Atlanta Oral B USA 500 Fantasy NASCAR Front Runner Rankings

Matt Kenseth – Matt Kenseth has been the model of consistency at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Since fall 2005 he hasn’t had a result worse than 13th. Over this span of races he has a 7.7 average finish (second best in series), 11.0 average running position and the 4th best driver rating. Also over this stretch of races he’s the only driver who’s finished in the top fifteen every race. Despite how well he’s consistently performed at Atlanta he’s never been to victory lane. That’s notable because this is the only intermediate track he’s never won at. In the last four Atlanta races he’s finished between 9th and 12th every race. Last season he didn’t have his strongest showing but he still managed to finish 12th. In the race he started 6th, had a 16th place average running position and earned the 10th best driver rating. He ran in the top 8 for about the first 100 laps but then he started having handling issues. In the two Atlanta races prior to last season he had back to back 9th place finishes. In 2012 he started in 4th, had an 8th place average running position and earned the 7th best driver rating. In 2011 he had one of the strongest cars. In that race he started 6th, had a 6th place average running position, led 64 laps and earned the 2nd best driver rating. This season on 1.5 mile tracks he’s been a strong consistent performer. At tracks of this length he’s scored the 4th most point and only him and Jeff Gordon have finished in the top ten every race. Also in these combined events he has a 6.8 average finish and the 8th best driver rating. (Yahoo A Driver)

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Kyle Busch – Kyle Busch will be one of the drivers to beat at Atlanta. Recently he’s been one of the best performers here and has finished 6th or better in 3 of the last four races. Last season he likely didn’t have the best car but that didn’t stop him from winning. In the race he earned the 2nd best driver rating, had a 7th place average running position and led 36 laps. It should be noted he didn’t lead until the final 36 laps. In the race he was a driver who consistently ran 10th or better for the entire evening. Late in the race he was at this best and over the final 60 laps he consistently ran 3rd or better. In 2012 he started 3rd, led 66 laps and finished 6th. In 2008 when the COT made its debut he won his first Atlanta race and led 173 laps. One notable strength about him at Atlanta is his qualifying prowess. He has 7 straight top nine starts and has started 3rd or better every race between 2012 and 2010 (4 races). This season on 1.5 mile tracks he’s been strong. On tracks of this length he’s scored the 5th most points and has finished in the top fifteen in every race. Also in these events he has an 8.0 average finish and a 10.6 average running position. Texas and Charlotte are the most similar tracks visited and at those venues he had results of 3rd and 9th this season. In terms of tire wear Auto Club Speedway is similar and he won that event. (Yahoo A Driver)

Recommended Reading – Atlanta Top Tier Elite Picks, Atlanta Mid Pack Predictions, Yahoo C List Fantasy NASCAR Preview, Who will win the Atlanta Oral B USA 500?

Ryan Newman – This season on 1.5 tracks Newman has been a strong performer. Between the five races on tracks of this length he’s scored the 10th most points, has a 10.4 average finish and a 12.4 average running position. His worst finish at one of these venues was a 16th place finish at Texas. Last year at Atlanta Ryan Newman finished 5th. What’s notable about that result is that it tied his all-time best Atlanta finish, which was a 5th in 2004. In the event Newman ran well throughout the race. From about lap 90 to the conclusion of the event he was a driver who ran consistently in the top ten. For many of the final 100 laps he was a driver who ran in the top three. Also in the race he earned the 7th best driver rating and had a 10th place average running position. In 2012 Newman had about a 13th place car but was involved in a multi-car wreck with 56 laps to go. It’s important to note early in the race he got lapped and had to take a wave around. In 2011 he finished 20th, had a 21st place average running position and earned the 22nd best driver rating. In 2010 he finished 8th. It’s important to note that at Atlanta much of his success is front loaded. Ryan Newman’s historical strength at Atlanta is his qualifying prowess. He has a 7.6 average starting position and has won 7 poles. It should be noted that his last pole win was in 2007. One advantage Newman has this week is that he tested here. (Yahoo B Driver)

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