Final Driver Ratings For Quaker State 400 at Kentucky

Micah Roberts Top 10 Driver Ratings
Quaker State 400
Kentucky Speedway
Saturday, July 9, 2011 - 4:46 pm (PDT)

Rating    Driver     Odds        Test 1   Test 2     Practice   STP 400*

 1. Kurt Busch 8/1                19th         2nd        3rd             9th           
Dominated Kansas race leading 152 of the 267 laps; using 14th-place Dover car.                                   
 2. Jimmie Johnson 8/1         1st          6th         5th             7th                 
Had his best practice of season on 1.5-mile tracks; using Michigan chassis this week.
 3. Kyle Busch 8/1                 4th          1st         1st            12th                
Was the star of Thursday’s testing and Friday’s practice; using Kansas chassis.
 4. Carl Edwards 6/1            20th         3rd         7th              5th               
No one better on 1.5 and 2-mile tracks this season; using 16th-place Charlotte car.
 5. Tony Stewart 12/1           28th       12th         9th              8th    
Brought Las Vegas chassis that led four times for 163 laps that settled for runner-up.             
 6. Jeff Gordon 10/1              7th         8th         14th             4th            
Has won three inaugural races: Indianapolis (1994), Fontana (1997) and Kansas (2001).    
 7. Matt Kenseth 8/1             17th       27th        13th            6th
Won at the higher banked 1.5-mile track at Texas; using runner-up Michigan chassis. 
 8. Denny Hamlin 10/1          15th       13th        26th             3rd            
Changed motors and will start from the rear; strong Kansas and Michigan runs translate well. 
 9. Kevin Harvick 12/1           25th      36th         19th          11th
Won inaugural Nationwide series Kentucky race in 2001; using winning Michigan car from 2010.            
10. Brad Keselowski 60/1     18th       31st          6th             1st                      
Second best 10 consecutive lap average in practice; using winning Kansas chassis.

Note: Because this is the first Cup race ever run on at Kentucky, NASCAR allowed teams to have two test sessions on Thursday prior to Friday’s scheduled practice and qualifying. Most teams used their back-up cars for the testing. Rain washed away Friday’s first practice and qualifying. Starting lineup will be set by practice speeds.

* Results from the June 5, 2011 race at Kansas are relevant this week because both 1.5-mile tracks are banked similar.
                  
Odds courtesy of the Las Vegas Hilton Super Book.

Micah Roberts, a former race and sports Director, has been setting NASCAR lines in Las Vegas since 1995. For more Roberts insights and post-practice analysis on the race, go to VegasInsider.com or follow MicahRoberts7 on Twitter.