Fans, get used to it. Jimmie Johnson is expected to complete the four-peat, four consecutivechampionships.  At least that is what theodds-makers are saying.  Is it really asurprise that a driver who has won twenty-two races in the last three years isexpected to win the championship?  Whendoes it stop, right?



 

Eventually, his championship run has to end.  Realistically, we all know that, includingthe odds makers.  However, with that said,the odds makers must formulate their odds based on probability, and all theyhave to go by is what has taken place. Jimmie Johnson has dominated the Sprint Cup Series over the past threeyears, so naturally, he is the favorite to capture the championship, and asmart bettor would shy away from betting against the three-time defendingchampion.

 

Initially, Jimmie Johnson has 4-1 odds to win the 2009Sprint Cup championship.  Nine-time race winner in 2008, Carl Edwards, has 9-2odds to win his first Sprint Cup title. Edwards will likely emerge as the trendy pick when the early previewguides are released in January. 

 

Kyle Busch, who tallied eight total victories in 2008, has5-1 odds to win his first Sprint Cup championship.  Busch dominated the first 26 races of the2008 season, only to crumple in the final ten. Nevertheless, if Busch is as stout as he was for most of 2008, do notanticipate another late-season collapse.

 

Greg Biffle was the surprise championship contender in 2008;however, he will no longer sneak up on anyone in 2009.  Experts predict another solid season forBiffle, who is listed as 10-1 odds to win his first championship.  Biffle has emerged as a veteran leader inSprint Cup, and is getting better with age.

 

NASCAR's favoriteson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, is listed at 12-1 odds. Earnhardt Jr's odds have plunged since last year, following a perceiveddisappointing season.  However,Earnhardt, Jr. was solid for most of the season.  Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin are listed as13-1 odds.  Gordon and Hamlin producedone victory between them, and it was not Gordon that enjoyed the victory lanecelebration. 

 

Mark Martin, now a member of the Hendrick Motorsportscronies, is listed as 18-1 odds, along with his former prot'g? Matt Kenseth,who is the 2003 champion.  Kenseth failedto win a race in 2008, his first winless season since 2001, which was also thelast time he finished outside the top ten in the championship standings.

 

Richard Childress Racing teammates Jeff Burton and KevinHarvick are listed as 20-1 odds and 22-1 odds respectively.  Burtonis still searching for championship number uno, as is Harvick; however, Harvickwould be happy just to rekindle his once close relationship with victory lane.

 

Listed at 30-1 odds are Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, KurtBusch, and David Ragan.  Stewart is inthe midst of a new endeavor as he will run his own Chevrolet operation.Obviously, his championship odds are significantly lower than they were whilehe was with Joe Gibbs Racing.  Bowyerwill begin the 2009 season with a brand new team, still in the RichardChildress Racing organization.  Kurt Busch hopes to rebound from perhaps theworst season of his career.  Ragan is theup and comer of the group. 

 

Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray are listed as 40-1 odds.  Kahne won twice in 2008, but stammered in thelatter half of the season.  McMurray wasonly getting started as the season ended. Rookie Joey Logano is also listed at 40-1 odds.  However, this is a bit of an overrate.  Logano struggled mightily in 2008 in hishandful of starts.  You mean to tell methat he has a better shot at the championship than Ryan Newman, Martin TruexJr, or even Juan Pablo Montoya? 

 

Obviously,the odds are subject to change as the 2009 season approaches, but this is justa taste of what to expect in the looming season.