegas odds for Saturday night's race have listed Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the 8/1 favorite to win at Daytona followed by Harvick at 9/1, Carl Edwards at 11/1 and Jimmie Johnson at 12/1 with Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart listed at 12/1.

TNT television will host NASCAR racing this weekend in California when the checkered flag drops for the 2011 Toyota/Save Mart 350 from Infineon Raceway at Sonoma. Sunday's race can be seen live at 3:00pm EST on TNT or heard on PRN radio beginning at 2:00pm EST. Jimmie Johnson won in 2010 Save Mart 350 odds and has been listed as one of the top five choices in NASCAR predictions to win this year's event but not the favorite. Vegas odds have listed Marcos Ambrose as the 9/2 betting favorite to win on the road course followed by Jeff Gordon, Juan Pablo Montoya and Tony Stewart at 15/2 with Johnson at 8/1.

TNT television will feature NASCAR this weekend in the Great Lakes State when odds to win the 2011 Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 go off the board from Michigan International Speedway. Sunday's race can be seen live at 1:00pm EST on TNT or heard on MRN radio beginning at 12:00pm EST. Denny Hamlin won the 2010 Sour Cream Dips 400 and is one of the top five choices in NASCAR odds to win this year's event in Michigan but it will be Carl Edwards as the 5/1 favorite. Jimmie Johnson is the second choice at 13/2 followed by Matt Kenseth at 8/1, Dale Earnhardt Jr. at 9/1 and Hamlin at 10/1.