Tony Stewart is a very happy man right now in spite of being $25,000 lighter in the pocket. NASCAR officials fined Stewart for cursing during the post race interview at Indianapolis on Sunday. Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing were also docked 25 owners points over the incident. Aside from the slight slip of the tongue, Stewart is happy with the car he drove to back-to-back wins at Chicagoland and Indianapolis. Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing are so happy with the car they are taking it to Pocono this weekend to race in the Pennsylvania 500 and hoping lightening can strike three times.
Oddsmakers at online sportsbook SBG Global have installed Stewart as a favorite (+600) but not the most favorite. That honor belongs to teammate Denny Hamlin, driver of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet installed with a +400 chalk to win the Pocono race. In his first year as a full time driver in 2006, Hamlin won both Pocono events making history as the first rookie driver to win both races at the same track in the same year. Just to show how dominating Hamlin was at Pocono as a rookie; not only did he win both races but he captured both starting poles. Hamlin finished strong (6th) at Pocono. Hamlin now has a win under his belt from last months win at New Hampshire and is second in Nextel Cup points.
Other favorites expected to make a strong run at Pocono are are Jeff Gordon (+450) and Jimmie Johnson (+700), both of Hendrick Motorsports.
Odds to win Sunday’s Pennsylvania 500 Nextel Cup race
1 J GORDON – - +450
2 J JOHNSON – - +700
3 T STEWART – - +600
4 M KENSETH – - +1300
5 J BURTON – - +2000
6 D EARNHARDT JR – - +2000
7 KYLE BUSCH – - +1200
8 KURT BUSCH – - +1200
9 D HAMLIN – - +400
10 K HARVICK – - +1500
11 M TRUEX JR – - +1400
12 C EDWARDS – - +2000
13 R NEWMAN – - +900
14 C BOWYER – - +2800
15 M MARTIN – - +2200
16 J MCMURRAY – - +4500
17 C MEARS – - +2200
18 G BIFFLE – - +3000
19 K KAHNE – - +4000
20 JP MONTOYA – - +3000
21 FIELD (ALL OTHERS) – - +1500
