Budweiser Duel Odds And Picks Gibbs Drivers Poised For Win

After watching Saturday’s Sprint Unlimited and Sunday’s qualifying session, it’s fair to say the cars are running almost exactly like they did in 2014. In both events, we saw tempers flare with several wrecks, and with some drivers having to stay aggressive to give themselves a chance to make the Daytona 500, it’s a good bet we’ll see a couple more wrecks.

Daytona forecast: Wrecks, wrecks, more wrecks

Unlike in the Sprint Unlimited, the cars used in the Budweiser Duels will be the same ones used in the Daytona 500. Those involved in a wreck will have to use a back-up, and no driver wants that.

You might think we’d have more drivers win one of the Budweiser Duels and Daytona 500 in the same year, but it’s only happened nine times since 1959. The last driver to accomplish the feat was Matt Kenseth in 2012. Before him it was Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2004, and Dale Earnhardt did it in 1998 – the only year he ever won the Daytona 500. Cale Yarborough is the only driver to do it twice (1977, 1984). The first driver to do it was Fireball Roberts in 1962. Others include Bill Elliott (1985), Bobby Allison (1988) and Sterling Marlin (1995).

Last season we saw Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth sweep the Bud Duels. Hamlin also won the Sprint Unlimited last year, and Kenseth won it Saturday. Between those two, Kyle Busch and new teammate Carl Edwards, they look to be the best bet to get at least one of the wins. Hamlin, Busch and Edwards are the top three favorites to win in Duel No. 2.

ODDS TO WIN BUDWEISER DUEL 1, DAYTONA, THURSDAY, FEB. 19, 2015 DALE EARNHARDT JR 6-1 MATT KENSETH 6-1 KEVIN HARVICK 7-1 BRAD KESELOWSKI 7-1 JOEY LOGANO 8-1 JEFF GORDON 10-1 TONY STEWART 12-1 JAMIE McMURRAY 12-1 KASEY KAHNE 12-1 KYLE LARSON 12-1 CLINT BOWYER 15-1 PAUL MENARD 20-1 ARIC ALMIROLA 25-1 TREVOR BAYNE 25-1 TY DILLON 25-1 AJ ALLMENDINGER 35-1 CASEY MEARS 35-1 FIELD 50-1

BUDWEISER DUEL 1 MATCHUPS DALE EARNHARDT JR -110 MATT KENSETH -110

JEFF GORDON +140 JOEY LOGANO -160 KEVIN HARVICK -110 BRAD KESELOWSKI -110 TONY STEWART -110 JAMIE McMURRAY -110 KYLE LARSON -110 KASEY KAHNE -110 ARIC ALMIROLA -110 TREVOR BAYNE -110

ODDS TO WIN BUDWEISER DUEL 2, DAYTONA, THURSDAY, FEB. 19, 2015 KYLE BUSCH 9-2 CARL EDWARDS 9-2 DENNY HAMLIN 5-1 JIMMIE JOHNSON 10-1 KURT BUSCH 10-1 RYAN NEWMAN 12-1 AUSTIN DILLON 12-1 MARTIN TRUEX JR 10-1 GREG BIFFLE 12-1 RICKY STENHOUSE JR 20-1 RYAN BLANEY 25-1 MICHAEL WALTRIP 25-1 SAM HORNISH JR 25-1 DANICA PATRICK 25-1 BRIAN SCOTT 30-1 DAVID RAGAN 40-1 JUSTIN ALLGAIER 40-1 FIELD 40-1

BUDWEISER DUEL 2 MATCHUPS KYLE BUSCH -110 CARL EDWARDS -110 DENNY HAMLIN -160 JIMMIE JOHNSON+140 MARTIN TRUEX JR -125 GREG BIFFLE +105 RYAN NEWMAN -110 AUSTIN DILLON -110 RICKY STENHOUSE JR -110 RYAN BLANEY -110 MICHAEL WALTRIP -110 DANICA PATRICK -110

Play daily fantasy sports: Free contest entry with first deposit on DraftKings