In 2003, Kenseth won the Cup Series championship and he is a two-time Daytona 500 winner. He ranks second in the points standings through 11 races this season, two points behind RFR teammate Greg Biffle.

The car unveiled at the Hall still bore the No. 17. Since 2000, Kenseth has driven it full-time in the Sprint Cup Series and in NASCAR since 1997 when he broke into what was then known as the Busch Series. For the Saturday’s All-Star Race only, there had been some discussion of putting the number 53 on the car, but even that fell through.

Fifth Third is on board as primary sponsor of the No. 17 Ford for four races this season. As it has been termed as a “multi-year marketing partnership”, so it is expected for at least that many going forward. The All-Star Race is the first event for which Fifth Third will serve as primary sponsor, followed this season by the June 30 Cup race at Kentucky, July 29 at Indianapolis and Aug. 19 at Michigan.

Kenseth said that addition of Fifth Third at least is a big step in the right direction and he downplayed speculation that he might leave Roush Fenway if there is not enough sponsorship for his car next season.

Greg Carmichael, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Fifth Third, says in a press release that Fifth Third Bank is excited to partner with Roush Fenway Racing and Matt Kenseth on this Sprint Cup Series sponsorship. He added that their organizations share many common values, including a focus on teamwork and a desire to challenge the status quo to be the best at what they do.

Cincinnati-based Fifth Third (NASDAQ:FITB) is based on local deposits of $1.8 billion and it is ranked as the fourth-largest bank in the Charlotte area.

The Talladega Superspeedway has long been one of racing’s iconic tracks. This weekend will also commemorate the 25th anniversary of Bobby Allison’s crash that forever changed NASCAR by bringing restrictor plates to the sport of NASCAR. While drivers will not reach the all-time qualifying speed record of 212.809 MPH set by Allison in 1987, racing fans will surely be treated to an outstanding race this Sunday.

Who are the favorites to Win the Aaron’s 499?

If you are looking for a way to make this weeks’ NASCAR race a little more exciting, consider placing a wager on a few of your favorite drivers. There are some great betting odds out there this week as a tightly contested race is expected on Sunday.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (+800) – Always a crowd favorite, Dale Jr. is one of the favorites for this Sunday’s race simply because of his prior success on restrictor plate tracks.

Kevin Harvick (+800) – Harvick has finished in the top five the last three times he has raced at Talladega. With recent success like that it may be too much to pass up on +800 odds.

Tony Stewart (+1200) – Stewart already has two wins this season and will be looking to add a third. At 12 to 1 odds it may be worth it to take a shot and see if Stewart can get it done.

Jimmie Johnson (+1200) – With four top five finishes and seven top ten finishes already this season, Jimmie Johnson is looking to reclaim his crown as the best driver in NASCAR. A win at Talladega Sunday would help push him to the top of the Sprint Cup standings.

Matt Kenseth (+1500) – Currently ranked 4th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Standings, Kenseth has more than enough ability to get the job this weekend.

For a NASCAR Sprint Cup race, the Focus will be the first all-electric pace car. According to Ford research, approximately 35 percent of new car intenders are motorsports fans and 78 percent of them support NASCAR. Additionally, than general market consumers, Ford race fans are 67 percent more likely to consider Ford products.

In NASCAR, the electric-powered Ford Focus marks the latest in a line of groundbreaking moments for Ford. The company was also first to use a hybrid to start a NASCAR event when the Fusion Hybrid served as pace car for the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2008, in addition to being the first manufacturer to compete with a four-door sedan as its flagship model in 1998. In January, when it unveiled the new 2013 Fusion racer to media in Charlotte, N.C., Ford became the first manufacturer to show off its 2013 NASCAR race car.

On April 25, the Focus Electric pace car will be unveiled for the public at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond. The Focus Electric car will be delivered to Richmond International Raceway by Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling.

In 2012, Ford will offer fuel-efficient EcoBoost engines in 11 vehicles, up from seven in 2011, tripling the production capacity of EcoBoost-equipped Ford vehicles. The 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine will lead this expansion of fuel-efficient offerings in the high-volume Escape compact utility vehicle and Fusion sedan.

Focus Electric is America’s most fuel-efficient five-seat car that operates entirely on battery-generated power. It is offers the equivalent of 110 miles per gallon (MPGe) city, 99 MPGe highway. Focus Electric offers 105 MPGe combined and it has been certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Production of the Focus Electric began at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich in December. In the first half of this year, Ford is ramping up Focus Electric retail production for dealership availability in California, New York and New Jersey. Focus Electric will be available in 19 markets across the U.S. by the end of the year.

The New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a driver’s track. Tony Stewart is a driver’s driver. He loves to race sprint cars on obscure dirt tracks in North Dakota or the world-famous Knoxville Speedway on his off days. If Tony Stewart could race every day of the week he would.

This makes New Hampshire a perfect second race for him to take advantage of fellow NASCAR Sprint Cup competitors. Stewart is in the driver’s seat to win his first NASCAR title if he can repeat his success this Sunday. Tony Stewart possesses the best driver rating at New Hampshire and he will be the Chaser to beat.

Besides Stewart, who else has potential to upset the NASCAR Chase apple cart? Don’t forget about No. 24, Jeff Gordon. Gordon ranks second best among the NASCAR Chase drivers in driver ratings and he is on a roll heading into the Chase. Look for Gordon to score a top five and don’t be surprised if he wins the race and asserts himself as a contender.

The next best driver rating on this track is Jimmie Johnson. The five-time defending champ is looking to assert himself in the Chase and this track gives him the best opportunity to make his mark. Look for Johnson in the top five as well in the final laps.

Looking for a wild card in this race? Look no further than Dale Earnhardt Jr. He loves this track and despite no wins, Dale Jr. has finished in the top five six times in the last 13 races in New Hampshire and 10 top 10′s in the last 13.

For sports betting information on this event you should point your browser to SharpBettor.com

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Pocono Raceway is one of the largest tracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit but it is also one of the flattest tracks and the most difficult to drive. Each turn is designed to resemble a different track and it is a track that makes it nearly impossible for the crew chief to set the car up to be perfect for the entire track.

Get NASCAR Odds for this race closer to the event.

Drivers must decide what is their most important entry into a turn and then they will sacrifice in another turn when working on their set up in practice. The length of the race, 500 grueling miles, is one of the toughest tests of a NASCAR engine and a driver.

The team that wins is the team with the best engine. This season Roush Fenway’s Ford FR-9 engine has been the strongest and most reliable engine on the Cup circuit. Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards will be the two drivers to beat in this race but do not rule out Greg Biffle, who is also a member of Roush Fenway. Biffle is hungry and he will be considered a 15-1 shot in Las Vegas odds to win this race.

Another team to consider are the possible long shots in the field. A.J. Allmendinger and Marcos Ambrose will be driving with the same FR-9 engine as the Roush Fenway drivers. Ambrose and Allmendinger have been showing signs of breaking through for their first NASCAR Sprint Cup win and both will have odds in excess of 40-1 for this race.

The usual favorites will also be favored in this race. Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin have a solid history on this track and Denny Hamlin’s crew chief Mike Ford is one of the best crew chiefs in the business when it comes to setting a car up for this track.

Check out NASCAR betting closer to the May 29 race for odds for this event.

The race is typically won by the crew chief with the best strategy and best adjustments made as the race turns from day to night. A car that drives with the rear end hanging out and the sun out will tighten up once the sun comes down.

Crew chiefs ignore their drivers as they whine about their cars ill handling with the sun out and then begin to make their adjustments as night falls on the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The best crew chiefs on this track for this race are Chad Knaus and Steve Addington. They are both masters of setting up their cars and although both have to deal with whining drivers, they both have thick skin.

The best drivers in this race range from Jimmie Johnson with six wins, to David Reutimann with one win. The who’s who list of past winners for this race reads more like, “Who are these guys?” Casey Mears captured his first win on this track as well as Reutimann.

The team that runs the race backwards on paper is usually the team with the best chance to win. Look for Steve Latarte to put together a gambling move with fuel mileage in an attempt to get Dale Earnhardt Jr. in victory lane for the first time in over a 100 races.

Take a look at a couple of long shots to win this race, like Martin Truex Jr., who is at 40-1 in NASCAR Odds, and A.J. Allmendinger at 75-1.

Auto Racing Odds for this event will be available closer to the race, which goes May 20.

Last year’s All-Star race was no different. Denny Hamlin threw a block on his teammate Kyle Busch causing him to damage his car and later blow a tire. An irate Kyle Busch parked his wrecked racer behind Denny Hamlin’s hauler and waiting inside until he could confront Hamlin.

It is a typical incident in the race that awards no points. This year the All-Star Race will feature three segments for a total of 90 laps. A 50 lap segment and two 20 lap segments with a fourth and final 10-lap shootout at the end. NASCAR agreed with the track’s decision not to alter the format.

Who are the favorites to win the All-Star race this year? Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson will be the favorites in Las Vegas but for this race it is always good to find long shot. Who will be a long shot for the All-Star race? Look for Mark Martin or Dale Earnhardt Jr. to be a long shot heading into the race.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. should be a great price because he is not automatically qualified and he may have to win the Open. No fear Dale Jr. fans, there is also a fan vote. Rest assured Dale Earnahrdt Jr. will be in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race.

Another long shot to consider in this race will be Mark Martin. He will go off at 25-1 and this will be his last chance to win this race in Hendrick Motorsports equipment.

Get NASCAR betting Odds closer to this May 8 race.

The Darlington Raceway is the most unique track on the NASCAR circuit. The track lost their historical Labor Day weekend for the Southern 500 when they lost their second date but the drivers still love to come to South Carolina to race the Lady in Black every Saturday night before Mother’s Day.

The track takes a driver with more guts than brains. The driver that will lead the most laps at Darlington is not afraid to bury the throttle and ride the wall on this quirky track. Drivers that have performed well on the track are Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch. The teammates are both fearless and they know how to set up their cars on this fast and hard to master track.

Greg Biffle is another driver to watch at Darlington. He is the only back to back winner since Dale Earnhardt won back to back in ’93-’94. Biffle has a reputation for flattening the right side of his car in most races so a Darlington stripe will not slow down “The Biff.”

Kurt Busch has never won at Darlington but he lost in one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history in 2003. Busch traded paint with Ricky Craven in the 2003 race and both slid across the finish line for one of the most exciting finishes in NASCAR history.

Get NASCAR Odds at online sportsbooks closer to the April 17 race.

According to the Las Vegas Hilton Superbook the favorite for this race is Jimmie Johnson at 6-1. Don’t be fooled. Johnson is the favorite because everyone insists on betting him. The trend is much like the trend of betting Tiger Woods over the field when Woods was at his best.

The drivers that have a strong history on this track are 12-1 shots Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle. They both rank n the top five of the NASCAR power numbers and they will be up front much of the race. Another Roush Fenway driver, Carl Edwards, has won three races in Texas but he has only four top ten finishes on this track. Edwards is the definition of a hit and miss driver on this track.

Jeff Gordon is a 12-1 shot to win at Texas but he cannot be dismissed. Gordon has a history of running up front on this track and he will be a contender come crunch time. Another Hendrick Motorsports driver many may not consider a threat is Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Jr. is a 20-1 shot to win according to Vegas but he has the motivation to close the deal this weekend and he won his first race on this track.

In online sports picks NASCAR Odds are not yet available for this race.

Texas Motor Speedway is very similar to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in regards to speed and banking and the same drivers that had great weekends in Las Vegas should be at the top of the scoring pylon after this week as well.

The Roush Fenway contingent of Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards will not be the only drivers running up front in Texas. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon lead the Hendrick Motorsports group in Texas. Both drivers have run well on this fast intermediate track and Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the first race of his career on the fast banks of Texas.

Don’t forget last year’s winner of both races held in Texas last season. Denny Hamlin swept the two NASCAR Sprint Cup races and looked unbeatable in 2010 and his teammate Kyle Busch has never won on the mile and a half track.

Tony Stewart will be the wild card in this race. Stewart is off to the best start of his career and the driver/owner has benefited from his relationship with Rick Hendrick. Stewart and his Hendrick satellite team has taken off this season and they are out performing their Hendrick brethren.

Looking for a long shot in the Texas Samsung Mobile race this weekend? Look for Martin Truex Jr., a possible 40-1 shot, to win the Texas race. Truex has qualified well on the fast track and he is not afraid to bury the throttle heading into turn one.