NASCAR pleased with its new rules package for Daytona
Autoracing Betting Lines
01/13/2012 - Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - NASCAR officials seem to be very encouraged so far with their revised rules package for next month's Speedweeks events at Daytona International Speedway.
NASCAR president Mike Helton, vice president of competition Robin Pemberton and Sprint Cup Series director John Darby gave a competition update on the new rules on Friday at Daytona. Thirty-two Sprint Cup teams are in the midst of a three-day test session at the 2.5-mile speedway, preparing themselves for Speedweeks, particularly the February 26 Daytona 500.
At the conclusion of Thursday's opening day session, NASCAR notified teams it will increase the size of the restrictor plates to 15/16 of an inch and reduce the size of the front grille opening by one inch on each side. The sanctioning body also announced it will ban communications between drivers on their car radios during the race in an effort to break up the two-car tandems.
"In what we saw on the racetrack [Thursday], the ability to react from our side and from the teams' side to make adjustments and adapt to those adjustments I think is what we are seeing unfold in front of us," Helton said. "We've not seen anything that we dislike, but we know there are other things that we would like to see more of. I think the progress of the weekend is we're kind of in the middle of it right now."
NASCAR's latest modification to the restrictor plate and the grille openings made for speeds almost reaching 205 mph during Friday morning's session at Daytona. Michael Waltrip Racing drivers Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer led the way with identical lap speeds of 204.722 mph. Richard Petty Motorsports teammates Marcos Ambrose and Aric Almirola were second quickest at 203.142 mph each.
During the afternoon session, NASCAR gathered further data when as many as 20 cars ran in a draft.
"What we're looking for is just the ability to collect some data and put another check in the box if you will," Darby said. "We've seen a lot of time spent on qualifying laps and qualifying runs. We've seen a little bit of time spent with a two-car-tandem type of a push.
"The one snapshot we haven't been able to capture yet is what does 10 or 15 or 20 cars in an old-school style of draft look like. What kind of speeds do they generate, and what type of rpm do the engines run at. It's something we need, and it's a piece of the master equation if you will, as we close in on a package to come back to Speedweeks with."
Prior to this week's test, NASCAR collected data from test sessions at Talladega Superspeedway last October and then Daytona the following month.
NASCAR has also conducted test sessions for teams to familiarize themselves with the electronic fuel injection systems, which are replacing carburetors in the Sprint Cup cars for the 2012 season.
"I think NASCAR has handled this really well, and we've had a lot of time to develop the systems and get things going," said five-time series champion and 2006 Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson. "I don't have any fear, and I don't really sense any throughout the garage area. We're still learning the rules package as we go.
"With a day and a half to go, I'm not sure NASCAR has settled in with the package they want just yet, and we'll keep fine-tuning. From an overall aero package and plate package, there's still probably some adjusting that would take place I would guess. I really don't know. From a reliability standpoint of the [electronic fuel injection], I don't see any issues for anybody."
Teams will wrap up testing at Daytona on Saturday. NASCAR will then decide if further modifications to the cars are needed before the start of Speedweeks.
"It's a test, and we're all learning from the test, and when we get our information when we're done, we will go back to sit down with our groups and make decisions on how we come back to start Speedweeks," Pemberton said.
During last year's Speedweeks at Daytona, NASCAR made numerous changes to the cars, including the restrictor-plate size.
"When Speedweeks unfolds, many times we do make an adjustment when we're down here to address what the teams have done to make their improvements," Pemberton added. "We expect that out of them, and they expect that out of us. I think we're all geared up to come back and have a pretty good Speedweeks. I think this is one of the better test sessions that we have been at in a number of years."
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Will Ohio State continue to run the table in College Football betting odds?
MySportsbook.com favors Buckeyes, Fighting Irish and Golden Bears in this weekend's big games.
NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 21 - My Sportsbook NCAA football fans: things are beginning to get really interesting on college football's national stage. Following last weekend's "Separation Saturday", which included five teams ranked in the top 15 dropping games, the BCS Championship picture is beginning to take shape - with Ohio State leading the charge. And, according to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, the number-one-ranked Buckeyes will continue their winning ways this weekend.
Revenge will be the name of the game in Columbus this Saturday, as Ohio State looks to even the score following last season's loss to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. Although Penn State are listed as 16.5 point underdogs, they are 11-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes. Paterno and the Lions, however, will have to shut down Heisman Trophy favorite Troy Smith who has thrown for 769 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Speaking of revenge, Notre Dame will be out for some against Michigan State, following last year's 44 - 41 overtime loss to the Spartans in South Bend. The thirteenth-ranked Irish, listed as a 3-point favorite, will also be looking to avenge last Saturday's thrashing from the Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans, meanwhile, have won seven of the last nine match-ups against Notre Dame and are coming off an impressive 38-23 victory over Pittsburgh.
Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.
NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
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Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
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Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6
For complete NCAA football odds and World Series odds please visit MySportsbook.com