NASCAR Odds: Toyota/Save Mart 350

Jimmie Johnson has yet to visit Victory Lane at a road course. (AP Images)

Throw out everything you think you know about NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series this week because the circuit visits the Infineon Raceway road course at Sonoma for the Toyota/Save Mart 350. Bet on the race with Bodog’s NASCAR odds.

Of course road course races are a totally different animal in NASCAR with some drivers specifically suited just for these tracks. Kasey Kahne is one of the favorites on Bodog as he is the defending champion of this race and won the pole on Friday. It’s Kahne’s 17th career pole but first in 2010. Five of 21 all-time races at Sonoma have been won from the pole.

Might this be the week that four-time series champion Jimmie Johnson win his first race since late March? He is among the betting favorites, as usual, but JJ doesn’t fancy road courses: He is a combined 0-for-16 at the two tracks at which NASCAR drivers actually turn right (and left). Johnson did qualify second for his third front row start at Infineon.

Kyle Busch might be the man to beat here. He swept the road course races in 2008 and has an average finish of 10th in the past three races at Sonoma. Points leader Kevin Harvick is not a good bet this week as his average finish in his past two starts at Infineon is 29.5. His driver rating here is the worst among the current Top 12 in the points standings.

Tony Stewart might be ready to return to Victory Lane as he has two victories and two second-place finishes at Sonoma, including last year. He has only one finish outside the Top 15 in his 11 career starts there.

By far the best long-shot bet should be Marcos Ambrose, a road course specialist. He was the fastest in practice this week and has finished second and third in his past two road course races. Boris Said is another road course specialist but he finished 14th or worse in his past five road course races.

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