2019 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Clash Odds: Keselowski & Logano Co-Favorites

• The Clash is an exhibition race at Daytona International Speedway
• Brad Keselowski, the defending champion, is co-favored at +700 with Joey Logano
• Logano has placed in the top two in each of the last three years

The Advance Auto Parts Clash takes place on Sunday, February 10th. While it’s a preseason race, it’s important to monitor as it’s held at Daytona International Speedway, which is where the Daytona 500 will be raced the week after.

Oddsmakers have posted odds for this event, so let’s take a look at who is the best bet among the two front runners: Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano.

2019 Advanced Auto Parts Clash Odds

Advanced Auto Parts Clash Format

For those unfamiliar with the race, keep in mind that this is a 75-lap race with a competition caution that comes in at Lap 25. To determine the lineup, a random draw is held in the Fan Zone. That’s important to note as it’s not qualifying that determines the pole position.

The field running out for the Advanced Auto Parts Clash at Daytona, it’s really hot #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/IWnCBQ3YZ6

— bread perez (@bradxperez) February 11, 2018

Cars that are eligible for the field are drivers who won a Busch Pole Award last season, drivers who are former Clash winners, former Daytona 500 winners, former Daytona 500 pole winners or drivers who made it to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs last year.

The challenge with handicapping this race is that it doesn’t factor in the Cup Series.

Can Brad Keselowski Win it in Back-to-Back Years?

Keselowski earned his first Clash win last year. Add in a year where he had three wins, 12 top fives and 20 top 10’s and that explains why he’s among the favorites here. Keselowski has always done well here, for the most part. His 7.8 average finish is the best among any drivers who have five starts at the Clash.

Keselowski’s 7.8 average finish is the best among any drivers who have five starts at the Clash.

The challenge is that if he performs like last year, he’s going to be a frustrating bet. As mentioned, he had 12 top fives, so if you guess right, you’re getting a driver who will be in the running. The downside that few people talk about is that he also had eight finishes where he wasn’t even in the Top 25.

Fire!
My view pic.twitter.com/RWn3xMn6

— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) February 28, 2012

The other thing I don’t love is that there hasn’t been back-to-back winners here since Kevin Harvick did it in 2009 and 2010. Only twice has a driver won it in consecutive years, so the odds are not in his favor.

Is Logano a Good Bet?

Logano also clocks in at +700, which makes him a co-favorite with Keselowski. He won the race in 2016 and has now placed in the top two at this event three years in a row. Over the last six times he’s started at the Clash, his average finish is third. In that span, he’s never placed lower than six.

Joey Logano unlocks a NASCAR Cup Series championship!pic.twitter.com/Kr3HVu9U6U

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) November 18, 2018

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who was better than Logano at plate tracks last year. He scored the most points and finished in the top five in three of the four races.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who was better than Logano at plate tracks last year.

When you add to the fact that in the last eight points races at Daytona, he’s finished in the top six five times, then you have a good idea of just how well this sets up for him. I would bet him over Keselowski.