I hate All-Star events. At least NASCAR makes them interesting.

This year’s All-Star race will feature four segments at twenty laps a pop. The winner of each segment will start first through fourth in the final 10-lap sprint.

While this is great for racing, it’s a random dart thrown blindfolded in a dark room with a board the size of a thimble for wagering. No chance.

The Sprint Showdown; now that might be the best wager all year.

The race is two segments at twenty laps a pop. No final dash. Only two of the twelve Chasers are even in the field. Only AJ Allmendinger and Joey Logano have shown signs of life. Last year, I thought this race was taking candy from a baby. This year, the baby grew up. A lot.

The clear favorites are so well known and liked that I could thrown all of my fake money down on the table and still not double it. That would break a rule I’ve had for years.

The other side of that coin is putting any kind of money, even fake kinds of money, on people named Montoya, Labonte and Cassill.

Break a rule, or break a trend. Up a fake 305 dollars after four straight losses, it’s not that tough of a decision.

25 fake dollars on Martin Truex Jr. at 7/4
Emerging team. Emerging driver. Emerging manufacturer. Now, about those wins.

13 fake dollars on AJ Allmendinger at 7/1
I still believe he can pull a Keselowski the back half of the year

12 fake dollars on Joe Logano at 7/1
See Truex Jr. and Allmendinger.

Earnhardt Jr. will get the fan vote and doesn’t need to win. We can’t say that about anyone else on the board. Only in all-star races. Here’s what The Spread thinks. Enjoy the races, and insert random catchphrase here.

Martin Truex Jr 7/4
Dale Earnhardt Jr 7/4
AJ Allmendinger 7/1
Joey Logano 7/1
Jeff Burton 10/1
Jamie McMurray 12/1
Juan Montoya 12/1
Aric Almirola 20/1
Bobby Labonte 30/1
David Reutimann 40/1
David Gilliland 40/1
Landon Cassill 40/1
Casey Mears 40/1
Field (Any Other Driver) 20/1