Kevin Harvick remains the favorite, his odds shortened at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook from 5-to-1 earlier this week to 9-to-2. Martin Truex Jr., who sits as our third-rated driver for Chicagoland, saw a major adjustment in his odds, from 12-to-1 to 7-to-1.
More: Chicagoland in depth |Chase odds and betting preview
Micah Roberts’ Top-10 Rated NASCAR Drivers MyAfibStory.com 400, Chicagoland Speedway Rating. Driver Odds Practice 1, Practice 2, Practice 3, Kansas*
Kevin Harvick 4/1 1st, 11th, 14th, 2nd Two-time Chicagoland winner with 9.5 average finish; dominator on lap leads on six 1.5-mile tracks.
Jimmie Johnson 8/1 12th, 6th, 6th, 1st One of four tracks he’s never won at; best 10-consecutive lap average in in final two practices.
Martin Truex Jr. 7/1 4th, 1st, 1st, 9th No top-5s in nine Chicagoland starts, but looks to be happiest – maybe with Johnson – with regular aero package.
Brad Keselowski 7/1 3rd, 5th, 2nd, 7th Two-time Chicagoland winner, including last season; kicked off 2012 Chase with a win and went on to win title.
Joey Logano 8/1 2nd, 8th, 23rd, 5th Career-best fourth last season; currently on spectacular run with nine top-5s in past 12 starts.
Matt Kenseth 6/1 13th, 19th, 3rd, 6th 2013 Chicagoland winner in first year with Gibbs; on great run of winning three of past six races on schedule.
Denny Hamlin 15/1 30th, 2nd, 7th, 41st Sixth last season at Chicagoland and career-best fifth in 2009; looked best of the Gibbs cars in final practices.
Kyle Busch 7/1 7th, 9th, 16th, DNP 2008 winner at this track, seventh last season; Chase has been issue over career, but he’s a new man in 2015.
Carl Edwards 12/1 15th 22nd 4th 20th Career-best runner-up here in 2010; fourth or better in past two 1.5-mile tracks – won at Charlotte.
Kurt Busch 12/1 10th 10th 17th 8th Career-best fourth-place in 2013; tenth or better in past three races on 1.5-mile tracks.
The rest of the field: Jeff Gordon 30-1 Dale Earnhardt Jr 30-1 Kyle Larson 30-1 Jamie McMurray 30-1 Ryan Newman 40-1 Kasey Kahne 50-1 Paul Menard 80-1 Austin Dillon 50-1 Clint Bowyer 100-1 Tony Stewart 100-1 David Ragan 200-1 Greg Biffle 200-1 Aric Amirola 300-1 AJ Allmendinger 500-1 Ricky Stenhouse Jr 500-1 Danica Patrick 500-1 Casey Mears 500-1 Trevor Bayne 500-1 Field 500-1
Notes: Qualifying was canceled due to rain so the starting lineup will be set by speeds set in practice 1. * Results from the May 9, 2015 race at Kansas Speedway, a track similar to Chicagoland, and the last 1.5-mile track that didn’t feature the low down force aero-package.estgate Las Vegas Super Book.
Micah Roberts, a former Las Vegas sports book director, has been setting NASCAR odds since 1994. Follow him on twitter @MicahRoberts7.
