The Brickyard 400 will run today in Indianapolis, Indiana, stream all the action right here.
In the second race of NASCAR’s doubleheader this weekend we have the Brickyard 400 running out of Indianapolis, Indiana. The big news of the weekend included Jimmy Johnson testing positive for COVID-19 and pulling out of the race, he’ll be replaced by Justin Allgaier.
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Previewing Sunday’s Pocono 350 at Pocono Raceway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.
The NASCAR Cup Series is back at the Pocono Raceway for the Pocono 350. The green flag drops Sunday at 4:20 p.m. ET with the race televised on FOX. Below, we analyze the Pocono 350 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.
The NASCAR boys just ran on the track Saturday in the first doubleheader weekend in Cup Series history. Stewart Haas driver Kevin Harvick streaked to victory, holding off Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin by a few car lengths.
Leavine Family Racing driver Christopher Bell and Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell showed Saturday that the little guys can compete, especially in these shorter-length races. The rookie Bell had a tremendous Cup debut at the “Tricky Triangle,” racing his way to fourth place, while McDowell finished eighth.
Toyota’s streak of five consecutive Pocono victories was snapped Saturday with Harvick’s win. Ford now has three wins in the past eighth Pocono runs, while Chevrolet hasn’t been to victory in Long Pond since the Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400 in the Spring 2016 race.
Lucky Nine? Harvick started in the ninth position Saturday and raced to the win, while Hamlin won from the ninth starting spot last July at Pocono. Penske Racing’s Ryan Blaney (+1200 for Sunday’s race) starts ninth in the 350.
Aric Almirola (+1600) recorded a third-place finish Saturday, his highest finish in a Cup car during a Pocono start. His previous best was seventh, set during the Spring ’18 run.
Who is going to win the Pocono 350?
HAMLIN (+500) was my top pick for Saturday’s race, and he was just edged out by Harvick. Hamlin could have used some lapped traffic to disrupt Happy’s flow, but it just never came into fruition and the No. 11 had to settle for runner-up.
Hamlin is 12th or better in seven of his past eight Pocono starts, including a win last July, and the runner-up showing on Saturday. He was the top finishing Toyota in Saturday’s race.
KYLE BUSCH (+550) was unable to pick up the checkered flag Saturday, but still has three wins in his past six Pocono starts. He ended up in fifth place Saturday, which isn’t too shabby. In fact, Rowdy has placed inside the top 10 in eight consecutive starts at the “Tricky Triangle” since a disastrous 31st-place showing in the Spring ’16 start.
MARTIN TRUEX JR. (+1000) made his presence felt with a solid sixth-place run, giving JGR three cars – joining Hamlin and Kyle Busch – in the top six positions. Truex was third in last season’s summer race, and has been sixth or better in five of his past seven Pocono starts. At this price (+1000), TRUEX IS A VERY GOOD VALUE.
Pocono Raceway long-shot bets
BELL (+6500) turned in a fourth-place showing in his Pocono Cup debut Saturday, so he has to be on the radar of bettors at this price as we eagerly wait to see what he can do for an encore. Even if he falls a few positions, you can scoop him up and RING THAT BELL AT+310FOR A TOP-10 FINISH.
WILLIAM BYRON (+2200) had a solid 14th-place showing Saturday, setting him up to start from the seventh spot in Sunday’s grid. He has a solid 10.2 Average-Finish Position (AFP) in five career Cup starts at the Pennsylvania tri-oval, so keep an eye on the No. 24 car. If you’re not feeling him for checkers, but perhaps to place inside the top 10, he is just about even-money at +105.
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Previewing Sunday’s Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.
The NASCAR Cup Series moves to the Talladega Superspeedway for the GEICO 500. The green flag drops Sunday at 3 p.m. ET with the race televised on FOX. Below, we analyze the GEICO 500 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.
Sunday’s run at the Talladega Superspeedway is the first on a superspeedway track since the Daytona 500 opened the 2020 Sprint Cup Series season. That seems so long ago, as the stands were packed during pre-COVID 19 days. However, Talladega will actually host 5,000 fans in the frontstretch grandstands/towers, and there will be a limited amount of motorhome spots available outside of the track, too.
Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott (+800 for Sunday’s race) won the spring race at Talladega last season, while Penske Racing’s Ryan Blaney (+1100) took checkers in the fall race at the Alabama superspeedway.
Talladega’s tri-oval is 2.66 miles long, compared to Daytona International Speedway, which is 2.5 miles long. There are four turns, and those turns have a 33-degree bank with a slight bank or fifth turn in front of the main grandstand.
Each of the past five winners have started fourth or lower in the grid, and 15 of the previous 16 winners have started from the outside of Row 2 or lower.
Ford has dominated this track in recent years, posting eight victories in the past nine starts.
Who is going to win the GEICO 500?
BRAD KESELOWSKI (+850) leads all active drivers with five victories at Talladega, so the Penske driver has to be considered a must-bet option, especially considering Ford’s dominance in recent seasons.
Keselowski has seven top-5 finishes, 11 top-10 showings and 293 laps led in his 22 career starts with a 16.0 Average-Finish Position (AFP) and four DNFs.
JOEY LOGANO (+900), Keselowski’s teammate, picked up a victory in the spring 2018 Talladega race, and has raced to Victory Lane in three of the past nine Cup races at Talladega Superspeedway. In 22 career starts, Logano has finished inside the top 5 on eight occasions, leading 319 laps and posting a 16.2 AFP.
CHASE ELLIOTT (+800) has been a quick study at Talladega, picking up a win in eight Cup starts at the track. In addition, he has three top-5 showings and four top-10 finishes, while racking up 126 laps in the front of the pack and turning in a 13.25 AFP, second among active drivers with at least three career Cup starts at the superspeedway.
Talladega Superspeedway prop bets
ARIC ALMIROLA (-110) has stepped up his game in recent seasons, bringing it home inside the top 10 in each of his past seven Talladega starts. As such, he is a SOLID BET TO FINISH INSIDE THE TOP 10 yet again. The defending champ from the fall race, Blaney (-200) is a little on the expensive side even for a top-10 finish. While yes, he won last season at the track, he had posted a 23.8 AFP in the previous five runs at ‘Dega. A better bet might be Ryan Newman (+185), as he has finished inside the top 10 in four of the past five runs at the superspeedway.
For Talladega, you can take part in group betting. If you’re new to betting, this simply means you choose one driver among a listed group of four. Whomever places highest cashes a winning ticket. In Group 3 betting, AUSTIN DILLON (+250) is a good play in the group with William Byron (+215), Matt DiBenedetto (+250) and Christopher Bell (+275).
Among the best finishing position matchups, take LOGANO (-118) to finish better than Denny Hamlin. ALMIROLA (-115) is a good bet to outpace Alex Bowman, while DILLON (-118) is also worth playing against DiBenedetto.
Talladega Superspeedway long-shot bets
RICKY STENHOUSE JR. (+2000) is always worth a look at superspeedways. He picked up a win here during the spring 2017 run in his Ford, while starting from the pole position. In 13 career Cup starts here, he has five top-5 showings, eight top-10 runs and a 11.62 AFP, leading all active drivers.
ALMIROLA (+2000) is also worth a roll of the dice, posting a win, four top-5 runs, eight top-10 results and 46 laps led with a 15.35 AFP in his 20 career Talladega starts. And, as mentioned, he has cracked off seven straight runs finishing ninth or better, including the win in the fall of 2018 at ‘Dega.
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Previewing Wednesday’s Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway sports betting odds and lines, with NASCAR analysis, picks and tips.
The NASCAR Cup Series moves to Martinsville Speedway for the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500. The green flag drops Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. ET with the race televised on FOX Sports 1. Below, we analyze the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 odds and betting lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.
Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500: What you need to know
Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski (+600 for Wednesday’s race) won the spring NASCAR Series Cup race at venerable Martinsville Speedway in 2019, while Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. (+600) picked up checkers in the fall race during the playoffs.
Both winners in 2019 started from the third position in the grid, and each of the previous 13 winners have started third or lower. The last driver to win from Row 1 was Jimmie Johnson (+2000), both in the spring 2013 race and fall 2012 installment.
Ford has won three of the previous four Martinsville races, while Toyota has won two of the past five. Johnson last took Chevrolet to Victory Lane in the fall 2016 race.
Johnson leads all active drivers with 2,863 laps led in his 36 career starts at Martinsville. He has nine victories, 19 top-5 finishes and 24 top-10 runs with just two DNFs and a 9.31 Average-Finish Position (AFP).
Five drivers in Wednesday’s field have at least two grandfather clocks – the “trophy” for winning at Martinsville – in their shops: Johnson (9), Denny Hamlin (5), Kurt Busch (2), Kyle Busch (2) and Keselowski (2) each have multiple wins at the paper-clip short track in the hills of Virginia.
Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney (+1100) is on the pole for Wednesday’s race. In eight career starts at Martinsville he has no wins, but a solid three top-5 finishes, four top-10 wins, 145 laps led and 12.88 AFP.
Who is going to win the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500?
The Virginia native Hamlin (+700) is second among active drivers with 1,566 laps led in 28 starts with five victories and a 9.39 AFP. Hamlin, who is from Chesterfield, Va., has also posted 15 runs inside the top 5 with 21 in the top 10.
JGR’s Hamlin goes off from the 12th spot on Wednesday night. Two of his five wins at Martinsville have come from the pole, but his other three victories are when he started 15th or lower.
TRUEX JR. (+600) has managed just one win in his career at Martinsville, the fall race last season. But he has been eighth or better in each of his past five Martinsville runs, including four top-5 finishes, and he has a 7.1 AFP across his past 10 starts at the track. That’s third best among all drivers dating back to the spring 2015 run. Truex goes off fifth.
KESELOWSKI (+600) enters Wednesday’s race with eight consecutive top-10 finishes, including wins in the spring races in 2017 and 2019. The Penske driver, who has two victories across the past four races, will start from the outside of Row 3. In fact, Penske has three Fords starting in the top six, with Blaney (+1100) on the pole and Joey Logano (+900) firing off third. All three Penske drivers are worth a look, with Keselowski the best bet of the triumvirate.
Martinsville Speedway prop bets
KESELOWSKI (+100) is a value play over Kyle Busch in head-to-head betting, while BLANEY (-105) is a decent option against his teammate Logano.
You can also bet on the Top Ford Car. Put your money on KESELOWSKI (+250) as he looks to bring his manufacturer another strong finish.
Martinsville Speedway long-shot bets
JOHNSON (+2000) continues to endure the longest win drought of his career dating back to June 2017 at Dover International Speedway. He has racked up nine grandfather clocks for the Hendrick shop and his living room, but No. 10 might be the most special if he is able to bring it home Wednesday night. Give him a look at this price, as he is bound to break through – plus, Martinsville is one of his best tracks.
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At the time, NASCAR issued a statement supporting Haley and reaffirmed its “long-standing policy to disallow the use of the Confederate Flag symbol in any official NASCAR capacity.” But it didn’t go as far as to ban the flag, a symbol of slavery and oppression, from the track, so the flag is ever-present at NASCAR races. Instead, fans had the option to use an exchange program, turning in confederate flags and receiving American ones.
Following Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Team Penske drivers Brad Keslowski and Ryan Blaney were asked if it’s time for the governing body to review its policy regarding the confederate flag.
Keselowski — who famously celebrates his race wins with a burnout and a giant American flag sticking out of his No. 2 Ford — answered:
“I only salute one flag and that’s America’s. I recognize that that flag might mean something different to different people, but it doesn’t mean United States of America to me. But I’m not gonna tell people they need to get rid of it. That’s not my right either. But I certainly don’t salute it or respect it or probably anyone else who feels the same way. But, at the end of the day, it’s not our call.”
His teammate was a little more direct with his response to the confederate flag question. Blaney — who also noted he participated in protests in Charlotte last week — said:
“As far as the confederate flags go, they had that trade your flag in, and I think everyone has their beliefs. It’s tough, but I don’t really enjoy it because sometimes I feel like the people that wave them mean the negative when they wave them, and that’s not cool.
“Yeah, I’d love to not see them at the race track, honestly, because it doesn’t make everyone comfortable, so that’s kind of where I stand on that. Bring your 50 stars flag; I think that would be way better.”
Keselowski and Blaney were two of several big-name drivers who helped make a video about speaking out against racism and encouraging people to listen and educate themselves, as protests against police brutality and for justice continue around the globe. Both drivers had previously posted onsocial media about Floyd’s death as well.
Previewing Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway, with NASCAR betting odds, picks and best bets.
Say goodbye to those virtual races, as the NASCAR Cup Series returns for real at Darlington Raceway Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the betting odds and lines, with NASCAR picks and tips with odds from BetMGM sportsbook.
NASCAR changes: What you need to know
Sunday’s return to action after the pause due to COVID-19 will not have any practice sessions or qualifying. In fact, there will be no practice sessions for any May race, and qualifying will only be held for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte May 24. Here is what we know:
Positions 1 through 12 to be determined by a random draw from charter teams in those positions in team owner points
Positions 13-24 to be determined by a random draw among charter teams in those positions in owner points
Positions 25-36 to be determined by a random draw among charter teams in those positions in owner points
Positions 37-40 to be filled out by open, non-chartered teams in order of owner points
A quick perusal of the current standings after four starts shows Stewart-Haas Racing’s (SHR’s) Kevin Harvick (+600 for Sunday’s Darlington race) sitting in first, one point ahead of Penske Racing’s Joey Logano (+750). Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott (+850), Alex Bowman (+1300) and Jimmie Johnson (+2000) are in third through fifth, respectively, while Penske’s Ryan Blaney (+2200) sits sixth. SHR’s Aric Almirola (+5000) is tied for seventh with Kyle Larson (more on him below). Matt DiBenedetto (+5000) of Wood Brothers is ninth, while Penske’s Brad Keselowski (+850) rounds out the top 10.
As for Larson, he was released by Chip Ganassi Racing and indefinitely suspended by NASCAR for uttering a racial slur during a live virtual racing broadcast during the COVID-19 pause. While he has completed a mandated sensitivity training course, Matt Kenseth (+2000) is coming out of retirement to join CGR in the No. 42 car.
Who is going to win Sunday at Darlington Raceway?
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch (+500) is noticeably absent from the top 10 in the standings, but he is actually listed as the race favorite due to his recent run of success at the track. While he hasn’t won in the past 10 stops, he has been 11th or better in each of those starts.
Busch has finished seventh or better in eight of his past 10 starts at Darlington, posting a stellar 11.1 Average-Finish Position (AFP) in his 15 overall runs at the South Carolina track.
Johnson actually leads all active drivers with three wins at “The Lady In Black,” and he has a 12.1 AFP in 21 starts with nine finishes inside the top 5. He has also led 554 laps, fourth-most of any driver. Busch actually leads with 716 laps led, followed by Harvick (581) and Denny Hamlin (+700), another driver currently outside of the top 10 in standings. That could change in a hurry, however.
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Martin Truex Jr. (+800) is also flying a bit under the radar – he won this race in 2016, followed by his JGR teammate Hamlin in 2017. So, definitely do not base your wagering decisions on starting position alone. The past two winners have come from a starting position of 15th and 13th, and the last five winners have been from eighth or lower in the starting grid, so the pole hasn’t amounted to much lately.
Darlington Raceway long-shot bets
If you’re looking to back a long shot, why not Kenseth? He is a rather moderate underdog in his return to the track. Kenseth won at Darlington as recently as the 2013 season, and raced a Cup car in 2018, albeit a 25th-place fun. He has five top-10 starts in his past seven Darlington runs, including the 2013 win, so how amazing of a story would it be if he won Sunday?
SHR’s Clint Bowyer (+5000) has been a disaster at Darlington in recent years, posting a 40th-place run in 2017, a 36th-place finish in 2018 before running sixth last season. He is a great driver, but a long shot for a reason, as he has found the title “Track Too Tough To Tame” apropos. In 14 career Darlington starts, he has a dismal 21.6 AFP with just two top-10 showings and only 17 laps led. Still, a driver of his caliber at this price is worth a small-unit bet, especially with all of the chaos and uncertainty heading into the season restart.
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Alex Bowman tried to get his dog to take over while he took a bathroom break.
With sports currently on hold because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, NASCAR is doing the next-best thing.
Thanks to the iRacing video game — which Clint Bowyer praised as “truly realistic beyond belief” — NASCAR held a virtual exhibition race Sunday in the newly formed eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where the NASCAR Cup Series was scheduled to race in real life this weekend. It’s a unique advantage NASCAR has over other sports during this global pandemic with precise data making the tracks and cars as realistic as possible, while racers have steering wheels and pedals to have total control over their cars.
It was a 100-lap event broadcast on FS1 with big-name drivers like Bowyer Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and William Byron — who got his start in iRacing before working his way up to the Cup Series — on the track. NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon and FOX Sports’ Mike Joy were even calling the race.
"I barely made it right there. I think I passed 15 cars."- @ClintBowyer
But unlike real life, it didn’t look like anyone took this too seriously, like seven-time champ Johnson who’s new to iRacing and joked about his technical difficulties and not really knowing how any of this works.
And some drivers were tweeting during the race for a hilarious twist on this simulation event.
It’s not real, so why not have a little fun with it? Here’s a look at some of the best in-race tweets from NASCAR’s top drivers competing in the Pro Invitational Series event and others in the racing world.
Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney are good friends, so while Blaney wasn’t competing in the race, he offered his services as Elliott’s crew chief, a “lifelong dream.”
From criticizing his real-life Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson to his dog lending a hand to eating an Uncrustable, Bowman won this race on social media.
Even IndyCar Series drivers Josef Newgarden and JR Hildebrand chimed in with their thoughts on the virtual event.
This is such a strange time. I’m watching this @NASCAR@iRacing event on FS1 and it’s without a doubt making a difference for me while we can’t race in reality! I love it.
After looking at his destroyed race car, Ryan Newman said it’s a miracle he’s OK.
For the first time since his horrific Daytona 500 accident almost three weeks ago, NASCAR driver Ryan Newman was at the race track and spoke to the media briefly Friday at Phoenix Raceway.
“It’s great to be alive,” Newman said when asked what it means for him to be at the track. “After looking at my car, it’s a miracle.”
Newman is being treated for a head injury and said he has “no idea about” a possible timetable for his return to the race track. For the two races following the Daytona 500, Ross Chastain has filled in for Newman in the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, which he’ll also drive in Sunday’s FanShield 500 at the 1-mile Phoenix-area track.
"It's great to be alive."- @RyanJNewman at Phoenix
He said his reaction to seeing his destroyed race car was: “Just lucky.”
After Newman’s car was flipped over and he was removed, he was taken to a nearby Daytona Beach hospital and was in “serious condition” the night of the race. Amazingly, he was released less than 48 hours later.
Although the specifics about Newman’s injuries remain unknown, he did not suffer any other internal injuries.
“I feel fine. I look OK?” he joked with reporters Friday. “I’m here to spectate and have some fun.”
Here is the final lap of the Daytona 500 in which Ryan Newman's car was flipped at the line.
Newman said he wants to “take advantage of this crazy opportunity” to watch not only his No. 6 team during a race weekend but also see how the other Roush Fenway Racing team, Chris Buescher and the No. 17 Ford, operates.
He continued:
“I’m just really here to support the No. 6 team, stay integrated with what I can do with the team and have some fun, obviously. That’s what it’s all about.
“Want to see Ross do well, but I’d rather be in Ross’ seat. So just want to make sure we’re doing everything we possibly can for our sponsors and for myself to have a good weekend.”
Surprising his fellow drivers, Newman showed up at a Ford event at Arizona State’s Sun Devil Stadium pm Thursday night. Several drivers who previously spoke with Newman said they joked with him and his “jovial” sense of humor remained ever present, and that was also at the event.
“We had no idea that he was going to show up. We were having dinner and he walked in. That was great. That was the first time I have seen Ryan personally. I think the first time a lot of us had seen Ryan. That was really cool to see. We sat and talked, the whole Ford group, for an hour, hour-and-a-half once he got there. We talked about a lot of stuff. It was nice to see him.
“He is full Ryan Newman caliber, and it is great to see. It was cool to hear some of the process that he went through and some of the doctors that worked on him. They were very extensive with him, and he has been passing everything with flying colors, which is unheard of and great to hear. It was nice to see him and sit down and talk to him a lot about multiple things from how the process of what happened to where we can go in the future to keep improving the safety aspects of these things.”
Blaney’s fellow Team Penske driver, Joey Logano, had a similar reaction to Newman’s surprise visit and also called it a “miracle,” as did Alex Bowman, who won Sunday’s race at Auto Club Speedway.
About Newman, Logano told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, via NBC Sports:
“You look at that crash and it’s just like, ‘How is he even OK? He’s walking, he’s talking like nothing happened.’ He says his memory’s not foggy. Everything is there. It’s insane.”
We spoke with NASCAR driver/aspiring Jedi Ryan Blaney about all things Star Wars.
Ryan Blaney is, unquestionably, the biggest Star Wars fanatic in the NASCAR garage, and his love for the franchise is well-documented.
The 26-year-old Team Penske driver is a self-described “aspiring Jedi,” he can rapidly recount the movie plots with an impressive amount of detail and, last Halloween, he donned a fabulously detailed Princess Leia costume, complete with everything except a pal to be Jabba the Hutt.
Plus, he has a massive Star Wars tattoo on his leg, covering nearly the entire front of his thigh. The top part of it is a portrait of Darth Vader (Death Star included), and the bottom part closer to his knee appears to be an image of Vader battling with Obi-Wan Kenobi.
And when the No. 12 Ford driver got the chance to go to Disney World in the days before the Daytona 500 last month and visit the Star Wars-themed area Galaxy’s Edge, he said he “couldn’t say yes fast enough.” On his journey to become a Jedi, Blaney made a green lightsaber to take home and rode the rides, the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Rise of the Resistance. He said the whole experience was “awesome.”
So, For The Win recently spoke with Blaney about all things Star Wars, from his favorite (and least favorite) characters to the The Rise of Skywalker to what makes The Empire Strikes Back so incredible.
This very nerdy interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
1. Which Star Wars movie is the best by itself?
Empire.
2. How do you rank the three Star Wars trilogies?
I think the originals first, and then, hmmm, I think the newer one is second and then the prequels third.
Enjoyed experiencing Galaxys Edge yesterday for the first time. Like a kid in a candy store, and @BubbaWallace was there loving every single second of it. @Disneypic.twitter.com/OhkOnYsNzZ
It sounds like that was a tough call between the prequel and sequel trilogies.
So Phantom Menace is the first one I ever saw, Episode I, when I was like seven. So that is always really close to first for me because it has a lot of memories as far as my first one, but it’s second after Empire [in terms of movies ranked].
That’s my favorite of the prequels because I was a big Darth Maul fan, and it was the first one I saw as a kid and you always remember that. I didn’t see Empire until I was older and because my parents weren’t Star Wars fans. So they didn’t tell me about these things, so I had to find out on my own.
3. What did you think of The Rise of Skywalker?
I thought it was OK. There were a couple things I didn’t like in it, but I thought they ended it pretty decently. They closed a couple gaps that they needed to close. Overall, I thought it was pretty good. I know people were giving it a hard time, but I enjoyed it. Either you like it or you don’t.
And I think some of the original Star Wars fans are like, “Oh, these movies are terrible!” But I like all of them. They’re all different eras. You’ve got the originals from the ‘70s and ‘80s and the prequels in ‘99 and early 2000s, and then these. It’s pretty cool to see the differences in all of them. Whether you like them or not, I think it’s cool just to be along for the ride.
Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace made a visit to Galaxy's Edge at Hollywood Studios today and they found toy light sabers to play with. pic.twitter.com/ZajOuFLZN1
Well, she’s my favorite. The best character is — I don’t know.
I was a big Darth Maul fan because he was such a cool villain, and I was hoping he was around more. They brought him back in the Clone Wars and the animated stuff, but he was cool. I had a Darth Maul lightsaber as a kid.
5. Who’s the worst character?
Jar-Jar Binks.
Editor’s note: Obviously.
6. Who’s the best non-human character?
I like Admiral Ackbar. The way he talks is funny, and he’s a pretty funny looking dude.
7. Where do you stand on Ewoks?
I think they’re cool. I don’t mind them. They helped out a lot. They had sticks, and they did good.
8. In the famous cantina scene in A New Hope, did Han shoot Greedo first?
I think he did because he shot him. He got him.
[Pauses for a moment.]
Yeah, I think he shot first. He wasn’t taking any chances.
9. Why do you think stormtroopers are such bad shots?
Can’t see out of them helmets, man. You’ve got like this much vision [fingers slightly apart]. And think of any movie where the bad guys are sharpshooters. It’s terrible. They have no sights on their weapons. They’re just shooting wildly in the air.
But I’m going to blame the helmets on that. Can’t see nothing out of them.
10. Is there a scene or line you always find yourself quoting?
I don’t quote it all the time, but [in The Empire Strikes Back] when Han is getting frozen in carbonite, Leia says, “I love you.” And he’s like, “I know.” So whenever anyone gives me a compliment, I just say, “I know.” It’s not the exact line, but you know.
I like the second time we get that in Return of the Jedi when she Solos him back.
Oh, yeah!
11. Is there any scene or moment that still gives you goosebumps?
So, it’s tough, right? I saw the prequels first before I saw the originals just with the timeline I was born. So when I got to the, “I am your father” line, I already knew. So that part is still a great line, but you already know it’s coming.
I can’t imagine for the people that were seeing the original back then, and they dropped that line, and they’re like, “Bombshell drop!” But that one always is pretty cool.
That, or in Phantom Menace when Qui-Gon Jinn gets killed. I remember watching that as a kid and was so distraught. I was like, “Man, you killed Liam Neeson, man. That’s nuts.”
Not yet. I’ve gotta figure it out because my house, I have satellite internet. HughesNet, it’s terrible, so I can’t stream anything. So I have to try to find a way to get it on my iPad.
I’ve only seen the pictures and stuff, but I think he’s like a teenager in that one. Yoda when he dies is like 900 years old. I would say he’s like early 30s, not in his years but in human years. OK, let’s go in his years. I’d say he’s maybe 50 years old, 80 years old, something like that.
14. Is there one movie you rewatch more than others?
Empire never gets old because it’s dark and weird, and it’s pretty cool. That’s one I probably watch the most. I have big box sets, and I probably throw that one on the most.
Previewing Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with NASCAR betting odds, picks and best bets
The NASCAR Cup Series moves to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday afternoon for the Pennzoil 400 at 3:30 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Pennzoil 400 betting odds and lines, with NASCAR picks and tips.
The weather won’t be a problem like it was in Daytona last weekend, when a surprise rain storm ended up pushing the race to Monday. The haulers had one less day to travel across the country, subsequently canceling the mid-week hauler parade down The Strip, but the cars and drivers will be ready to go Sunday with no interruptions.
Who is going to win the 2020 Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
The winner of the most recent Cup race at Vegas, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. (+550), is among the favorites at this race. Only Vegas-born driver and teammate Kyle Busch (+500) and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick (+500) have shorter odds.
MTJ has posted two wins in 16 career starts in Vegas, with five top-5 showings and eight top-10 finishes with a 10.9 Average-Finish Position (AFP). He’ll be a very popular selection this weekend. Truex also tops the charts with a 123.8 Driver Rating across the past five starts in Vegas, according to NASCAR’s Loop Data. Busch has a win in 17 career starts, posting nine top-10 showings and a 12.7 AFP.
New to sports betting? A successful $10 wager on Truex to win would return a profit of $55.
Penske Racing driver Joey Logano (+700) will also be a pick many gravitate toward, as he has a 5.0 AFP and 116.8 Driver Rating across his past five starts at LVMS while running a circuit-best 95.4 percent of his laps inside the Top 15 during the impressive span. He also has eight consecutive top-10 showings at the track.
Logano’s teammate Brad Keselowski (+600) is also a solid play, as he has three straight finishes of third or best at Vegas, including a win. He is a nice selection to finish in the Top 3 (+150).
2020 Pennzoil 400 longshot bets
Keselowski and Logano’s teammate, Ryan Blaney (+2000), kicked off his 2020 campaign with a second-place run at Daytona. He heads into this one with a 95.6 Driver Rating over the past five Vegas starts while posting an 8.8 AFP. He has finished seventh or better in five of his past six starts at the track, too, including three top-5 showings in the previous four.
Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron (+2500) and Alex Bowman (+3000) finished in the Top 10 in the second Vegas race last season, with Byron seventh and Bowman sixth. Those two are worth a small-unit bet with rather moderate odds. Tossing a little change on their veteran teammate, seven-time Cup champ Jimmie Johnson (+3000) is also worth a shot. He has four career wins at Vegas to lead all active drivers, and he is 12th or better in seven of his past 10 starts at the track.
Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.
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