It’s no BetOnline scam to see Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards at the top of the list when it comes to the favorites for the Kobalt Tools 500 on Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway as these two are dueling for the championship and are going to pull out all of the stops to get the checkered flag. Here they are, along with three other drivers worth a wager this weekend.

Tony Stewart (+500): The No.14 driver has now won four of the eight Chase races after going back-to-back at Martinsville and Texas, and his 11.7 average in 19 starts at Phoenix is fifth among active drivers. His lone win here came in the 1999 fall race, but Stewart finished seventh at Phoenix in the spring and even with a newly paved and reconfigured track, he’s so hot that Wagerweb reviews would likely have him as a favorite here.

Carl Edwards (+600): Edwards has finished in the top 11 in his last 11 starts, and that consistency has kept him just ahead of Stewart in the point standings, but he may need a win to really take control of the race for the Cup. He won the pole here in the spring and was one of the cars to beat until an early-race incident with Kyle Busch, but Edwards’ pay per head chances depends on how he’s going to race: will he continue to be conservative, or will he race for the victory?

Jimmie Johnson (+650): Johnson’s five-year title reign is coming to a halt, but per head players know that he is a beast at Phoenix with a 4.8 average in 16 starts here, including four wins. Three of those wins have come in the fall race and you know he would love to dominate the field to show that he’ll be back next year. Johnson finished third here in the spring.

Jeff Gordon (+650): Gordon led 138 laps en route to the checkered flag in the spring, and he now has an average of 10.0 in 25 starts at Phoenix, which sits behind Hendrick teammates Johnson and Mark Martin. He has finished in the top six in his last two starts, and like Johnson, Gordon would love a win to signal his intent for 2012.

Denny Hamlin (+1100): The No.11 driver has never won at Phoenix, but he has an average of 12.6 in 12 starts, which is fourth among active drivers and he finished 11th here in the spring. All of the attention is on his JGR teammate, Busch, for his run-in with Ron Hornaday last weekend, so that should serve Hamlin well as he can focus on the victory. He could offer some value in your online sports book.