Odds to win the Big Machine Vodka 400

This is the last week for non-playoff drivers to punch their ticket into the postseason as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series takes to Indianapolis Motor Speedway with playoffs just one week away. Brad Keselowski earned his playoff berth last week with his first win of the season, but Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch share the best odds at +260 to win this week’s Big Machine Vodka 400.

Sportsbook has Harvick and Busch at +260 followed by Martin Truex Jr. at +450, Kyle Larson at +650 and Brad Keselowski at +1200 to round out the top five.

Should you be on Harvick or Busch?

With two drivers sharing odds of +260 to drive to victory, you have to look at which one actually provides better value. Harvick claimed the pole and picked up the checkered flag at Indianapolis in 2003, but since then he has finished in the top five just three times, never winning again and picking up the pole one more time. Last year, the California native qualified second and had a sixth-place finish.

On the other hand, Busch has finished in the top five in four of his last six races at Indianapolis, including winning two of his last three and qualifying on the pole in the last two. In 2016, the Nevada native had the pole and won the race, leading 149 of the 170 laps. So, if I were to choose between the two, Busch looks like the better bet.

Can Jimmie Johnson clinch his playoff spot with a win?

It is weird to see the NASCAR schedule enter September without Jimmie Johnson driving to victory lane at least once. That’s right, the seven-time points champion has failed to earn a checkered flag in the 2018 season. However, the 2.5-mile track may be just what the California native needs to get over the hump. Johnson isn’t totally up against the wall, though, as he has an 87-point lead over Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who sits in 17th in the points standings, and he holds a 19-point lead over Alex Bowman, who has the 16th and final playoff spot.

The 42-year-old has finished inside the top five in six of his 16 career runnings at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including winning four of those races. Johnson hasn’t been to victory lane at Indianapolis since 2012, but he did have a third-place finish in 2016 and qualified in fourth place for last year’s race. With the threat of not competing for a championship on the line, look for the veteran to be raring to go on Sunday and at +5500 could be a nice payday for bettors.

Here’s a look at the complete odds for the field in the Big Machine Vodka 400:

Odds to win The Big Machine Vodka 400