When it comes to racing on 1.5-mile tracks, it’s Kevin Harvick and then everybody else in the NASCAR Cup Series.

The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford added to his already impressive resume when he scored his second win of the season in the Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday.

Harvick leads all Cup Series drivers with 14 wins on 1.5-mile tracks over the last 10 seasons.

His 4,567 laps led at those courses are 1,012 more than any other driver over that span.

That will be important to keep in mind when Harvick and company head to another 1.5-mile track at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend.

First, the NASCAR Cup Series moves to the shortest track on the schedule with the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 set to take place at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia on Wednesday.

It will be the first-ever night race at Martinsville and just the second night race of the season.

In fact, prior to this year there hadn’t been a single Wednesday night Cup Series race since the Firecracker 400 all the way back in 1984.

While Harvick has dominated at 1.5-mile tracks, the Joe Gibbs Racing stable has cornered the market at short tracks in recent years.

That appears to be the case again heading into Wednesday’s race.

Here is a closer look at the latest odds for the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500.

 

The Favourite

Kyle Busch +375

When it comes to short track racing, it’s Busch and then everybody else.

Since 2009, Busch has registered 15 Cup Series wins at short tracks.

To put that number in perspective, that’s more wins at short tracks than any other team, never mind any other driver.

Team Penske has 11 short-track wins over that span.

Hendrick Motorsports has 10.

After a runner-up finish at Atlanta, Busch remains winless throughout his first 10 starts of the season.

This after recording three wins through 10 races in each of the last two seasons.

Over the last 15 years, only two other defending champs have gone winless through their first 10 starts of the year.

On the heels of his best performance of the season so far, there is a very good chance Busch finally breaks through with a trip to Victory Lane at Martinsville on Wednesday night.

At the very least, it’s easy to understand why Busch is the consensus favourite at +375 to win the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500.

 

Next In Line

Brad Keselowski +600

Over the last three Cup Series races at Martinsville, no driver has posted better results than Keselowski.

The winner of last year’s STP 500, Keselowski has averaged a third-place finish in his last three starts at this track.

Going back even further, Keselowski has eight consecutive top-10 finishes here, including seven top-five results.

After stringing together five straight top-10 results including a pair of victories heading into Wednesday night, it’s no surprise Keselowski has shorter odds to win this race outright than any driver other than Busch.

Martin Truex Jr. +625

Sticking with drivers that have dominated at Martinsville, Truex is right up there among the best with Busch and Keselowski.

The driver of the No. 19 Toyota led 464 of 500 laps when he won last year’s First Data 500 at this track.

Over his last five starts at Martinsville, Truex has posted the following results: second, fourth, third, eighth and first.

Coming off his first top-five finish of 2020, Truex is back on the radar as a legitimate contender to win Wednesday night’s race outright.

Denny Hamlin +650

Are you beginning to notice a trend here?

Joe Gibbs Racing has won 32 of the last 67 short-track races dating back to 2009, which is 21 more than any other team.

So it should be no surprise that they have cornered the betting market with Busch, Truex and Hamlin all listed amongst the four drivers with the shortest odds to win this race.

The No. 11 Toyota has posted three consecutive top-five finishes at Martinsville, including runner-up in the 2018 First Data 500.

With a pair of victories to his name already this season, Hamlin should be in the mix to win Wednesday’s race along with his fellow JGR teammates.

 

Don’t Sleep On

Kevin Harvick +1100

While Martinsville isn’t a 1.5-mile track, it’s hard to argue against the results that Harvick has posted regardless of the venue so far this season.

The current Cup Series points leader has nine top-10 finishes through 10 starts and leads all drivers with 542 laps led overall.

Harvick hasn’t won at this track since 2011.

However, he has strung together five consecutive top-10 results here, so it isn’t like he hasn’t contended at The Paperclip.

Don’t sleep on NASCAR’s hottest driver to contend for the outright win on Wednesday night at +1100.

Jimmie Johnson +1700

Nobody is suggesting betting on Johnson to win at Martinsville.

After all, his winless streak of 105 races is the longest of his Cup Series career.

Still, Johnson leads all active drivers with nine wins, 19 top-five finishes and 2,862 laps led in his career at The Paperclip.

He’s also flashed this season with a pair of top-five results.

Maybe, just maybe, the No. 48 Chevrolet will produce some more magic in Wednesday night’s Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500.

*All Betting Information appears as listed by Bodog on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.