2013 NASCAR Toyota Owners 400 Picks & Predictions
By ATSSportsline.com
RICHMOND, VA (ATS Consultants) - The NASCAR Sprint Cup moves to Richmond International Raceway for the Toyota Owners 400.
This is the ninth race on the 2013 Sprint Cup schedule. This is a race that has been owned by Kyle Busch, who has won four straight. Richmond has 14 degrees of banking in all four turns as well as eight degrees of banking on the frontstretch and two on the backstretch. The length of the front-stretch is 1,290 feet, and the backstretch measures 860 feet.
Jimmie Johnson 8-1
His last win here was in 2008 but he is a nice value play and the best racer of this era. He is a three-time Richmond winner and is remembered more for wrecking Kurt Busch intentionally in 2011. He won't have to do that this year. According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, Johnson is currently 8-1 to win tonight's race.
Tony Stewart 20-1
Stewart has the most points scored in the last four races at Richmond International Raceway. He is in the middle of a slump but he's finished second four times since his last victory at this track. He is also a three-time winner at Richmond and had finishes of third and fourth last year. It might be time to break out of the slump.
Long Shot:
Mark Martin 30-1
He has 55 starts at Richmond International Raceway so he knows this track pretty well. He carries the track's seventh-best average finish (11.9). In his last 10 starts at the track, he has finished in the top 10 seven times and has five top-five finishes. Lately, he has notched three straight top-10s and improved his result in all three races. He finished third in the fall race at the track last year.
Toyota Owners 400 Race Information
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Date: Saturday, April 27
Race: Toyota Owners 400
Site: Richmond International Raceway
Track: 0.75-mile oval.
Start time: 7:30p.m. ET.
Laps: 400. Miles: 300
2012 Winner: Kyle Busch
Runner up: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Television: FOX.
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio.
Race Record: Dale Jarret, 1997 (109.047 mph)
Qualifying Record: Brian Vickers, 2004 (129.983 mph)