Busch aiming for fourth straight national series win

Autoracing Betting Lines

08/24/2010 - Joliet, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck. Date: Friday, August 27. Race: EnjoyIllinois.com 225. Site: Chicagoland Speedway. Track: 1.5-mile tri-oval. Start time: 9:00 p.m. (et). Laps: 150. Miles: 225. 2009 winner: Kyle Busch. Television: SPEED. Radio: Motor Racing Network(MRN) /SIRIUS NASCAR Radio.

What a week it was for Kyle Busch at Bristol.

Busch's win in the Camping World Truck Series race last Wednesday kicked off his historical three-race sweep at Bristol. He became the first driver to win all three of NASCAR's national touring series races in the same week.

While the Sprint Cup Series takes its last open weekend of the season, Busch will try to win his fourth national series race in a row at the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway.

Busch will attempt to defend his title in the EnjoyIllinois.com 225 at Chicagoland. One year ago, he led the most laps with 79 and then held off Todd Bodine after the final restart with seven laps remaining to win the inaugural Truck Series race here.

"Chicago is always fun because my parents are from that area and so are my fiancee's parents," Busch said. "It has a lot of history and family ties. I think we think we have a good shot, and with a new sponsor on board [Traxxas RC cars], we have a good chance at winning and making it four [national series wins] in a row."

With nine races to go in the season, Bodine holds a comfortable 211-point lead over Aric Almirola.

Bodine leads all drivers in the series with 11 wins on 1.5-mile tracks. He won at Texas Motor Speedway in June. Bodine finished second at Chicagoland last year.

"We had a really good truck last year, but we got beat on a restart," Bodine said.

The 225-mile truck race will run under the lights at Chicagoland on Friday, the night before the IZOD IndyCar Series competes here.

Thirty-eight teams are on the preliminary entry list for the EnjoyIllinois.com 225.

Wwwiberia Autoracing Betting News

<< Nationwide runs final road course race of the season at Montreal
Montreal, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Series: NASCAR Nationwide. Date: Sunday, August 29. Race: NAPA Auto Parts 200. Site: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Track: 2.710-mile, 14-turn road course. Start time: 2:30 p.m. (et). Laps: 74. Miles: 200.466. 20

<< Red Sox activate C Cash
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox have activated catcher Kevin Cash from the 15-day disabled list. To make room for Cash, the Red Sox optioned catcher Dusty Brown to Triple-A Pawtucket after Monday's win over Seattle. C

<< Tigers' Ordonez to have ankle surgery
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Detroit Tigers slugger Magglio Ordonez will undergo a procedure on Wednesday to stabilize his broken right ankle. Ordonez was examined by foot/ankle specialist Dr. Phillip Kwong of the Kerlan- Jobe Clinic

<< This Week in Auto Racing August 27 - 29
Montreal, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series takes its final off-week of the season, but there's still plenty of racing action this weekend. While the Nationwide Series heads north of the border to Montreal, the Ca

<< Kinsler resumes activity after positive MRI
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler was cleared to further resume baseball activities after an MRI revealed improvement in his injured groin. Kinsler had the exam early on Tuesday, and ac

Chicagoland begins IndyCar's final four on ovals >>
Joliet, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Series: IZOD IndyCar. Date: Sunday, August 29. Race: PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300. Site: Chicagoland Speedway. Track: 1.5-mile tri-oval. Start Time: 8:00 p.m. (et). Laps: 200. Miles: 300. 2009 winner: Rya

Reds put Edmonds on DL >>
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cincinnati Reds have placed outfielder Jim Edmonds on the 15-day disabled list with a right oblique strain. Edmonds, who the Reds acquired from Milwaukee earlier this month, has bat

Mariners-Red Sox game rained out; day-night DH set for Wednesday >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tuesday's scheduled game between the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox has been postponed because of rain. The contest will instead be played Wednesday as part of a day-night doubleheader. The f

Cards place pitcher Reyes on DL >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Louis placed southpaw relief pitcher Dennys Reyes on the 15-day disabled list with a left elbow strain Tuesday. The move, retroactive to August 16, leaves a gap on the roster that will be filled

Rangers purchase Cora's contract, designate Arias >>
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers have purchased the contract of infielder Alex Cora from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Cora, who the Rangers signed to a minor league deal last week, played in 62 games for the New York Mets thi

Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

Additional basketball lines can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.


Kurt Warner to start, Matt Leinart to watch

Despite the debate that's swirling , Kurt Warner will remain the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, coach Dennis Green said today. The Arizona Cardinals are the +7 point underdog at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com for this Sunday's game.

Green's comment came in a statement released by the team following an ESPN report that Green decided that rookie Matt Leinart would replace Warner as starter for Sunday's game at Atlanta.

"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," Green told the AP. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs.