SpongeBob SquarePants 400 Betting News and Notes

Kansas Driver Tale of the Tape

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Cheeze-It/Sponge Bob Square Pants Ford)

· Two wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 10.9
· Average Running Position of 10.0, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 102.8, fourth-best
· 207 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· 900 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 167.679 mph, sixth-fastest
· 2,868 Laps in the Top 15 (77.8%), third-most
· 526 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fourth-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet)

· Two top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 16.6
· Driver Rating of 91.3, 10th-best
· 133 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· 887 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 167.349 mph, 11th-fastest
· 2,103 Laps in the Top 15 (61.5%), 10th-most
· 442 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Carl Edwards (No. 19 STANLEY Toyota)

· Six top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 10.1
· Average Running Position of 12.2, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 96.8, seventh-best
· 132 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
· 956 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 167.562 mph, seventh-fastest
· 2,552 Laps in the Top 15 (69.2%), sixth-most
· 538 Quality Passes, third-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 American Red Cross Chevrolet)

· Three wins, 10 top fives, 12 top 10s
· Average finish of 10.3
· Average Running Position of 9.9, third-best
Driver Rating of 100.5, fifth-best
· 157 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· 866 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 167.910 mph, third-fastest
· Series-high 3,064 Laps in the Top 15 (83.1%)
· 571 Quality Passes, second-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet)

· One win, three top fives, eight top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 11.5
· Average Running Position of 11.3, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 100.4, sixth-best
· 226 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· Series-high 1,000 Green Flag Passes
· Average Green Flag Speed of 167.769 mph, fourth-fastest
· 2,667 Laps in the Top 15 (72.4%), fifth-most
· 487 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)

· Two wins, six top fives, 14 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 9.5
· Average Running Position of 9.4, second-best
· Series-best Driver Rating of 112.1
· Series-high 478 Fastest Laps Run
· 969 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 167.998 mph, second-fastest
· 3,045 Laps in the Top 15 (82.6%), second-most
· Series-high 619 Quality Passes

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Great Clips Chevrolet)

· Four top fives, seven top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 13.8
· Average Running Position of 13.2, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 92.7, ninth-best
· 155 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· 989 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 167.483 mph, eighth-fastest
· 2,434 Laps in the Top 15 (66.0%), seventh-most
· 473 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)

· Two wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 14.2
· Average Running Position of 10.7, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 105.6, second-best
· 240 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 167.723 mph, fifth-fastest
· 2,775 Laps in the Top 15 (75.3%), fourth-most
· 453 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Avaya Ford)

· One win, two top fives, four top 10s
· Average finish of 13.1
· Average Running Position of 14.3, 12th-best
· Driver Rating of 88.1, 12th-best

Kyle Larson (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)

· One top five, one top 10
· Average finish of 7.0
· Series-best Average Running Position of 9.3
· Driver Rating of 103.9, third-best
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 168.679 mph

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

· Two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s
· Average finish of 13.1
· Average Running Position of 11.6, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 95.3, eighth-best
· 142 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 167.416 mph, 10th-fastest
· 2,213 Laps in the Top 15 (64.7%), eighth-most
· 439 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Martin Truex Jr. (No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet)

· Four top fives, four top 10s
· Average finish of 18.2
· Average Running Position of 14.1, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 90.4, 11th-best
· 134 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 167.442 mph, ninth-fastest
· 2,060 Laps in the Top 15 (60.3%), 11th-most

Kansas 400 Preview
By Micah Roberts
VegasInsider.com

The first half of the short track and restrictor-plate race season is over and now the Spring Cup series gets back to it's bread and butter: the cookie cutter season.

Saturday night’s race at Kansas Speedway will be the fourth of 11 races on 1.5-mile tracks this season. Last week Kevin Harvick was 12/1 to win at volatile Talladega, this week he’s back to be being 4/1, or even lower at a few bet shops.

On the basis on leading 354 laps and finishing first or second on the three 1.5-mile tracks run already between Atlanta, Las Vegas and Texas, Harvick is the easy favorite. However, it’s Jimmie Johnson who has won two of those races with Harvick only taking one. On a broader view, there have been eight different winners in the first 10 races showing that things appear to be equal. But things really aren’t that equal at all on 1.5s.

The Stewart-Haas Racing team, or at least half of them between Harvick and Kurt Busch, have things dialed in the most on the these type of tracks after several changes to the rules package before the season started. Johnson may have two wins, but he hasn’t dominated like Harvick.

The best formula to use to bet Saturday’s race is look hard at the three previous races on 1.5-mile tracks this season, then mix in a little past Kansas history and sprinkle in a little current form. Any way you look at it, Harvick is the guy, but who wants to bet odds at 4/1? The positive if betting against Harvick this week is that he’s only won twice this year and only once on these type of tracks.

In Harvick’s final year with Richard Childress racing, he won for the first time at Kansas in the fall. Last year, he was second and 12th. In 18 career starts on the tri-oval with banking up to 20 degrees, he’s averaged an 11.5 finish. Six other active drivers have a better career finish, but only four that have started at least three of more times.

The best all-time at Kansas is Johnson with a 9.5 average finish and two wins, the last coming in 2011 in the first season Kansas was awarded two races. He finished 40th last fall, but in 17 career starts, he finished 10th or better in 14 starts. Chances are he’s going to be very good here again Saturday night, but do you want to get only 6-to-1 odds?

Let’s dig deeper to see if there is anyone who could step up, beginning with Harvick and Johnon’s teammates.

Kurt Busch has only averaged a 19th-place finish in 18 Kansas starts, but had a career best runner-up in 2013 while driving the No. 78. He led 45 laps at Texas and on the 2-mile layout at Fontana, he dominated leading 65 laps and finished third. That was the race where he was winning late on three occasions only to see cautions come out and Brad Keselowski stole to overtime win.

Jeff Gordon christened Kansas with a win when opened in 2001 and then he won again the next year. He wouldn’t win again there until doing so in the race last season. His three wins are the most in track’s short history. The problem with Gordon this week is we just haven’t seen him do much on 1.5s this season, however his best finish on them came in the last one at Texas April 11th with seventh-place. He could be a quality candidate to win that will pay double-digit odds like 10 or 12-to-1 odds.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been outstanding on 1.5s this season with finishes of fourth or better in all three. He also finished sixth at Fontana. Fresh off his Talladega win, he could be in store for a strong run. He was fifth in this race last season and his best finish was second-place in 2011.

Martin Truex Jr. has nine top-10 finishes in the 10 races this season, including ninth or better on all the 1.5-mile tracks. His best finish was runner-up at Las Vegas, a layout that is more similar to Kansas than Atlanta or Texas. In the 2012 season, he was second in both Kansas races and finished fourth last fall. He wouldn’t be a bad choice to win at 20/1 odds.

Also, don’t forget about the Penske Ford’s with Joey Logano and Keselowski. Logano won at Kansas last fall and was fourth in the prior two races there. Keselowski won there in 2011.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:

1)#4 Kevin Harvick (4/1)
2) #78 Martin Truex Jr. (20/1)
3) #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (10/1)
4) #48 Jimmie Johnson (6/1)
5) #22 Joey Logano (8/1)

Drivers to Watch - Kansas
By Sportsbook.ag

SpongeBob SquarePants 400
Saturday, May 9th – 7:00 p.m. ET
Kansas Speedway – Kansas City, KS

The drivers head to Kansas Speedway this week for the newly anointed SpongeBob SquarePants 400; formally the STP 400 and 5-Hour Energy 400. Kansas Speedway grabbed a second date at its venue in 2011 and four different racers have earned a victory in those years with the Joe Gibbs racing team getting two of those. Jeff Gordon was the winner at the event last year, running the slowest race (3:07:31) for a victor in the four years of its existence.

This one will be held under the lights at the 1.5-mile asphalt course which features 17 20-degree turns and also hosts the Hollywood Casino 400 in the Chase for the Cup in October. Last week, NASCAR was able to witness an exciting matchup of legendary racers as the trio of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon all led for at least 47 laps each with Earnhardt Jr. winning in Talladega for the sixth time in his career.

As the great season rolls on, let’s take a look through the entrants and pick out some who have the best chance at a win this week.

Drivers to Bet

Jeff Gordon (8/1) - Gordon remains without a win in his farewell season and that is sure not to be the case when 2015 comes to an end, and where better to do so than the track where he has three wins and 10 top-five finishes in his 18 career attempts. His average running position of 9.9 ranks him third amongst his peers and he has a solid 100.5 driver rating (5th best on circuit) behind 571 quality passes (2nd-most). He has finished in the top-10 at six of the past seven events and won the pole last week in Talladega, leading 47 laps in the race before finishing in 31st. Gordon will look to build on his victory in this same race last year and earn his first win of his final season under the lights of Kansas Speedway.

Kasey Kahne (15/1) - Kahne has a spotty 2015 resume, finishing in the top-10 at just four of his 10 events as he’s done worse than 30th in two of the past three weeks. He does have three poles at this track in the past and can certainly look to do that again here as he hopes to begin living up to the expectations placed on him when he joined the circuit. His average finish of 13.8 at this venue is solid and he does have four top-five finishes over 15 career visits. While most people will be down on this talented driver, others will look for the 35-year-old to get another solid start in Kansas.

Martin Truex Jr. (20/1) - Truex Jr. has yet to grab a win on this track over 13 career starts, but is tied with Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman with three runner-up finishes in the past. He really has been all-or-nothing when here and has an average finish of 18.2 despite four top-fives. Truex Jr. has been one of the more consistent drivers on the circuit who has no victories this year as he has one runner-up finish and finished in the top-10 at all but one of his 10 starts. In his career, he has 104 top-10s with just two victories, but seems due for another trip to victory lane as his last one came in 2013.

Greg Biffle (100/1) - Biffle is a tremendous bargain at these odds as he has dominated this track in his 17 career starts. In that time he has an average finish of 10.9 with two wins and a total of seven finishes in the top-five. Biffle’s driver rating of 102.8 ranks him fourth amongst the racers when at Kansas Speedway and has spent 77.8% of his time here in the top-15 (3rd-most). Amazingly enough, Biffle has just one top-10 in 2015 (at Daytona), but has finished better than his pole position in four of the past five weeks and should be able to run near the top of the pack if he has a decent starting position.

Paul Menard (100/1) - Menard has had a solid 2015 season thus far; typically finishing in the 11-15 range, but does also have a fourth and a third with the latter coming last week at Talladega. He’s been running really hot in the last month, starting in the top-10 in three of the four races and with another solid pole could really do some damage at a track in which he has five career top-10s. His driver rating of 80.3 is solid and with 200/1 odds, the average finish of 15.6 is very promising. Menard is the hot hand right now and it would be no surprise to see him

Sportsbook.ag - Odds to win SpongeBob SquarePants 400

Kevin Harvick 7/2
Jimmie Johnson 6/1
Kurt Busch 6/1
Brad Keselowski 8/1
Jeff Gordon 8/1
Joey Logano 8/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 10/1
Matt Kenseth 12/1
Kasey Kahne 15/1
Carl Edwards 18/1
Denny Hamlin 18/1
Martin Truex Jr. 20/1
Jamie McMurray 30/1
Kyle Larson 30/1
Ryan Newman 50/1
Erik Jones 75/1
Tony Stewart 75/1
Austin Dillon 100/1
Clint Bowyer 100/1
David Ragan 100/1
Greg Biffle 100/1
Paul Menard 100/1
Field (Any Other Driver) 100/1
AJ Allmendinger 300/1
Aric Almirola 300/1
Danica Patrick 300/1
Ricky Stenhouse 500/1
Sam Hornish Jr. 500/1
Trevor Bayne 500/1
Ty Dillon 500/1

Check out more NASCAR Odds and Props at Sportsbook.ag

Driver Handicaps: Kansas
By: Jeff Wackerlin
Racingone.com

MRN.com's Jeff Wackerlin helps you set your fantasy racing lineup for Saturday night's SpongeBob SquarePants 400 with detailed driver notes and stats for Kansas Speedway.

Who's HOT at Kansas

• Kevin Harvick has three poles, one win and has combined to lead 318 laps in the last three races.
• Matt Kenseth has won two races and is second in laps led (263) in the four races since the track was reconfigured.
• Joey Logano won last year's fall race and leads all drivers with an average finish of 3.0 in the last three races.
• Jimmie Johnson has finished ninth or better in the last 11 of the last 12 races, including two wins (on old track configuration).
• Jeff Gordon is the defending race winner and has posted an average finish of 6.0 in the last three races.
• Paul Menard and Kasey Kahne are tied for the fifth-best average finish (9.2) since the track was reconfigured.

Who to Keep an Eye On at Kansas

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. (3.3), Martin Truex Jr. (5.7) and Brad Keselowski (7.7) each rank in the top five in average finish in the three races at 1.5-mile tracks this season.
• Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin and AJ Allmendinger each finished sixth or better at the second 1.5-mile track this season, a race that featured the same right-side tire that will be run this weekend.
• Kyle Larson, who captured his only top 10 at a 1.5-mile track this season at Las Vegas, finished second last fall at Kansas.
• Kurt Busch will be back in the same car (chassis No. 837) that he led 65 laps en route to a third-place finish at Auto Club Speedway.
• Carl Edwards is coming off three straight finishes of sixth or better at Kansas, and is coming off his first top 10 on a 1.5-mile track (Texas) with Joe Gibbs Racing.
• Jamie McMurray has posted an average finish of 8.5 in the last two races at 1.5-mile tracks.
• David Ragan will be making his first start of the season with Michael Waltrip Racing with the race sponsor - SpongeBob - on his car.

MRN.com Staff Picks

Jeff Wackerlin: Kevin Harvick
Pete Pistone: Jeff Gordon
John Singler: Martin Truex Jr.

Driver Notes - Ordered by Top 20 in Average Finish (More than one start) in Last Five Races at Kansas

Stats are for Kansas unless noted

Kyle Larson: Finished second last fall to lower average finish in two starts to 7.0. Larson has one top 10 at a 1.5-mile track this season. He finished eighth at Las Vegas, a race that had the same right-side tire that will be run this weekend.

Matt Kenseth: Is the only multiple race winner in the last five races since the track was reconfigured. Kenseth also ranks second in laps led (263) and average finish (7.2) in that span. This year, Kenseth ranks eighth among all drivers in average finish (12.3) in the three races at 1.5-mile tracks.

Kevin Harvick: Has posted one win, three straight poles, and has led the most laps (318) in the last five races since the track was reconfigured. Harvick has dominated the three 1.5-mile tracks this season, leading a series-high 354 laps and posting a 1.7 average finish. He won a Las Vegas after leading a race-high 142 laps, an event that ran the same right-side tires that will be run this weekend. Harvick will be back in that same car (chassis No. 858) that he raced at Las Vegas in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400.

Jeff Gordon: Won this race last season for his third win in 18 starts. Gordon's win last year was his first in the five races since the track was reconfigured where he holds the fourth-best average finish (8.2) in that span. This weekend, Gordon will return in the same car (chassis No. 914) that he finished 41st with at Atlanta Motor Speedway after being involved in a lap-264 accident while running in the top 10.

Paul Menard: Is tied for the fifth-best average finish (9.2) in the last five races since the track was reconfigured. This weekend, Menard will return in the same car (chassis No. 508) that he finished 41st with after a mechanical issue ended the team's strong run early.

Kasey Kahne: Is tied for the fifth-best average finish (9.2) in the last five races since the track was reconfigured. Kahne has finished in the top 10 in the last three spring races, including two top-three finishes in the last two races. This season, Kahne ranks ninth among all drivers in average finish (13.0) that have competed in the three races at 1.5-mile tracks this season. This weekend, Kahne will return in the same car (chassis No. 888) that he finished 17th with after a late-race incident took him out of contention after running in the top five for a majority of the race.

Carl Edwards: Holds the seventh-best average finish (9.4) in the last five races since the track was reconfigured, including three straight finishes of sixth or better in his last three starts. This weekend, Edwards will make his first track start with Joe Gibbs Racing. His 12th-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway was his first top 10 at a 1.5-mile track with JGR.

Martin Truex Jr.: Finished fourth last fall for his fourth top five in the last six races. This season, Truex ranks third among all drivers in average finish (5.7) in the three races at 1.5-mile tracks this season.

Clint Bowyer: Last top 10 came in the 2013 spring race. Bowyer is still looking to get back on track at 1.5-mile tracks as he's yet to finish inside the top 20 in the three races this season. This weekend, Bowyer will return in the same car (chassis No. 800) that he finished 30th with at Auto Club Speedway.

Jimmie Johnson: Finished 40th last fall to snap a streak of 11 consecutive top 10s, which included two wins. Johnson, who has yet to win on Kansas' new configuration, will return in the same car (chassis No. 910) that he won with at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Joey Logano: Won the fall race last season for his third consecutive top five. Logano ranks fourth among all drivers in average finish (6.0) in the three races at 1.5-mile tracks this season and he is the only driver besides Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson to lead more than 100 laps (150). At Kanas, Logano ranks third in laps led (218) since the track was reconfigured.

Austin Dillon: Coming off first top 10 (eighth) in three starts. This season Dillon has posted a 26.3 average finish at 1.5-mile tracks with his best finish, of 20th, coming in the last two races. This weekend, Dillon will pilot the same car he races at Texas Motor Speedway in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400.

Denny Hamlin: Has made four starts on the new track configuration, finishing a best seventh last fall. Hamlin, who does have one win on the old configuration, has one top 10 in the three races at 1.5-mile tracks this season, finishing fifth at Las Vegas.

Tony Stewart: Finished fifth in the first race since the track was reconfigured, but since then has posted an average finish of 19.3 in three starts. As he continues to adjust to the new rules package for this season, Stewart has yet to finish inside the top 20 in the three races at 1.5-mile tracks in 2015. Stewart, who won twice on the old configuration, will return in the same car (chassis No. 707) that he last finished 13th with at Pocono Raceway in June 2014.

Brad Keselowski: Has combined to lead 67 laps in the last three races, but has only managed an average finish of 22.0 in that span. Last fall he had a right-front tire go down. Keselowski does rank fifth among all drivers in average finish (7.0) in the three races at 1.5-mile tracks this season, finishing in the top 10 in all of them.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Led 45 laps last fall before a flat right-front tire sent him hard into the Turn 4 wall. Earnhardt's 39th-place finish in that event snapped a streak of two consecutive top 10s - his only since the track was reconfigured. This season, Earnhardt ranks second among all drivers in average finish (3.3) in the three races at 1.5-mile tracks. In the SpongeBob SquarePants 400, Earnhardt will race the same car (chassis No. 920) that he finished third with at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Aric Almirola: Has finished eighth in the last two spring races. Almirola’s best finish on a 1.5-mile track this season came at Atlanta Motor Speedway, in 11th.

Greg Biffle: Is a two-time winner, but has yet to finish in the top 10 in the five races since the track was reconfigured. So far in 2015, Biffle has yet to finish in the top 10 in the three races at 1.5-mile tracks. His best finish came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in 14th.

Ryan Newman: Coming off first top 10 (sixth) in the five races since the track was reconfigured. Newman ranks sixth among all drivers in average finish (8.3) in the three races at 1.5-mile tracks this season, but will be without crew chief Luke Lambert in Kansas. This weekend, Newman will be back in the same car (chassis No. 504) that he finished 12th with at Texas Motor Speedway.

Jamie McMurray: Scored his lone top 10 (seventh) in the five races since the track was reconfigured in this event in 2013. Since being involved in a crash at Atlanta Motor Speedway, McMurray has improved his finishes at 1.5-mile tracks this season, most recently finishing sixth at Texas Motor Speedway.

Erik Jones one to watch in debut at Kansas
By Micah Roberts
Sportingnews.com

Erik Jones, making his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut this week, laid down the fastest lap during the final practice session at Kansas Speedway in preparation for Saturday night’s SpongeBob SquarePants 400. Jones’ speed of 191.306 mph came on his final of 26 laps attempted while in qualifying trim as Kyle Busch’s latest replacement in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Toyota.

I have never seen a driver lead the final practice session in his debut on a 1.5-mile track, but all indications from those in the know are that this 18-year old is a special talent and we'll be seeing his name atop speeds charts over the next decade.

So what does that mean to his odds, which the Westgate SuperBook opened at 75-to-1? His price will drop as a precautionary measure for sure, maybe to 40-to-1. In addition to posting the fastest lap in qualifying trim, we also have to consider he had the fastest 10-consecutive lap average in the first practice among the 11 drivers that ran that many. He had the ninth fastest lap (186.806) during that session.

If those speeds were attached to just about any driver other than a kid making his debut, he would be given strong consideration to win this week.

Another factor to consider is that Jones earned his first win in the Xfinity Series race last month at Texas, the most recent 1.5-mile track run on this season, and the Xfinity Series cars are more similar to Cup cars in 2015 than ever before because of the new rules package.

The transition for Jones shouldn’t be as tough as it would have been in years past. It’s obvious he’s got talent, and the JGR power looks better than ever on 1.5s this season, a notion further validated by Carl Edwards' strong speeds.

Look for a strong run out of Jones, as I’ve significantly upgraded him from where I initially thought he’d be – I felt he might just try to stay out of trouble and use all 400-miles as a learning curve before he gets his full-time ride. But he’s got some speed, and that should be respected.

The biggest reason for suggesting he won’t win Saturday night is the beastly No. 4 driven by Kevin Harvick. In the first practice session, he had the fastest lap (190.772) and during the final session, he had the fastest 10-consecutive lap average. He’s also using the same chassis that led 142 laps and dominated at Las Vegas, a track that is probably the most applicable to Kansas among the 1.5-mile tracks run at this year.

If Harvick has trouble, then Jones will have to slay Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jimmie Johnson, who all practiced well Friday and all have been dominant on 1.5s this season as well. Logano has led 150 laps between the three 1.5s, Junior has finished fourth or better on them, and Johnson has won twice among the three. Johnson is also using his winning Texas chassis from last month.

That’s a stiff road to climb for Jones even if his car is the best on the track. However, Jones’ Friday performance just made Saturday night’s race all the more interesting to watch. He will be the story of the race, or at least at the beginning.