You gotta love a sport that runs 10 months out of the year. NASCAR is one of the most popular betting sports during the summertime, when nearly everything else but baseball has ground to a halt. And it’s such a simple sport to bet on, too – even if you don’t know a manifold from a manwich.

Your NASCAR handicapping research should always start with the track in question. Just because this isn’t Formula 1 doesn’t mean they’re all cookie-cutter courses. The longest superspeedways require a different approach than the half-mile tracks; there are also road courses, and one triangular course.

Each driver is best at one kind of track. Two-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson is strongest on 1.5-mile ovals like Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is carrying the family reputation for races that require restrictor plates; he has five career wins at Talladega. Match the right track and driver, and you’ve won half the battle.