Nationwide runs final road course race of the season at Montreal

Autoracing Betting Lines

08/24/2010 - Montreal, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Series: NASCAR Nationwide. Date: Sunday, August 29. Race: NAPA Auto Parts 200. Site: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Track: 2.710-mile, 14-turn road course. Start time: 2:30 p.m. (et). Laps: 74. Miles: 200.466. 2009 winner: Carl Edwards. Television: ESPN 2. Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio.

The Nationwide Series travels to Montreal for the third and final road course race on the 2010 schedule. Carl Edwards won the inaugural event at the Road America road course in Elkhart Lake, WI in June. Marcos Ambrose won at Watkins Glen International for the third year in a row earlier this month.

Rain has been a huge factor in the last two Nationwide races at the 2.710- mile, 14-turn Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The weather forecast for the Montreal area this weekend calls for mostly sunny skies with no chance of precipitation.

Last year, Ambrose led the field when a shower moved over the area with 16 laps remaining. NASCAR instructed teams to pit, giving them five minutes to change to rain tires and install a windshield wiper if needed. NASCAR's decision to continue the race on a wet track surface led to numerous spins that forced several late-race cautions, including one for a two-lap overtime finish. Ambrose pulled away on the final restart, but Edwards chased him down before the Aussie slid on the final turn of the last lap. Edwards made the pass and then claimed his third Nationwide victory of the season and his first on a road course.

"Montreal is a full-on go all the way through the gears, come all the way to a stop, turn right or left, then you go all through the gears, come to a stop and turn left or right -- it's a real stop-and-go racetrack," Edwards said. "I would say on a scale, Sonoma is really swoopy, smooth and finesse. Watkins Glen is in the middle, and Montreal is really aggressive."

Ambrose has led the most laps in the first three races at Montreal, but victory has eluded him here. He lost the 2008 race after being penalized for speeding on pit road late in the race. Canadian Ron Fellows went on to win the rain-shortened race. Fellows battled wet track conditions and capitalized on an early-race pit strategy to score his fourth career Nationwide victory. All four of his wins have come on road courses.

Kevin Harvick won the inaugural event in 2007, one in which Robby Gordon thought he had won after he and Ambrose took turns spinning each other on the final lap.

NASCAR determined that Gordon should be in the 14th spot for the final restart, but Gordon refused to move from behind Ambrose. The race resumed with Gordon right behind the leader. Gordon took out his frustration on Ambrose, spinning him in the second corner. Harvick then inherited the lead, and after holding off Patrick Carpentier, was declared the winner.

Harvick is not competing in Sunday's race at Montreal. Road course ace Max Papis will drive Harvick's No.33 Chevrolet.

Robby Gordon returns to Montreal since the inaugural race here in '07.

Brad Keselowski, who currently holds a 313-point lead over Edwards, has yet to win a Nationwide road course race in eight attempts. However, Keselowski has finished no worse than fifth in the last three road course events.

"The more you run the road courses, the better you get at it," Keselowski said. "The best part about Montreal is the people, so I enjoy the city and the atmosphere."

Several Canadian drivers are entered in this event. Jacques Villeneuve, the former Formula One world champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, returns to the track that bears his father's name

"I've been racing there over the years since 1993," Villeneuve said. "I've been on the track a lot of times, and to be able to go back in a NASCAR race is great. Last year, we had a good race, and we were competitive. We're going back this year with the same car from Elkhart Lake [Road America], which was very good. We've saved it for this race, because it is good in the tight corners, which should be a good positive for Montreal."

Patrick Carpentier, Andrew Ranger, who finished third in this race last year, J.R. Fitzpatrick, Pierre Bourque and Fellows are the other Canadians scheduled to compete at Montreal.

Forty-seven teams are on the preliminary entry list for Sunday's NAPA Auto Parts 200.

Kyle Busch is not entered for Montreal, since he is competing in Friday's Camping World Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. Brad Coleman will drive the No.18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Last Friday, Busch claimed his Nationwide record-tying 10th victory of the season.

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American Idol odds : Blake Lewis the Early Standout

An important American Idol betting lines recap from February 20 Guys episode. The 12 men came out flat overall with Blake Lewis appearing to have the early edge after the first hour and a half.

Rudy - was quite good singing "Free Ride" to start off.  Randy was not impressed though.  Paula thought he started off fantastic.  "Never had anyone stop off so lively" said Paula but Simon (who does not like Rudy) does not feel he has a distinct voice and was not impressed either. 

Brandon was a little pitchy according to Randy and Paula agreed.  Simon said he was a good singer but the song was "too safe" and he needs to make an impact.  He was listed at +1200 odds or $1200 paid out on a $100 bet should he win the competition. 

Big favorite Sundance came in with a flat version of "Knights in White Satin" and the judges let him have it, including Paula.  Randy claimed the song was out of pitch throughout.

Korean American - and a Jenny Woo favorite - Paul Kim was up next.  Another pitchy flat one but Randy said he still liked his potential.  Kim at +3000 odds was said to have sung a "third rate version of that (George Michael) song" according to Simon Cowell.  He sang "Careless Whisper".

22 year old Chris Richardson was up next.  He was listed with +1100 odds coming in.  He got the best response from the judges though Simon did not believe the vocal was that great. 

Nick was boring and pitchy.  Simon didn't think he was that bad though and predicted he would be back next week.  Nick Pedro was a big +3000 dog coming into this competition. 

Beat boxer Blake Lewis was listed with early +1000 odds or $1000 payout on a $100 bet if he were to become the next American Idol winner odds .  These of course were the early odds.  He was considered original for picking an "odd song".  He did not beat box and the judges felt it was the best vocal of the night. 

Sanjaya came in as the second biggest favorite after Chris Sligh but his performance Tuesday night was not very good. 

Chris Sleigh was the early favorite at +450 odds.  Great voice and a great sense of humor.  He's a real standout.  Randy felt it was on point but maybe ahead of the chorus a little bit.  Simon Cowell said he felt like he was in some "sort of weird student gig". 

Jared Cotter followed.  He was listed with +2000 odds early on to win the competition.  The judges felt he needs to take more risks but looked good. 

22-year old AJ Talbado, who has tried out for American Idol five times, was up next.  "Kind of a theme park performance" said Simon.  Though the judges felt he performed okay.  Simon did feel AJ might be better than he originally thought.

Phil - this season's military favorite - came into this competition with +1200 odds to win the competition.  He was the last to perform.  He was certainly strong enough to get through this stage of the competition and perhaps the best one after a shaky start. 

Tomorrow night, the ladies perform and I sure hope they do a better job than the boys.  Check out all the American Idol betting odds here.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.