Aaron's 499 - Return of the Random

Talladega isn't the greatest place to get off a losingyear's Daytona 500, only to get slam-drafted late and
streak.see the afternoon go up in a puff of tire smoke. It's
Not that we're technically on a losing streak; we hadnerve-rattling for us; imagine how crazy it is for the
Jeff Gordon winning last Saturday night's Phoenixdrivers themselves.
event, which he did, as a +385 favorite. But in anAnyway, we can but try. Here are the best bets for
excruciating turn of events, Dale Earnhardt Jr. gotthe Aaron's 499 from Talladega.
caught on in the pits during a late caution, went a lapLast Week: Gordon's win couldn't overcome Junior's
down, and wound up losing his head-to-headterrible luck (which he's now experienced two weeks
match-up against Greg Biffle, who didn't have nearlyrunning), meaning we dropped 0.38 units on 1.5 units
the car Junior did, and who trailed the #8 all night.wagered. For the season, then, we stand a positive
Drat.net 1.49 units on 12 units wagered, a return of 12.4%.
So we lost a little money, and now we head to theNote also that if you eschew the conservative
'Dega, probably the sport's most random site. It'sbetting scheme I outline below, and simply place one
random, of course, because the Big One is neverunit on every wager I recommend, for the year
more than a few laps away: the giant wreck thatyou'd be up 17.52 units on 32 units wagered, for a
takes out half the field, since the cars all ride so54.8% return. As always, though, be aware that that
impossibly close together at 190 mph with restrictorbetting scheme is far riskier on a week-to-week
plates on their carburetors. The favorites can lead allbasis.
day, as did Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch in this