TWO NASCAR Matchup Predictions

Last Sunday’s Sports Smorgasbord was a success as I nailed all four plays, one in college, one in the NBA and two in NASCAR where I banged both of my matchups (with a little help from the weekly race analysis written by PredictEm’s resident NASCAR expert Virginia Vroom.)

So I figured, let’s try it again today.
But sometimes you try out a new buffet, and the selection sucks. Unfortunately, that’s what I have for today’s Sports Betting Buffet, as I have a very limited selection of plays to choose from; only a few fit the handicapping systems I use. While the selection may suck, let’s hope the picks don’t.

With a very limited choice in both college and pro basketball, I’m going to just stick with NASCAR today. Coming off a bad week where I dropped two games in both college and NBA, I’m not going to force something today.
But I do have two matchups I really like in NASCAR, so that’s what I’m going with.

Today, we’re heading out to Phoenix for the Shriners 500. I read up as much as I could on this race yesterday, including, of course, our own NASCAR expert, Ms. Virginia Vroom, who likes Byron to win, Bubba as her mid-range pick, and McDonald as her dark horse.

If you like her top choice, you have two attractive matchups to choose from at our sponsor Bovada:
Byron -130 over Logano
Byron -125 over Reddick

Virginia steered me in the right direction for winners last week, and I stick with what works, so I’ve got to go with her advice again this week. I’ll take her choice of Byron to win in his matchup over Reddick.

And I’m using a matchup of my own, Blaney -130 over Christopher Bell.
I’m taking a bit of a risk in this one as Bell is coming off two wins in a row. But I’m betting a three-peat is much too difficult in NASCAR and my man Blaney has finished top 5 in the last seven races at Phoenix, and top 10 in his last nine races there.

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, Blaney finished in second place in three of the last five races here. And I’m okay if he’s a bridesmaid again this afternoon.
As long as Bell isn’t the only car that finishes ahead of him.

My plays:

• Byron over Reddick -125
• Blaney over Bell -130

Record updates
February 4-4
NBA: 1-2
College: 1-2
NASCAR: 2-0, record 2-0, +2 units
(Unit count added to NASCAR due to differing odds on Favs and Dogs)