Rain postpones Cup race

Autoracing Betting Lines

08/19/2007 - Brooklyn, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sunday's NASCAR Nextel Cup race at the Michigan International Speedway was postponed due to rain. The 3M Performance 400 has been pushed back until Monday and the green flag is scheduled to drop, weather permitting, at 12 p.m.

When the flag drops, series points leader Jeff Gordon will lead the 43-car field. The No.24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was the last qualifier on the track on Friday and stole the pole from Greg Biffle's grasp.

Row two will consist of Kasey Kahne and Bobby Labonte.

Other drivers of note and their starting positions: Jimmie Johnson (seventh), Denny Hamlin (eighth), Clint Bowyer (ninth), Carl Edwards (13th), Jeff Burton (19th) and Tony Stewart (35th).

Just four races remain until the cutoff for the "Chase for the Nextel Cup." Following an eventful Sunday in upstate New York, the picture is becoming clearer as to who is a contender and who is just a pretender.

The race for the final position in the "Chase" appears to be coming down to Kurt Busch, his Penske teammate Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Biffle.

Biffle, with his second-place starting position and great history at MIS, should make some headway this week, but still has a long road. He is 15th in the standings and 212 points out of the "Chase." But at MIS Biffle owns two wins and six top-10s in nine career starts.

After Michigan, the series travels to Bristol, California and Richmond where the 12 drivers who make the "Chase" will be decided.

Wwwipodlounge Autoracing Betting News

<< Devil Rays place Zobrist on DL
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Devil Rays placed shortstop Ben Zobrist on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a right oblique strain. Zobrist was hurt swinging at a pitch in the team's 8-1 loss to Cleveland

<< Hamburg wins again; Bechmann double carries Bochum
Hamburg, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rafael van der Vaart converted a penalty kick in the second half to help Hamburg to a 1-0 defeat of Bayer Leverkusen while Tommy Bechmann scored a pair of goals to lead Bochum to a 2-1 victory over En

<< Mets' Easley placed on DL
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Mets placed infielder Damion Easley on the 15-day disabled list with a Grade 3 left ankle sprain. Easley left the Mets' 7-4 victory against the Washington Nationals Saturday in the sixth i

<< Ilonen claims second win of '07
Stockholm, Sweden (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mikko Ilonen birdied the par-three 18th Sunday, then watched as Martin Kaymer closed with a double-bogey. Kaymer's closing double handed Ilonen his second win of the season. Ilonen completed the eve

<< Miller's double allows Celtic to slip past Aberdeen
Aberdeen, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kenny Miller scored two goals in the game's final five minutes to give Celtic a 3-1 win against Aberdeen at Pittodrie Stadium on Sunday. The two teams were deadlocked at 1-1 heading into the

Blue Jays down O's on Hill's sac fly in 10th >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aaron Hill hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th to lift the Toronto Blue Jays past the Baltimore Orioles, 3-2, in the finale of a three-game series at Rogers Centre. Vernon Wells scored the game-

Teixeira homers twice in Braves win over Arizona >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mark Teixeira blasted two home runs and drove in four runs, and John Smoltz hurled eight solid innings as Atlanta downed Arizona, 6-2, in the finale of a three-game set at Turner Field. Smoltz (11

Mets swat Nats to complete sweep >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Beltran went deep twice and knocked in four runs as the New York Mets pulled away late to down the Washington Nationals, 8-2, and complete a three-game sweep at RFK Stadium. Shawn Green and Ma

Flanagan headed to PGA thanks to comeback win in Rochester >>
Rochester, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nick Flanagan roared from behind Sunday with a seven-under 63 to overtake James Driscoll and win the Xerox Classic. Flanagan ended the tournament at 10-under-par 270, one stroke clear of Driscoll, w

Snedeker earns first PGA Tour win >>
Greensboro, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brandt Snedeker fired a nine-under 63 on Sunday to come from behind and win his first PGA Tour title at the Wyndham Championship. He finished the shootout at 22-under-par 266 and won by two over th

Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.