As with golf, betting on NASCAR used to be almost exclusively on who would win the overall event. However, wagering on the odds to win has become a distant second to wagering on which of two competitors will have the better head-to-head results. Books typically offer match-ups based on drivers (and their cars and teams, of course) of similar skill, and will offer anywhere from a dozen to 50 match-ups on a race.
Picking the winner of a race is difficult, but the payoff is high. For example, Mark Martin might be 25/1 to win the entire race, and hitting that would be a nice payoff, but remember there are 42 other drivers in the race!
Picking the winner of a head-to-head match-up is much easier, but the payoff is much smaller as well. For example, Mark Martin (lets say he is 25/1 to win the race) might be matched up against Jeff Burton (20/1 to win the race) for wagering purposes.
For such a match-up Martin only has to beat Burton. He could finish 42nd and still the bet could be a winner! In a case like this the line might be Martin +120 and Burton -140, so your $100 on Martin only pays $120 if he beats Burton. If Martin wins the race, you would still only get the $120 instead of the $2500 it would pay if you had picked him to win the race.
Specifications
A typical NASCAR Sprint Cup Series engine.
* Engine Displacement: 5.86 L (5,860 cc) (358 in³) OHV V8 engines.
* Transmission: 4 Speed Manual.
* Weight: 3450 pounds (1564.9kg) Minimum without driver, with fuel; 3650 pounds (1655.6 kg) Minimum with driver, fuel.[26]
* Power Output: ≈865 hp (645 kW) unrestricted; ≈445 hp (332 kW) with restrictor plate (2007). [27]
* Torque: 720 N·m (530 ft·lbf).
* Fuel: 92 MON, 104 RON, 98 AKI unleaded gasoline provided by Sunoco.
* Fuel Capacity: 17¾ U.S. Gallons (67.2 Liters; most tracks).
* Fuel Delivery: Carburetion.
* Compression Ratio: 12:1.
* Aspiration: Naturally aspirated.
* Carburetor size: 750-830 cubic feet per minute (354-392 liters per second) 4 barrel.
* Wheelbase: 2,794 mm (110 in).
* Steering: Power, recirculating ball.
* Tires: Slick tire provided by Goodyear.
* Length: 5,290 mm (208 in).
* Height: 1,358 mm (53 in).
* Width: 1,879 mm (74 in).
* Safety equipment: HANS device, Seat belt 6-point supplied by Willans.
