Kyle Busch-- The Championship Favorite?

Author: Jeremy Dunn

Published: Wednesday Jun 4 2008 2:51pm

As Kyle Busch, a.k.a. Rowdy, continues to win races and anger fans, his championship nascar odds (3-1 Odds) continue to improve. As of now, thirteen races into the 2008 Sprint Cup season, he is the nascar odds-on favorite to capture the championship, which would make him the youngest champion ever at 23 years of age. Jeff Gordon currently holds the title as the youngest champion as he was 24 years old when he won his first championship in 1995. Kyle’s brother Kurt was 26 years old when he won the 2004 championship.

However, there is some good news for the anti-Rowdy fans out there. Since 2001, only twice has a driver leading the standings after thirteen races won the Sprint Cup championship. In 2006, Jimmie Johnson (6-1) went on the win the title while leading the standings after thirteen races, as did Matt Kenseth (15-1) in 2003. In the remaining five years, the champion emerges following the thirteenth race.

In 2001, Dale Jarrett led the standings by 50 points over the eventual champion Jeff Gordon (8-1). Jarrett had three wins, and appeared to be in a class of his own when Gordon entered a hot streak that lasted throughout the summer months, propelling him to an easy championship, 349-points ahead of second-place Tony Stewart. Meanwhile, Jarrett faded to sixth in the final standings, 500 points behind Gordon.

In 2002, Sterling Marlin enjoyed a 136 point lead over Jimmie Johnson after thirteen races. He had two victories at the time. However, Marlin began to fade during the autumn months, losing the lead to Mark Martin after the 27th race of the season. Tony Stewart (6-1), who was seventh in the standings and 235 points behind Marlin after the thirteenth race, rallied to capture his first title. Marlin did not finish the season due to a collar bone injury suffered at Kansas, just two races after he lost the lead in the standings.

In 2003, Matt Kenseth led the standings from the third race of the season all the way to Homestead.

In 2004, the first season of the Chase for the Championship, fan favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (5-1) led the standings by 98 points over Jimmie Johnson. He had already amassed three wins, but he faded in the summer months, and it appeared as if Johnson and Jeff Gordon were the drivers to beat. Kurt Busch (50-1) was the most consistent driver in the Chase for the Championship, and he went on to win the championship by 8 points over Johnson. After thirteen races, Busch was sixth in the standings, 315 points out of the lead. Earnhardt, Jr. finished fifth in the final standings, 138 points behind Busch.

In 2005, Johnson owned a 46 point lead over Greg Biffle (10-1) with two wins. Meanwhile, eventual champion Tony Stewart was fifth, 306 points behind Johnson. During the summer of 2005, Stewart caught fire winning five races in a span of seven races. He did not slow down in the Chase for the Championship as he clinched his second title by 35 points over Biffle and Carl Edwards (5-1). Johnson finished fifth, 127 points behind Stewart.

In 2006, Johnson dominated both the regular season and the Chase for the Championship en route to his first championship.

In 2007, Johnson was second in the standings after thirteen races, 132 points behind Jeff Gordon, who owned three wins at the time. When the Chase for the Championship began, Johnson entered into the zone, as he won four consecutive races, ten overall, and won the title by 77 points over Gordon.

In 2008, Kyle Busch owns a 142-point lead over second place Jeff Burton (15-1).

Since 2001, the average position of the champion after thirteen races in 3.4, so round that down to 3. That is good news for Junior nation, as Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (5-1) is currently third in the Sprint Cup championship standings after thirteen races.

The second place driver after thirteen races has won the championship twice, which is music to the ears of Burton fans.