NASCAR Odds 2017: Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson Monster Energy Cup Favorites
The NASCAR odds to win the 2017 Monster Energy Cup championship have been released, and right at the top of the list is seven-time champion and 2016 winner Jimmie Johnson. Johnson, who claimed all seven of his titles during the Sprint Cup era, will shoot for back-to-back titles for the first time since he claimed five straight championships from 2006 to 2010. Johnson also would love to be the first name etched in history to win the championship under the new Monster Energy regime.
According to a Gaming Today report, Johnson, along with Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch, are all tied for the top spot on the Las Vegas odds board to win the 2017 Monster Energy Cup championship at 6/1.
Harvick has been one of the top drivers over the past three seasons on the NASCAR circuit. He claimed the 2014 NASCAR championship and has flourished since the playoff format was put into place. He finished third overall back in 2013 and second in 2015. This may be the year Kevin Harvick breaks through and claims another NASCAR championship.
What can you say about last year’s champion Jimmie Johnson? He is the Tom Brady of NASCAR. Johnson claimed his seventh overall NASCAR title in 2016, which had to be the sweetest of all of the seven championships in Johnson’s career, considering the fact that he had struggled in the playoffs the previous two years. Many experts were wondering if his best days were long behind him.
Johnson proved the doubters wrong, and now he will shoot for his eighth title in his incredible career when the season begins this February in Daytona.
As for the other two favorites, Joey Logano has never won a NASCAR title, but last year he came very close, finishing just in second place — three points behind Jimmie Johnson in the 2016 championship. Johnson finished with 5,040 points, while Logano ended his great season at 5,037. Logano has been the model of consistency for the past three years as he has reached the playoffs each season. Now, he just needs to figure out a way to get over the top.
Logano finished fourth in 2014 and sixth in 2015.
Kyle Busch claimed his first NASCAR title back in 2015. Busch, like Logano, has been driving well the past three seasons. He finished third in last year’s title defense, just two points behind Logano.
In a two-way tie for second place as the favorites to win the 2017 Monster Energy title are Martin Truex, Jr. and Brad Keselowski. Truex has never won a NASCAR title, but he has made the playoffs the last two seasons. He finished 11th overall last year and fourth in 2015. Another reason to believe this year could be the break through season for Truex is that he is coming off a great 2016 in which he had a career-best four first place finishes.
Keselowski is coming off of a disappointing 2016 season. While Keselowski captured the Sprint Cup title back in 2012, the driver of the No. 2 car finished 12th overall last season, ironically right behind Truex. Look for Brad to be right back amongst the top drivers this season.
Below is a list of the top 10 NASCAR odds favorites to win the 2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Championship. To see the full list of odds, be sure to click here for all of the information.
The 2017 NASCAR season will officially get underway on February 26, three weeks after Super Bowl 51, from Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, as the best of the best battle it out in the annual Daytona 500.
- Kevin Harvick 6/1
- Jimmie Johnson 6/1
- Joey Logano 6/1
- Kyle Busch 6/1
- Martin Truex Jr. 7/1
- Brad Keselowski 7/1
- Chase Elliott 12/1
- Matt Kenseth 12/1
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. 15/1
- Denny Hamlin 15/1
[Featured Image by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images]
